Grad school dropout - Addendum? Forum

[LockBox]

Question for you all regarding a possible addendum worthy topic; I completed 1 quarter of a physics Ph.D program, but had to leave because my mom lost her house (long story), she's a senior citizen and I couldn't let her go out like that. So I dropped out, worked and am still supporting her.

An academic career or even just completing a masters in physics isn't feasible nor of any interest to me anymore (been away from it for over 2 years). Law school has appealed to me though for quite a number of years and I am in the process of applying now.

Should I note this in an addendum? I'm already noting something in my PS. Any input is appreciated.

[nateaway]

I'm in a pretty much identical situation (except it was chem). I'm including an addendum that just explains the family situation. I figure its more or less the same as a gpa addendum.

[The Gentleman]

Unless it is fully explained in your PS, then you should probably write an addendum.

[LockBox]

Thanks for the advice!

[bedefan]

Yeah I was in a humanities master's, finished one semester, dropped out a few weeks into the second. I also included a brief (two short paragraphs) addendum... Just making it clear: (a) my withdrawal had nothing to do with workload and (b) had everything to do with realizing I didn't want to be a scholar.

I think those are the two worries I'd have if I were an admissions officer and were reading an app from a grad school dropout: that s/he couldn't handle the dry academic work, or that his/her true passion really was still English or physics or chem or whatever, and that s/he would be a very unhappy lawyer therefore.

BTW, at least a couple of the deans have said on their blogs or in interviews that they prefer grad school dropouts to have dropped out early on in their programs... I'm guessing because otherwise you wonder if the person had huge personality problems or just got scared of the academic job market... (which is, shockingly, still roughly a million times worse than the legal job market.)