GPA Addendum Forum

[Lef92]

I'm wondering how to even start with a GPA addendum for my situation. My degree GPA is a 3.8, but I dual enrolled in community college in high school (when I was unmotivated/lacked long term goals/had no time management skills) and because of those classes my LSDAS GPA is a 3.5. My performance in hs really isn't representative of how treat my education now. Once I got to ugrad I finally came to the realization of what I wanted to do and kind of had the goal in sight. The thing is I do understand that hs is definitely old enough to take responsibility for your own poor decision making. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[Happy Gilmore]

An addendum probably wouldn't help. This happens to alot of people, including myself.

[ScottRiqui]

Also, If your degree GPA is 3.8 and your LSDAS GPA is 3.5, there's much more at play than just a couple of dual-enrollment courses in high school. That would take something like 24 credit hours' worth of C's.

[Ti Malice]

Not addendum-worthy at all. Thousands of applicants have this problem, and adcomms can read a transcript.

[itachiuchiha]

oh lol, I have the same exact issue. My 3.97 was brought down to a 3.82 because of this.

[ScottRiqui]

oh lol, I have the same exact issue. My 3.97 was brought down to a 3.82 because of this.

No, it wasn't. Not with just four dual-enrollment 'B's, at least.

The only way to go from a 3.97 to a 3.82 simply by adding in four three-hour Bs is if your entire bachelor's degree was only 66 credits long.

[itachiuchiha]

oh lol, I have the same exact issue. My 3.97 was brought down to a 3.82 because of this.

No, it wasn't. Not with just four dual-enrollment 'B's, at least.

The only way to go from a 3.97 to a 3.82 simply by adding in four three-hour Bs is if your entire bachelor's degree was only 66 credits long.

thats how long it is actually. I have 87 credits in total and will be completing 32 to finish up in the fall and winter semesters.

[ScottRiqui]

oh lol, I have the same exact issue. My 3.97 was brought down to a 3.82 because of this.

No, it wasn't. Not with just four dual-enrollment 'B's, at least.

The only way to go from a 3.97 to a 3.82 simply by adding in four three-hour Bs is if your entire bachelor's degree was only 66 credits long.

thats how long it is actually. I have 87 credits in total and will be completing 32 to finish up in the fall and winter semesters.

Okay, if your degree program is only ~110 credit hours, and you're only about two-thirds of the way through it so far, that makes more sense. I thought you had already graduated.

Keep doing what you're doing, and by the time you do graduate, you'll find that the four dual-enrollment classes will barely make a gnat's ass of difference in your LSDAS GPA.

[Lef92]

Also, If your degree GPA is 3.8 and your LSDAS GPA is 3.5, there's much more at play than just a couple of dual-enrollment courses in high school. That would take something like 24 credit hours' worth of C's.

Well, you're guess was pretty close. I took 22 dual enrollment credits my senior year of hs. It kind of seems like everyone's saying what I kind of knew but was hoping wasn't the case. Total bummer though, my hs was a tiny public had no AP classes and I tested into higher level mathematics/science and tested out of silly requirements i.e. gym only to realize my senior year...I had no classes left to take.

Moral of the story....I am a total moron.

[nugnoy]

I think that writing an addenda is not a bad idea if your gpas were like this:

1. when you were in HS, community college gpa: constantly 3.2
2. when you were in uni, gpa: constantly around 3.8
or something like that

If there's a definite and significant contrast in your HS years and community college, I would consider using this to say that 3.8 is a better predictor of your academic performance than 3.5. I would keep it really concise and simple - 3~4 lines. Most of it facts, very little subjective description and no whining/pleading/emotional appeal.

This is coming from my reading of Ivey and Montauk, and is straying from TLS, so I feel a bit uncomfortable posting it haha. I'm sure other users will comment to this response, and this will give you more arguments to consider. But at least know that there are some sources that encourage explaining yourself. Of course, also keep in mind that Montauk's book (a source that encourages an applicant to write one), even though it quotes admission deans, is a published book, so it may have been embellished to maintain a better public image.