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Duke University
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Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

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Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

How to explain a dip in grades during sophomore year?

Hello everyone, I had a rough sophomore year and my grades dipped quite a bit. How can I explain this to colleges during the application process without sounding like I'm making excuses? Thanks in advance!

a year ago

Hi there! It's common for students to face challenges during their high school years, and colleges understand that. When explaining the dip in your sophomore year grades, focus on the factors that contributed to it and how you've worked to overcome them. For example, if you had health issues, personal or family problems, or simply struggled with time management, be honest about these challenges. It's important to show that you learned from the experience and that you've made improvements since then. You can address this in your personal statement or in the additional information section of your application. Remember, colleges are looking for growth and resilience, so demonstrating how you've bounced back from this setback and what you've done to ensure it won't happen again will be more impactful than trying to avoid the subject.

a year ago

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