Tact in Explaining Inconsistencies?

jdarnielle
Sat, 29 Nov 2014 23:55:40 +0000

I’m currently a community college sophomore getting ready to apply to transfer schools. I have my heart set on schools that many would characterize as elite.

Part of the reason that I’m at a community college is because I barely made it out of high school with a 2.8 unweighted GPA (3.3 UW, if I’m not mistaken - which I very well may be). This included five failed courses and a D or two in addition to that - all during my Sophomore and Junior years. I had decent SAT scores (750 CR, 630 M, 780 W) and a genuine love for learning, with consistent extracurriculars, leadership positions, and several First Place and Best of the Best awards in my field. In college, I’ve maintained a 4.0 GPA; if it drops after this semester, it’ll still be above 3.9. This is supplemented by some unique extracurriculars and essays I’m pouring my heart into.

So. Back to high school. There were several factors that contributed to my almost hilarious levels of high school failure. I was clinically depressed (not diagnosed or treated until the beginning of my senior year), my father had serious health issues, I’m a first-generation student who literally had no idea what other students were talking about when it came to college, and my family had serious financial difficulties (even at my community college, my EFC is 0).

On top of that, though, I was seriously disenchanted with systematic and standardized education. I loved learning, but regarded the formulaic, conformative outlook on education and the less-than-stellar curriculum with deep and consuming contempt. I felt I was making some grand statement in rejecting that system, when in the end I… ended up at a community college. I don’t regret my on-paper failure, and I appreciate the time it gave me to dedicate to extracurriculars that I heart-and-soul loved.

As I begin to prepare my Common App forms, I’m going back and forth when it comes to the opportunity to explain inconsistencies in my academic performances. Do I stick with the conventional (and still genuine) explanations I glossed over? Or do I include my issues with The Man? Am I being laughably idealistic in thinking that they’d value my unconventional thoughts on and approach to my high school education?

Would addressing my disenchantment with my unfulfilling high school education hurt my application more than it would help me? Help me, internet.