Can anyone look at my GPA & LSAT addendums? Forum

[daburrel]

I have compiled two separate Addendum, and I would appreciate any advice...
Also, should I write title at top of Document?

GPA (made mention of the struggle of all of this in my PS but want special GPA attention)

During the first three semesters of my undergraduate studies, I was in the process of rebuilding my life after Hurricane Katrina. Attending Southeastern Louisiana University for my first semester, I was forced to travel home each weekend to help my parents around the house. Transferring after only one semester due to that strain, my first two semesters at University of New Orleans were used working extreme hours on my start-up company. These circumstances severely impacted my studies but I chose not to withdraw from the University and risk never returning.

As a result I received 2.0 GPA for my first 30 credited hours. I believe that my GPA over the next several years, last in which I was awarded to Dean’s List, is more representative of my current potential.

LSAT (had a 7pt jump so I know I needed one. I would credit it to just taking LSAT same week as Mid-Terms but didn't know how to write it in so I went with my other issue)

In October of 2010 I took the LSAT in Baton Rouge, LA. The location is 60 miles from my current residence. I underestimated the ruckus the morning of the LSAT, being that it was my first administrated test, and decided to drive the morning of the test. Threatening to be late due to my misjudgment, my nerves were shot and panic had taken over me.

As a result, I scored well below my potential on the LSAT. I signed up for the December of 2010 administration, and I prepared for the test along with spending the night in Baton Rouge the day before the test. I feel my new score is a more representative of my abilities.

[sreichel]

I would take out the bit about your start-up company. It kind of jumps from "rebuilding my life and helping my family" to "personal ambition got in the way of school" you know? Unless you can tie the start-up company to rebuilding your life, but make it sound less "personal ambition" and more "recovery."

In the LSAT one you talk about "the second time I prepared", which kind of implies you didn't on the first one. Change it to something like "my experiences with the first test helped me know what to expect on the second." I'm totally in the same boat, six point jump in December, and it was completely because of better time management skills.

I have compiled two separate Addendum, and I would appreciate any advice...
Also, should I write title at top of Document?

GPA (made mention of the struggle of all of this in my PS but want special GPA attention)

During the first three semesters of my undergraduate studies, I was in the process of rebuilding my life after Hurricane Katrina. Attending Southeastern Louisiana University for my first semester, I was forced to travel home each weekend to help my parents around the house. Transferring after only one semester due to that strain, my first two semesters at University of New Orleans were used working extreme hours on my start-up company. These circumstances severely impacted my studies but I chose not to withdraw from the University and risk never returning.

As a result I received 2.0 GPA for my first 30 credited hours. I believe that my GPA over the next several years, last in which I was awarded to Dean’s List, is more representative of my current potential.

LSAT (had a 7pt jump so I know I needed one. I would credit it to just taking LSAT same week as Mid-Terms but didn't know how to write it in so I went with my other issue)

In October of 2010 I took the LSAT in Baton Rouge, LA. The location is 60 miles from my current residence. I underestimated the ruckus the morning of the LSAT, being that it was my first administrated test, and decided to drive the morning of the test. Threatening to be late due to my misjudgment, my nerves were shot and panic had taken over me.

As a result, I scored well below my potential on the LSAT. I signed up for the December of 2010 administration, and I prepared for the test along with spending the night in Baton Rouge the day before the test. I feel my new score is a more representative of my abilities.

[sreichel]

Also, review your grammar, there are several mistakes.

[daburrel]

Well I thought I implied about the business being apart of necessity in my Addendum but I see it must wasn't. It is implied in my PS so should I remove it or emphasize the reason in Addendum?

Also, thanks about advice with LSAT addendum, makes sense.

[sreichel]

Well I thought I implied about the business being apart of necessity in my Addendum but I see it must wasn't. It is implied in my PS so should I remove it or emphasize the reason in Addendum?

Also, thanks about advice with LSAT addendum, makes sense.

You could go for either, but I think if you can easily tie it in then go for it, it will emphasize how stressed you were. I was just saying the way it's phrased makes it sound unrelated to your family's struggles, if it's going to make people go "he needed to put time into this so we won't fault him for it" then it needs to sound necessary for your family's well-being. Just my .02, but please get other's opinions because i'm just one guy.

[kitmitzi]

decided to drive the morning of the test. Threatening to be late due to my misjudgment, my nerves were shot and panic had taken over me.

Can you come up with a different explanation? Maybe just say you had anxiety issues. Telling the committee you were really nervous about driving sounds a bit lame. Especially since you made it to the test in time so technically you shouldn't have been nervous if it was only because of driving (you would have felt relief)

[daburrel]

that makes sense! Will change to anxiety issues.