Any Addendum Advice? Forum

[ixkofm]

Hi, I was hoping to get some feedback with these addendums, I have a couple so even if you comment on just one it would be a great help! They are still rough because I’m not sure if I am going in the right direction with them, so any input would be awesome.

Relevant Info:
Male
GPA: 2.88
LSAT: 1: cancelled score 2: 157 3:167


Addendums:

Criminal Addendum

On January __, 200_ I was arrested for felony grand larceny. One month before on December __ I parked in a prohibited spot when taking my finance final and after the test I realized I had a boot on my car. I called parking services, and upon learning that I would have to pay to get it off I took it off and went home to get the money. That night I went back to the station, gave them the boot back and was told I could leave. I came back to school in January and received a call from parking services to come down to the station where I was arrested and taken to the magistrate who let me out on signature bond. The felony was dropped to a misdemeanor and eventually expunged on _____, 200_. I had to complete 50 hours of community service and pay $___ for the fines. I have mailed copies of the expungment proceeding.

This experience had a drastic impact on my life and has ultimately made me a more mature and driven person. I decided to handle things financially on my own and hired the best lawyer available. To pay for it I began working 30 hours a week and learned what it means to take responsibility for your actions. As part of this experience I found out how I can handle adversity and to think about consequences for my actions.

GPA Addendum

During my Junior and Senior of school I was working 30 hours a week to pay for my attorney fees and cost of living. In addition personal issues kept adding up and eventually I felt the impact of all these things and found myself without enough focus for my academics. Specifically fall semester senior year after the first week of classes I stopped going until the last month. I did not want to take an extended period away from school and decided not to medically withdraw and because of this failed 3 classes.

As a result I received a 2.0 fall of senior year although in the classes I was able to complete I received A’s and the next semester I finished with a 3.7 and Dean’s list. The drastic change that I went through made me a completely different student and person and I believe what I have done since then is a better indicator of my potential in law school.

LSAT Addendum
*Not sure if this is a good reason, but Brooklyn specifically asks for it and it is the truth.

In preparation for the September 2009 LSAT I began studying extensively 6 weeks before. About a week before the test my score on practice tests began steadily dropping from the high 160s to low 160s.

As a result I believe this made me nervous and had a negative impact on my score, which was what I believed to be way below my potential. In preparation for the December LSAT I began studying 2 weeks before the test and I began peaking in the high 160s the week of the test and that carried over for test day, which based on numerous PT scores I believe is a more reliable indicator of my ability.


Overall it feels like I have a bunch of stuff and could shorten it, but
Any comments, criticisms, anything would really help especially because it’s past time for me to send my apps in.

Thanks again, and good luck to everyone else applying for law school!

[pa.wink]

I came back to school in January and received a call from parking services to come down to the station where I was arrested and taken to the magistrate who let me out on signature bond.

It could sound like you are complaining that they tricked you into coming to the station to be arrested, which I don't think law schools will sympathize with. I would say, "I voluntarily came to the station to be arrested when asked by parking services on Jan __ ____, and the magistrate released me on signature bond."

I would at least eliminate "down" from "come down to the station" because it's too colloquial.

That's the only one I read.

Similarly, I would change

I had to complete 50 hours of community service and pay $___ for the fines

To something like "I paid $$ in fines and performed 50 hours of community service as part of the agreement to reduce the charge"

[ixkofm]

Great, thanks a bunch I definitely agree with you about that.