Low GPA excuses
As a T40 adcom and surgery attending, I’m kind of tired of seeing the same excuses for low GPAs because it’s a recurring theme: “various personal reasons, helping out my family members, had to work.” Be real, and be honest. It’s okay to admit you are not a strong student so that people can actually tailor advice to your needs. Isn’t it interesting how everyone with low GPAs have the exact same excuses, because you think that this will somehow be more acceptable when in fact, you’re being dishonest with yourself and hurting your chances for help.
Yes, some people do actually have these legitimate reasons, but there are also many students who struggle with the same problems and do well. Like I told someone else, having a higher MCAT and GPA with all these problems resonates well in a personal statement, otherwise, it’s just seen as a poor excuse for poor effort.