How to explain a grade rise?

MissFiskeGuide
Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:33:54 +0000

I’m in a similar situation. I went through all of high school and was never diagnosed with an LD. Granted, I made it under the radar because I was maintaining B+/A- grades and making honor roll - but my SAT scores were abysmal, I barely got out with a B- in an advanced math class, and I put in soooooo much effort to achieve what I did. I was diagnosed within the last month of senior year, and now I’m in college and have 200% time on exams as well as a few other accommodations.

In college, I’m earning all A’s at a school known for grade deflation. I plan to transfer, and I keep thinking the same thing. Will the adcoms look at my high school record and think I was slacking or not working up to my potential? (<– we both know this was NOT the case). Will I be a weaker applicant if I reveal my LD and let them know that I am now taking extra time on exams?

I ultimately decided not to mention the LD in my applications and asked my recommenders not do mention it either. I figure that the recs will illustrate how I am a hard worker, and that should be enough for the adcoms to realize that I was not a slacker. If you do decide to disclose the LD, I’d ask your guidance counselor to incorporate it in “your story” somehow. I always feared that mentioning it myself would seem like a bunch of excuses.

A 3.40 is an accomplishment with or without an LD, and I believe that wherever you end up in college, you will do brilliantly! You must be pretty smart to have made it this far, so keep working hard. Best of luck!