Dear anantsch,

Without providing any context or explanation to your two items, then it is possible they will have a negative effect on your applications as you will allow the admissions committee to assume what happened/your reasons for these events. Thus it is imperative you provide the story through the optional essay, or other essays, on these two potential issues. With regard to item a, a brief optional or additional info paragraph will suffice; you simply need to note that coursework was completed in August 2009, but your degree was not awarded until March 2010 pending your re-appearance for one exam. It would also be helpful to note why you had to re-appear. As for item b, you will need to articulate your career path to date, offering solid reasoning behind your decision to leave JWT after only 5 months to return to the family business.

Good luck,
Lisa