Where should you explain a bad GPA due to truly extenuating circumstances?

So here’s my take. If your situation affected your college grades can you meet with the AO at the school your transferring to? To me this is a question to ask someone in admissions. Like “this is what happened (talk generally) and it affected my grades. How do I express this when applying to your school”

I think this is a very fair and mature question to ask.

Then follow what they tell you to do.