Hi
seriouslyokay:
Thanks for reaching out and fantastic handle! You are right, you definitely have an interesting background. Let me address your three points of concern:
(1) You are right. Your GPA is the big elephant in the room. You are going to need to deploy a multi-pronged strategy, which includes but is not limited to: a killer explanation in the optional essay; a demonstration of technical aptitude through your essays, resume and letters of recommendation; and possible additional courses as you mentioned, though those tend not to carry much weight.
(2) You have some interesting hobbies but you need more extracurricular accomplishments. I realize there is not an abundance of time left before R1 2021, but there are smart ways to beef up your leadership through ad-hoc events and other forms of one-time commitments. We have levers to pull for people just like you.
(3) Your background is definitely unique, so you are right in wanting to tell the full story. That narrative must be captivating, cohesive and convincing. That's where we come into play. We are particularly skilled at crafting a "brand" to help you sell the outside-the-box in a credible way.
Though you didn't mention this, but now is a great time to establishing contact with the schools. You will want to introduce yourself and build relationships with current or former students to help you build a knowledge of interests that are unique to you. Tuck, in particular, is very big on that since campus visits are no longer a real possibility.
I strongly recommend you reach out to us for a free consultation. We are actually beginning to put together our slates for the 2021 season. One of the things we offer is an Advanced Planning Program, which is a pre-application mentorship arrangement during which you can get a full profile assessment, a plan of action for the next X months prior to applying, and a review of your preliminary school list. In addition to 24/7 access to a consultant of your choosing, you will also have once a month check-ins to discuss progress and planning. Please let us know if you're interested!
https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/Kindly,
Seth