How do I explain low grades during an interview?

Question:I have received one interview of the schools I applied to. I was surprised (and SO excited) when I got the letter because my grades are not very competitive, however, I have a lot of experience (5 years as a pharmacy technician), I have had two jobs while carrying a full course load, a lot of volunteer work, including an emergency center volunteer in a hospital, a great personal statement, 3 good LORs from 2 pharmacists and 1 science professor, and a genuine passion for the career, which I feel I have displayed in my personal statement and my supplemental application.

My question is for the Admissions, do I really have a chance of being accepted? I am trying to go into the interview confident and I feel I will interview well as long as I am honest and display my reasons for being there. Also, my main concern is the AdComs will ask me to explain my low GPA and PCAT and I'm not sure how to word this to say that I have tried very hard in my classes and studied hard.

Per PharmCAS:
cumulative GPA: 2.77
science GPA: 2.41
math GPA: 2.84
non-science GPA: 3.12
I still have one core class that I am taking now, Gen Chem 2, hoping to raise my sGPA.

Do you have any advice as to how I would go about explaining such a low GPA? I don't have any failing grades. It was mostly an accumulation of C and B- grades. I did study hard. I just don't want to make it sound like I am making excuses. Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer: It's hard to offer you much, but as I have advised many before, you wouldn't be offered an interview if the school was not considering you as a potential applicant. I wouldn't be surprised if you were slotted as an alternate and you might have to wait a while before you know anything definitive, but that's not the end of the world either.

I think your best explanation explaining poor grades would be to honestly state that you had two jobs while in school and your grades suffered because of that. If you choose this explanation, however, you must tell the interviewer that once you are in pharmacy school that your studies will be your full time job.

Good luck.