How do I explain this F in freshman year?

geek_mom
Sat, 27 Dec 2008 19:26:58 +0000

Hmmmm… If your overall grades are competitive, it’s not going to kill your chances, especially since it was in freshman year. But if you want to explain it, perhaps in “Additional Information,” focus on what you learned from the experience. What could you have done to prevent the problem, and how did you keep anything like that from happening again? Did you learn to communicate more effectively, or to keep careful records? Did you learn anything by looking at it from her perspective? Did the poor grade make you more determined to become a top student in the rest of your high school career? How you deal with setbacks is interesting to admissions committees, because it shows something of your character and how you might handle the stresses of college life. Just be honest and positive in your comments and, as you say, avoid whining and blaming the teacher.