Submitting Additional information on CommonApp

<p>Wondering if someone can read through this and make sure it doesn’t sound ‘*****y’ in any way? :expressionless: It’s regarding my poor marks in Junior Year (Year 11 in Australia), due to skipping Year 10 as I was in Sweden abroad.</p>

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<li>MY ACADEMIC ABILITY DOES NOT MATCH MY ACADEMIC HISTORY. -
After returning from a year in Sweden, as an exchange student, I began Year 11 in 2011, skipping from year 9 in 2009. This faced a variety of problems for me.</li>
</ul>

<p>I was enrolled into MATH METHODS 1/2, an advanced mathematics class, based around the same level as CALCULUS in the United States. This was VERY different to the basic GENERAL MATHEMATICS in Year 9, comparing with Algebra I and a small amount of Algebra II in the United States. Due to a lack of understanding of the course material, I ultimately received fairly low marks, which I don’t believe highlight my academic ability. I honestly tried very hard to keep up with the class, completing all homework and activities set, taking after-school revision classes offered, yet I felt that the longer time past, the gap between my academic cohort and I increased.</p>

<p>Physics, which I studied in Semester 2 of Year 11, did not seem like a positive choice for me. While I had studied Physics in Sweden, it was very different to that of classes in Australia, and I often dragged behind the academic cohort. PHYSICS 2, as part of my VCE, contained a wide variety of mathematical formulas and techniques which were previously discussed in Year 10, to my dismay, the year in which I wasn’t there.</p>

<p>While Year 11 was very interesting experience, allowing me to try many different subjects, I ended up choosing subjects which I did not like, due to a misunderstanding of what my future career ambitions were. I worked very hard in Year 11, trying to fit into the school environment after being away, trying to attain high grades, and trying to keep a positive outlook, but towards the end of the year, I understood that many of the subjects I chose in Year 11 did not interest me at all or help me academically, and therefore, I changed most of my subject choices for Year 12, undoubtably for the better.</p>

<p>Get rid of the capitalized words. Sure fire way to sound ******y.</p>

<p>Sometimes when you write something like this, you just end bringing attention to the negative aspects of your application. I don’t think it is necessary for this to be written. Just make sure you have on your application and resume the things about you that are positive and that counterbalance your lower grades. Highlight these strengths and sell yourself that way, rather than trying to explain away the negatives.</p>

<p>D had a 73 and a 77 in math and science in sophomore year. She made absolutley no mention of them on her application, nor did her guidance counselor. But she had many other accomplishments that made her desirable to NYU .</p>

<p>BTW–she was accepted ED last year and is a current Freshman at NYU.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>