Hello sgraves,

First, I think you're on the right track using the optional essay to discuss your low undergrad GPA. Some lingering questions I have are - was your undergrad a well ranked school? How long ago was this and what other academic work have you done to show your capabilities in more recent times? Were you a full time student at the time or did you work to support yourself (and/or family members) during your undergrad education? What I'm getting at is, there is often an underlying story behind a transcript beyond what's visible to the reviewer of those less than wonderful grades. To the extent you can articulate what that story is, to help the Adcoms better understand your journey and appreciate how far you have come, you'll be making the best use of your optional essay.

It's not uncommon for people to have selected the wrong major in undergrad, resulting in below average grades bc they decided to stick with it. In these cases, it's important to demonstrate the progress you have made since - in GMAT scores, other academic work, work experience in an analytical capacity, professional training and certifications etc.

Cheers,

Your job as an MBA applicant is to understand and anticipate the concerns the school may have while reading your application. Use the optional essay to address these concerns. Don't share information that is not vital for strengthening your application. Remember, the admissions committees read hundreds of applications. You don't want to be remembered as the applicant who made them read even more.
For more tips regarding the optional essay, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efDVOu3utIQ