bad grades with an appropriate addendum, effects on GPA Forum

[JesusChrist]

tl;dr version, skip the italicized text

So I just got a grade for my paper. I got a D- (D+ plus a late penalty). This is on top of a few other Cs I've gotten in this class and another class taught by this same professor. I've never even gotten CLOSE to a C before this quarter. For the past 4 or 5 quarters I had been carrying a 3.8 with very little effort. This quarter, I actually tried to do all of the reading etc. I can't explain it. It seems like my professor has an issue with my writing. A lot of it is my fault. I wrote the papers in about 6 hours right before they were due and only hit about 1/2 to 2/3 of the page requirement. I still don't think it was D worthy. Because, I've read other peoples essays and even with the page deficiency I don't think my paper was that bad. It's still loads better than the papers that were getting Bs.

Just before the quarter began I started on Zoloft and Strattera. The Zoloft is for my OCD and anxiety disorders and the Strattera is for ADHD. The 12 hours leading up to the 6 hours before the papers were due and I started writing, I played about 8 hours worth of solitaire, crossword puzzles and minesweepers. The other 4 was spend watching stuff online. So the medicines work in taking my mind off of tangential items that distract me. But they make me too focused on other things so that I can't do the actual work that I need to do.

I'm going to write an addendum for this and if I can, get a note from one of my psychologists. Is this even a legitimate reason?

I'm wondering how this affects my GPA. Obviously, LSAC will still calculate the classes as they appear on my transcript. But how will law schools look at them? Even with the addendum, they're gonna have to report to USNWR rankings an incoming class median that has been negatively affected by my admission right? And that's what really matters to ADCOMS right? So the only thing the addendum will do is show that I'm not an idiot. It's not going to change my admission chances for the better is it? How fucked am I?

Background info
3rd year at a large public
3.5 GPA atm, would probably have been 3.6-3.7 at graduation.
164 on a choked LSAT, without the choked section, it should have been like 171ish

FUCK MY LIFE!

[tourdeforcex]

JC,

you seem aware of how law schools work. i think a note from a psychologist is legitimate enough. an addendum might allow adcoms to view the GPA a little more lightly. might increase chances, not in a huge way though.

as for how fucked you are, this moves into life philosophy and the related which is too big to consider right now.

i say do your best, that's all anyone can ask. you're young, maybe retake that LSAT. learn to work w/ the ocd and adhd. hope this helps.

[bartleby]

I wouldn't write about the Zoloft and other pharms. Some of that stuff is too exotic - they might think you are a nut. I think with that LSAT score, a .1 or .2 GPA difference isn't going to matter a ton. Best of luck though.

[JesusChrist]

I wouldn't write about the Zoloft and other pharms. Some of that stuff is too exotic - they might think you are a nut. I think with that LSAT score, a .1 or .2 GPA difference isn't going to matter a ton. Best of luck though.

I kind of am a nut. The short (and more tangible) list of disorders I have include Tourettes, social phobia, OCD, intrusive thoughts and extreme ADHD that I was untreated for a really long time. The drugs help, so I'm grateful for that. My non-academic life has seen a major turnaround. The Zoloft has even helped me control the Tourettes, even though we weren't targeting that.

Could that really hurt me? To be on psychoactive medication? That just seems discriminatory especially when I'm entirely functional even without the drugs. Without the drugs I'm just kind of angst-y and anti-social. The drugs just help me focus on readings a bit more. And to stop finding faults in things.

[whymeohgodno]

I wouldn't write about the Zoloft and other pharms. Some of that stuff is too exotic - they might think you are a nut. I think with that LSAT score, a .1 or .2 GPA difference isn't going to matter a ton. Best of luck though.

I kind of am a nut. The short (and more tangible) list of disorders I have include Tourettes, social phobia, OCD, intrusive thoughts and extreme ADHD that I was untreated for a really long time. The drugs help, so I'm grateful for that. My non-academic life has seen a major turnaround. The Zoloft has even helped me control the Tourettes, even though we weren't targeting that.

Could that really hurt me? To be on psychoactive medication? That just seems discriminatory especially when I'm entirely functional even without the drugs. Without the drugs I'm just kind of angst-y and anti-social. The drugs just help me focus on readings a bit more. And to stop finding faults in things.

Yes it can hurt you. If it comes off like you are still having mental problems that haven't been fully dealt with, it can hurt you during admissions.

[JesusChrist]

I wouldn't write about the Zoloft and other pharms. Some of that stuff is too exotic - they might think you are a nut. I think with that LSAT score, a .1 or .2 GPA difference isn't going to matter a ton. Best of luck though.

I kind of am a nut. The short (and more tangible) list of disorders I have include Tourettes, social phobia, OCD, intrusive thoughts and extreme ADHD that I was untreated for a really long time. The drugs help, so I'm grateful for that. My non-academic life has seen a major turnaround. The Zoloft has even helped me control the Tourettes, even though we weren't targeting that.

Could that really hurt me? To be on psychoactive medication? That just seems discriminatory especially when I'm entirely functional even without the drugs. Without the drugs I'm just kind of angst-y and anti-social. The drugs just help me focus on readings a bit more. And to stop finding faults in things.

Yes it can hurt you. If it comes off like you are still having mental problems that haven't been fully dealt with, it can hurt you during admissions.

Alright, good to know. In just the way I've been writing about it so far in this thread, is that an impression you've gotten? Be honest. Otherwise I'll find out where you live and kill you.

[whymeohgodno]

I wouldn't write about the Zoloft and other pharms. Some of that stuff is too exotic - they might think you are a nut. I think with that LSAT score, a .1 or .2 GPA difference isn't going to matter a ton. Best of luck though.

I kind of am a nut. The short (and more tangible) list of disorders I have include Tourettes, social phobia, OCD, intrusive thoughts and extreme ADHD that I was untreated for a really long time. The drugs help, so I'm grateful for that. My non-academic life has seen a major turnaround. The Zoloft has even helped me control the Tourettes, even though we weren't targeting that.

Could that really hurt me? To be on psychoactive medication? That just seems discriminatory especially when I'm entirely functional even without the drugs. Without the drugs I'm just kind of angst-y and anti-social. The drugs just help me focus on readings a bit more. And to stop finding faults in things.

Yes it can hurt you. If it comes off like you are still having mental problems that haven't been fully dealt with, it can hurt you during admissions.

Alright, good to know. In just the way I've been writing about it so far in this thread, is that an impression you've gotten? Be honest. Otherwise I'll find out where you live and kill you.

Yes because somewhere in there you said "this quarter" so I'm assuming this GPA drop/issue came up recently or is current.

I'd rather just take the GPA drop and apply than have my most recent semester riddled with mental problems (unless you can convince them that it's fully resolved).

[bartleby]

Hey, I hope I didn't come off as mean or insulting or anything. I know mental illness is a disease. I was just throwing in my two cents that even though they aren't supposed to discriminate, a headcase can be a potential huge liability for law schools and they'd probably pick someone with sim. or lesser numbers just to avoid that...

Honestly, I know nothing though but I'd take the smal GPA bump quietly and wouldn't incorporate anything about mental illness into my PS or anything.

Best of luck to you, my man.

Edit- to clarify: Maybe it won't hurt you but I can't see how talking about all that can help you. GL again.