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I am a 1.5 generation Mexican-American male. I graduated from UCLA with a 3.5 with double majors and a minor. I'm providing an addendum for the low GPA; my father died and as a result I became head of house. Consequently, I sustained my family throughout most of my undergrad. However, 6 of my 9 quarters attended at UCLA I earned a 3.67 - 3.84?

I am a community college transfer student who has strong extracurricular activities: student body vice and president of my college with major things accomplished, such as a $2.3 million student success program established with the school and other things.

I'm applying to UCLA under the ED program and also to the Critical Race Studies Program. I'm also writing a socioeconomic addendum as I've had to sustain my family throughout my undergrad, and I am Oaxacan-Mexican, a minority within a minority.

My questions are:

1. How much will my addendum mitigate my GPA in comparison to my 6/9 quarters of GPAs from a 3.67 to a 3.84.
2. Will a 160 get me in, and if not, what score will?
3. Under the programs I'm applying under, can I retake the LSAT in December and still be considered for ED or CRS?

We can't tell you for sure how much it will mitigate but from what I read it an addendum will help you if written the correct way. That includes writing like and opinion (you "believe" a situation affected you).

Check law schools by the numbers and law school predictor to have an idea of your chances at this or any school. 160 sounds a tad low I would 165+ would be more reasonable. Don't be complacent if you're attaining 160 in your prep test keep practicing.

Minority within a minority might be something you want to write about in a Diversity Statement but unless you can write why is has shape/affected I would think admission committee will think of you as mexican.

mbarrita wrote:3. Under the programs I'm applying under, can I retake the LSAT in December and still be considered for ED or CRS?

You can check the law school website and sometimes this site has very useful interviews that shed light on that subject on the law schools section. December might be late for ED.

I'm also URM. My approach on my cycle is to think that law schools will only consider my GPA and LSAT. I select schools I'm applying to in this manner including reaches, somewhat reaches and safeties. Softs are just softs and they help the committee decide between candidates with similar characteristics. Some schools are more holistic than others in their approach maybe you want to check that out.

Double topicking isn't cool, no matter what the upperclassmen say.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=194637

Retake. You should be aiming for Harvard or Stanford, not UCLA. Even if you can't leave LA for whatever reason, still retake to make UCLA a financially viable option.