How to Explain a Bad Grade on Your Transcript in an Interview

Present your bad grade in the best light possible.

Whether you are applying to a prestigious college or trying to get your first job after graduation, explaining away a prior bad grade can be a challenge. The key to keeping your bad grade in perspective is to emphasize the other, stronger parts of your resume. If you can successfully keep the focus on your accomplishments instead of your shortcomings, you’ll have a better chance of success in your interview as a whole.

Instructions

1. Make a good first impression. Wear a nice pair of slacks and a jacket, or a skirt and blouse if you are female, and get to the interview on time. If the interviewer gets a favorable impression of you in the first few minutes of the interview, he will be more likely to overlook minor problems on your resume, such as a bad grade.

2. Give a brief explanation to the interviewer if the reason for your bad grade is legitimate. If you had a serious illness or hospitalization, a death in the family or a difficult divorce, a brief mention of the event may be enough to head off any further questions about your grade or grades during a particular class or semester. Be careful to only bring it up yourself if your reason for the poor grade was something truly serious.

3. Acknowledge the poor grade when asked about it, but don’t bring it up as a topic yourself. For some interviewers, one poor grade doesn’t make a big difference in the scheme of things. If your grades are otherwise stellar, the interviewer might presume it was a fluke and never bring it up.

4. Emphasize how you overcame the bad grade if you have to discuss it at all. Focus on your positive qualities that made it possible to improve your scores later. For example, you can use it as a precursor to explaining how your diligent study habits or gritty determination caused you to keep going despite a temporary setback.

5. Move on to more positive topics as soon as possible. Don’t dwell on discussing your bad grade or your interviewer will focus on that as the most important thing in the interview. If you emphasize your strengths, those will be the topics the interviewer remembers.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid blaming relationship troubles or the actions of a former teacher for your bad grades. The hiring manager or admissions officer is likely to view these as excuses and may get the impression that you will let relationship problems distract you from your work in the future or that you will be difficult to work with.

References

• Science Careers: Tooling Up
• University of Alberta: The Application Package