Gpa Addendum First Draft Forum

[ACinemaStare]

I'd like to submit an addendum about my GPA to the law schools I'm applying to. My situation is the following: I graduated from Michigan State in 2002 with a 2.8 in Communication/Public Relations. When I decided I wanted to go back to school and pursue a law degree, I knew that my grades weren't all that great and I wanted to go back to school to show law schools my full potential and enrolled at the University of Central Florida. Unfortunately, since I already have one undergraduate degree, my gpa at UCF will not be showing on my lsdas report, but they will see it with the transcript they send. I still want to write an addendum addressing my situation and to have them look at both gpa's and see that my true academic potential lies within my UCF gpa. This is my first draft at the addendum, I would like to see if anyone had any suggestions on what I should put in it or changes I should make. Thanks.
I am writing this addendum to address my GPA discrepancy during my time at Michigan State University and my current GPA at The University of Central Florida. I believe that my UCF GPA is more representative of my full academic potential. During my time at Michigan State, I was never quite certain what I wanted to do with my career. I ended up choosing Communication and Public Relations because it was a field that somewhat seemed to interest me and that I thought I would do well in. I never gave enough retrospective about what I wanted to do with my career and settled into a degree that, looking back now, I was never fully content with. Due to my lack of interest in my field of status, my GPA suffered as a result. As I mentioned in my personal statement, when I made the decision to pursue a law degree, I made the decision to go back to school. I knew that my MSU GPA would not show to a law school committee what I was able to accomplish academically. I knew that I would have to show what I truly am able to accomplish in a field that I know I can excel in. I believe that my current GPA shows this. In my 3 years at UCF, I have a 3.69 GPA, including a 4.0 in my Legal Studies major. I have seen what a difference being passionate about your education can make not only in your academic career, but also in your life outside of school. I have found that I am more motivated to excel in every area of my life, and I owe that to my rededication to my studies. Due to my accomplishments during my pursuit of my Legal Studies degree, I know that I can be a success at (insert law school), and in my legal career thereafter.

P.S. Please do not tell me that you don't think it will matter if I write an addendum. I would just like critique on my writing. Thanks.

[vanwinkle]

I am writing this addendum to address my GPA discrepancy during my time at Michigan State University and my current GPA at The University of Central Florida. I believe that my UCF GPA is more representative of my full academic potential. During my time at Michigan State, I was never quite certain what I wanted to do with my career. I ended up choosing Communication and Public Relations because it was a field that somewhat seemed to interest me and that I thought I would do well in. I never gave enough retrospective about what I wanted to do with my career and settled into a degree that, looking back now, I was never fully content with. Due to my lack of interest in my field of status, my GPA suffered as a result. As I mentioned in my personal statement, when I made the decision to pursue a law degree, I made the decision to go back to school. I knew that my MSU GPA would not show to a law school committee what I was able to accomplish academically. I knew that I would have to show what I truly am able to accomplish in a field that I know I can excel in. I believe that my current GPA shows this. In my 3 years at UCF, I have a 3.69 GPA, including a 4.0 in my Legal Studies major. I have seen what a difference being passionate about your education can make not only in your academic career, but also in your life outside of school. I have found that I am more motivated to excel in every area of my life, and I owe that to my rededication to my studies. Due to my accomplishments during my pursuit of my Legal Studies degree, I know that I can be a success at (insert law school), and in my legal career thereafter.

This is just bizarre on a number of levels. Are you getting a second bachelor's degree? If you have a bachelor's degree already, why didn't you go to get a master's in something instead of another bachelor's?

Too wordy, and too focused on the wrong things. A GPA addendum should be short and focus on facts. Statements like "I knew that I would have to show what I am truly able to accomplish..." just do not belong here. In an addendum, tell them what happened, not what you know.

Here's a rough outline of what you should be writing:

1) My GPA at MSU was low because X and Y reasons.
2) Since then I have developed a new interest in Legal Studies which has motivated me to seek a new degree in which I have achieved a 4.0 GPA in my major.
3) While it is not represented in my LSAC-reported GPA, I feel that my performance in this field and since my graduation from MSU is more representative of my potential.

The end.

[narkizopoint]

^tru dat

[ACinemaStare]

I didn't want to pursue a masters in something I had no interest in. Plus, with my gpa, there was no way I would get into a good master's program, so as I previously said, I decided to pursue another bachelor's degree to increase my gpa. Why would I choose to get a masters in something I'm not interested in and then go to law school? Thanks for the critique.

[narkizopoint]

"Due to my lack of interest in my field of status, my GPA suffered as a result" means to an adcom "I get lazy and do not work hard if I think the subject matter is not worth my time" as opposed to someone's worthy addendum of "my chemotherapy seriously drained me before finals week but I was told I would die within weeks if I didn't get the chemo when I did"

see 1) in vanwinkle's response

[ACinemaStare]

I am writing this addendum to address my GPA discrepancy during my time at Michigan State University and my current GPA at The University of Central Florida. I believe that my UCF GPA is more representative of my full academic potential. During my time at Michigan State, I was never quite certain what I wanted to do with my career. I never gave enough retrospective about what I wanted to do with my career and settled into a degree that, looking back now, I was never fully content with. As I mentioned in my personal statement, when I made the decision to pursue a law degree, I made the decision to go back to school. I knew that my MSU GPA would not show to a law school committee what I was able to accomplish academically. I believe that my current GPA shows this. In my 3 years at UCF, I have a 3.69 GPA, including a 4.0 in my Legal Studies major. While it is not factored into my LSAC GPA, I believe that my current GPA at UCF show what I am able to accomplish academically.

Better?

[narkizopoint]

My GPA at MSU is not reflective of my academic ability. I was immature and lacked the perspective to see beyond my UG career.

I have since gained that perspective and sought out a second degree with a gpa that is a much better indication of the kind of student I have become and the maturity I now have in regards to pursuing higher education.

"While it is not represented in my LSAC-reported GPA, I feel that my performance in this field and since my graduation from MSU is more representative of my potential."

[ACinemaStare]

My GPA at MSU is not reflective of my academic ability. I was immature and lacked the perspective to see beyond my UG career.

I have since gained that perspective and sought out a second degree with a gpa that is a much better indication of the kind of student I have become and the maturity I now have in regards to pursuing higher education.

"While it is not represented in my LSAC-reported GPA, I feel that my performance in this field and since my graduation from MSU is more representative of my potential."

Thanks! I appreciate it!

[narkizopoint]

damn, did I just get played into writing some1's addendum...

[ACinemaStare]

I am writing this addendum to address my GPA discrepancy during my time at Michigan State University and my current GPA at The University of Central Florida. I believe that my MSU GPA is not reflective of my academic potential. During my time at MSU, I was immature and lacked the perspective needed to see beyond my undergraduate career and my GPA suffered as a result of this. I have since gained the perspective needed and sought out a second degree which is a much better indication of my true academic potential and the maturity I now have in pursuing higher education. In my 3 years at UCF, I have a 3.69 GPA, including a 4.0 in my Legal Studies major. While it is not factored into my LSAC GPA, I believe that my performance in my time at UCF and since graduation from MSU is more representative of what I am able to accomplish academically.