<p>I am applying to college as a transfer student because I am at community college now. I am applying to state schools, and one reach school. I want to write a college application essay because I got a D in one of my classes that I took in the fall semester. Even though I have a 2.8 GPA, which is acceptable to the state schools, and even though my reach school is not my first choice, I want to write an essay explaining why I got the D.
Do college application essays need to be really sophisticated and complicated? And do you have to use words that you need to look up in the dictionary to find out what they mean? I only want to make it a paragraph long, but I can’t use complicated words and make it really fancy. Because the colleges I’m applying to do not require application essays, do I mail my essay to the admissions office? Do I type it, or write it?</p>
<p>There is a section on the common app in the writing portion called “Additional Info” where you can explain your grades. I think it’s specifically meant for these types of things because it states to add any special circumstances and what not. You can also have your guidance counselor explain in his or her letter–I know a lot of people who have done this. Good luck! :]</p>
<p>It’s never a good idea to use words that YOU have to look up in a dictionary. </p>
<p>On the other hand, don’t use text speak. </p>
<p>If it were me, I’d choose something at the level of formality of a business letter. If this were your “personal statement,” you could perhaps be a bit more informal because you are trying to give them a feel for who you are as a person; in this case, you are trying to provide a short, business-like, and credible explanation for a flaw in your record.</p>
<p>example:</p>
<p>BAD: “I messed up in math cuz my mom was sick so i didnt no how to get 2 class cuz she drives me.”</p>
<p>BETTER: “My mother, who drove me to classes, became ill in the middle of the first semester. This made it hard for me to get to class and I fell behind in math. I wasn’t able to make up the missed work and ended the semester with a D because of missing grades. I had a B or better on every assignment and test I could complete.”</p>
<p>You COULD write in a more sophisticated way but it might just make you sound pompous. (“My mother, upon whom I relied for transportation, fell ill mid-semester. This precluded me from attending class and completing some assignments. Consequently, I received a grade of zero for those assignments. Although I achieved grades of B or better on all completed assignments, my resulting average earned me a D.”)</p>