Optional Essay: Should I write it? Please advise

[dhody1986]

Hi

I am in the middle of my application process and I am writing essays for various colleges I plan to apply. Most of the colleges ask the applicants to ask optional essay to address weaknesses if any. I am not able to figure out any obvious weakness in my profile and I need some guidance as to whether I should write the optional essay or not.
My undergraduate GPA is 7.75 on a scale of 10 which roughly translates to 3.1 on a scale of 4. Also I had a 6 month gap after I completed my undergraduate degree and joined my employer because the joining was delayed due to recessionary trends across the globe in 2009.

Should I write an essay to address any of the above mentioned issues? Kindly advise.

Thanks and Regards
Gaurav

[machichi]

You haven't offered any reason for the "lowish" GPA. Are you sure about the translation of your GPA? It's really hard to gauge Indian Universities' grading systems with the 4.0 scale. I would NOT address it unless you have a truly compelling reason.

Most schools ask you to specifically address any work gaps greater than 3 months. The point is to say there was a recession but ALSO to state what you did in the mean time (volunteered, learned Portuguese, etc.). You will need to explain it and they'll give you a place to do so on the data forms.

[myEssayReview]

If you think there was any valid reason for average GPA,please explain that story. Also, I agree that more than six months gap needs to be explained.

[olimpic]

Also consider the phrasing of the questions - are they asking for "extenuating circumstances", or are they asking if you have anything else to tell about yourself?