Please review my LSAT addendum Forum

[JennBNYC]

Post removed.

[CanadianWolf]

This is a great addendum concisely explaining your LSAT score increase. Your writing style is very professional.

[bk1]

Don't write an addendum?

[094320]

..

[zworykin]

That's a well-written addendum, sure, and (presumably) an honest one.

But--and I'm sure this is just my cynical side rearing its head--what's to stop an adcomm from reading it and deciding that your first score was more indicative of your natural ability than the one you obtained after taking a 2-month course designed specifically to improve your score?

My recommendation--bearing in mind that I'm no expert here--would be to remove some of the specific details.

"My work as a full-time Project Manager presented time obligations that rendered me unable to prepare sufficiently the first time I took the LSAT. The second time I took it, I was able to dedicate more time to preparing for it and performed to a level that I feel is more representative of my true cognitive abilities."

Something like that. Keep the good stuff about working full time etc., and admit that you prepared better the second time around, but they don't need to know your specific methods. Right?

[GoBroncos22!]

It seems to be a very well written addendum...concise and professional. But do adcoms really care about or want to read lsat addendums when the score INCREASES? I could see it being reasonable if your score dropped...Maybe im entirely wrong (which wouldnt shock me)

[northwood]

i think its pretty good. im not too sure how much you should emphasize the prep class. Congrats on the score increase!

[JennBNYC]

My recommendation--bearing in mind that I'm no expert here--would be to remove some of the specific details.

"My work as a full-time Project Manager presented time obligations that rendered me unable to prepare sufficiently the first time I took the LSAT. The second time I took it, I was able to dedicate more time to preparing for it and performed to a level that I feel is more representative of my true cognitive abilities."

I don't know what I'd so without this site, lol.

I like that suggestion, and I think that I agree with those of you who were suggesting I don't get into the specifics. I could see the argument that a pricey prep course may be an "unfair" advantage that made my score higher than it would have been if I relied solely on my innate abilities...something like that. I'll rework it.

...and "thanks!" to those who said it was well written .

[JennBNYC]

It seems to be a very well written addendum...concise and professional. But do adcoms really care about or want to read lsat addendums when the score INCREASES? I could see it being reasonable if your score dropped...Maybe im entirely wrong (which wouldnt shock me)

I read in some of the school profiles and interviews that I found on TLS that certain schools will put more emphasis on your higher score (read: hopefully ignore the time I bombed horribly), provided it was more than 3 or so points higher and you briefly explain why they should look at one more than the other. It seems pretty intuitive that I did poorly, tried harder, than did better, but I think they still want some explanation...at least some schools.

[JennBNYC]

Congrats on the score increase!

Thanks!

[op-ti]

It seems to be a very well written addendum...concise and professional. But do adcoms really care about or want to read lsat addendums when the score INCREASES? I could see it being reasonable if your score dropped...Maybe im entirely wrong (which wouldnt shock me)

I read in some of the school profiles and interviews that I found on TLS that certain schools will put more emphasis on your higher score (read: hopefully ignore the time I bombed horribly), provided it was more than 3 or so points higher and you briefly explain why they should look at one more than the other. It seems pretty intuitive that I did poorly, tried harder, than did better, but I think they still want some explanation...at least some schools.

I agree. Some schools automatically take the highest (and some will also state that if the jump is 3-6 higher, insert an addendum). Majority of the T14 schools definately require an addendum to explain multiple scores. Your jump is huge....and will definately require an addendum.

[whymeohgodno]

i think its pretty good. im not too sure how much you should emphasize the prep class. Congrats on the score increase!

This. Just take the part out about the prep class and emphasize how you didn't have enough time before to adequately prepare.

[bk1]

Reading through current application instructions, the only school to mention an LSAT addendum has been UPenn through one of the possible options for required essays.

[JennBNYC]

Thanks again for the great input and suggestions. [Edited]

[Eugenie Danglars]

Looks good to me. I have to write a similar one of these, so thanks for accumulating a great thread of pointers

[oshberg28]

Thanks again for the great input and suggestions. I removed the part about the prep course. Does this work better now?

Also, I hope I'm not asking too much, but would anyone mind examining it for correct spelling/capitalization/grammar?


Dear Admissions Committee Member:

As you review my application, please consider my second LSAT score of 162 to be more indicative of my potential in law school than my first score, a 149. I rushed to take the LSAT for the first time in September of 2009, so that I could apply early for the Fall 2010 semester, but that proved to be counterproductive. My preparation consisted solely of limited self-study while working full-time as a Project Manager. I am confident that time constraints and professional obligations were the primary reasons for my disappointing score. For the June 2010 LSAT, I was diligent in making time to study more, while still working full-time, and I managed to take more practice exams. As a result, my score jumped 13 points, indicating to me that my first score is not representative of my true potential.

I am a strong student, as I believe my 3.99 undergraduate GPA indicates, and I hope that you consider my 162 when evaluating my potential as a student at ______ law school.

Thank you,
__________

I would take out the comma after "2009" (others may disagree). Other than that, looks good to me.

[2ofspades]

I would take out the comma after "2009" (others may disagree). Other than that, looks good to me.

That's correct - a comma should only appear before "so" if the phrase that follows is a complete sentence. "That I could apply early for the Fall 2010 semester" is not a complete sentence, so there should be no comma. The comma before "while" can go too, and project manager does not need to be capitalized.

[JennBNYC]

Looks good to me. I have to write a similar one of these, so thanks for accumulating a great thread of pointers

Glad to help!

[JennBNYC]

Thanks for the help, everyone!

[northwood]

not to be a bit nit picky, but should you say lsat score of 162 as a better indication of your potential/ ability in the last sentence?

like this:
I am a strong student, as my undergraduate GPA of 3.99 indicates. I hope that you consider my lsat score of 162 to be a better indication of my first year abilities at ________ school.

[JennBNYC]

not to be a bit nit picky, but should you say lsat score of 162 as a better indication of your potential/ ability in the last sentence?

like this:
I am a strong student, as my undergraduate GPA of 3.99 indicates. I hope that you consider my lsat score of 162 to be a better indication of my first year abilities at ________ school.

Nit picky is great! That's what I need! lol

I think that's a great catch, and I completely agree. Good eye..I appreciate it!

[GettingReady2010]

If this is an addendum, shouldn't OP just write "addendum" at the top and include the explanation? Is it necessary to put it in letter format - "Dear Admissions Committee" and "Sincerely BLANK"?

[GettingReady2010]

This doesn't necessarily relate directly to this tread, but are addenda supposed to be double-spaced.

[JennBNYC]

If this is an addendum, shouldn't OP just write "addendum" at the top and include the explanation? Is it necessary to put it in letter format - "Dear Admissions Committee" and "Sincerely BLANK"?

I actually did take it out of letter format the other day, but forgot to mention that. Originally I based mine of an example I read that was in letter format. However, since then I came across more evidence showing the contrary. Plus, I realized it seemed kind of unnecessary to make it a letter when nothing else was written that way.

[JennBNYC]

This doesn't necessarily relate directly to this tread, but are addenda supposed to be double-spaced.

I'm double spacing all my attachments (personal stmt, diversity, addendum), except my resume. I think it helps readability.