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sydlyisaacs
Current Student
Joined: 05 Apr 2020
Last visit: 03 Oct 2022
Posts: 41
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 5
Location: United States (NC)
Schools: Bocconi (A)
GMAT 1: 620 Q35 V40
GMAT 2: 690 Q40 V44 (Online)
Products:
02 Sep 2020, 13:43
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I'm including an optional essay for all of my applications to explain a low GPA in an engineering.
My closest friend of 9 years/boyfriend of 4 years died in Spring of our freshman year at age 19 from a heroin overdose. There is a lot to this, but needless to say my grades were impacted. This wasn't just the loss of a grandparent or something that would effect me for a couple of months. I'm not trying to explain away one bad semester. It's moreso explaining a consistent academic mediocrity - I invested in tutors, regularly sought counseling and assistance from professors but as my counselor explained, trauma can sometimes impact your brain's ability to function on a lot of levels (memory specifically...which is particularly problematic with school and all). I never got an D's or anything, just a smattering of Cs, Bs, and a handful of A-s in easier humanities classes. I'm honestly proud of my the GPA I earned because it took a lot of work to pass engineering courses while suffering from such intense grief that lasted for years.
My question is...how the heck do I write about something like that? What should I ultimately be conveying? Should I be extremely brief and just state that this incident occurred hence my performance was subpar, or should I be more detailed about what I was going through and how it has made me who I am today? I learned a lot during those years, it just happened to be things you can't learn in a classroom.
Should I avoid using the word "boyfriend"? Something about referring to a boyfriend makes me worry someone will roll their eyes or think I'm an idiot for having dated someone who eventually became susceptible to this drug addiction. At the same time, I feel like "close friend" does not begin to convey his importance to me. I also wonder if I should be briefly explaining how he ended up where he did because I don't want the admissions team to think that by association I'm a drug user.
Any tips on how to convey the importance of this event without going overboard / coming off poorly would be a great help!!
My closest friend of 9 years/boyfriend of 4 years died in Spring of our freshman year at age 19 from a heroin overdose. There is a lot to this, but needless to say my grades were impacted. This wasn't just the loss of a grandparent or something that would effect me for a couple of months. I'm not trying to explain away one bad semester. It's moreso explaining a consistent academic mediocrity - I invested in tutors, regularly sought counseling and assistance from professors but as my counselor explained, trauma can sometimes impact your brain's ability to function on a lot of levels (memory specifically...which is particularly problematic with school and all). I never got an D's or anything, just a smattering of Cs, Bs, and a handful of A-s in easier humanities classes. I'm honestly proud of my the GPA I earned because it took a lot of work to pass engineering courses while suffering from such intense grief that lasted for years.
My question is...how the heck do I write about something like that? What should I ultimately be conveying? Should I be extremely brief and just state that this incident occurred hence my performance was subpar, or should I be more detailed about what I was going through and how it has made me who I am today? I learned a lot during those years, it just happened to be things you can't learn in a classroom.
Should I avoid using the word "boyfriend"? Something about referring to a boyfriend makes me worry someone will roll their eyes or think I'm an idiot for having dated someone who eventually became susceptible to this drug addiction. At the same time, I feel like "close friend" does not begin to convey his importance to me. I also wonder if I should be briefly explaining how he ended up where he did because I don't want the admissions team to think that by association I'm a drug user.
Any tips on how to convey the importance of this event without going overboard / coming off poorly would be a great help!!
02 Sep 2020, 19:23
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Hi!
I'm sorry for your loss. I'm also an MBA candidate so my response to you is based solely on my gut feelings.
I would dedicate a whole section on your relationship with your loved one: memories from childhood; how you grew up together; when you found out you're actually in love with your best friend; thoughts about your future life together.
That way, the word "boyfriend" will not sound as just another person. That person is your second half. You had plans together.
Then, out of nowhere, I'd mention how this person passed away. That would be very confusing and shocking to read about that - as it was shocking for you to experience this.
I'd continue with how it changed your life forever. Part of it is how it affected your GPA - the main idea of your essay. Dedicate a full section for it and include specific examples of what you tried to do to overcome it (similar to what you mentioned at your post.)
I'd end the essay with optimism and perhaps connect it to the first paragraph.
I wish you the best of luck!
I'm sorry for your loss. I'm also an MBA candidate so my response to you is based solely on my gut feelings.
I would dedicate a whole section on your relationship with your loved one: memories from childhood; how you grew up together; when you found out you're actually in love with your best friend; thoughts about your future life together.
That way, the word "boyfriend" will not sound as just another person. That person is your second half. You had plans together.
Then, out of nowhere, I'd mention how this person passed away. That would be very confusing and shocking to read about that - as it was shocking for you to experience this.
I'd continue with how it changed your life forever. Part of it is how it affected your GPA - the main idea of your essay. Dedicate a full section for it and include specific examples of what you tried to do to overcome it (similar to what you mentioned at your post.)
I'd end the essay with optimism and perhaps connect it to the first paragraph.
I wish you the best of luck!
