My plan after HS was to apply to med schools out of the country that didn’t require bachelor’s degree. I took the prereqs, did 3-4 science courses for a couple of terms, and managed to beat the mean GPA of previously admitted applicants by a respectable margin. To make a long story short, I obviously didn’t get into one. For the following 2 years, I was discouraged and became an unproductive homebody. I was also dealing with some endocrine-related health issues. I eventually realized that thaht was a very naive plan of mine to begin with and that getting a bachelor’s was the way to go. Since then, I’ve been succeeding at my CC, maintaining a very high GPA.
My biggest concern now is explaining that glaring blackhole in my past. I want to remain relatively honest in my response without screwing myself over. Given the quick rundown of information, is that possible?
Should I avoid mentioning being a discouraged student? Should I focus more on the medical aspect? How should I approach this?
I’d appreciate any help/advice offered. Thanks.
Call it health issues and mention that they are now resolved, if they are.
@bodangles Would that be sufficient? Is it necessary or do they prefer that I disclose details? I know that in job applications, employers don’t want details that may burden them.
Nor do colleges want kids who make a point of how bad news felled them. And for two years. That’s not strength and resilience.
You were in a local college or community college, right? Is there any “glass half full?” You say you did well in classes, did you participate in something or other? Make the most of that. The health issue can just be a line or two. Best wishes.
@lookingforward Yep, I realize that. I should probably steer clear away from the discouraged student angle.
And no, unfortunately no. That period was as unproductive as it gets. It’s something I’m ashamed to admit.
And thanks! Have a good day/night.
I don’t think you should tread this topic. Don’t even dedicate a line or two.
Discussing personal issues of this nature is always extremely risky. It’s simply not worth potentially crippling your application for the sake of transparency.
Since you’re not explicitly asked to talk about those two years, then you’re under no obligation to explain. As @lookingforward said, capitalize on your current achievements.