Ok, edit my GPA addendum? Forum

[imjustjoking22]

Thanks for all the great advice, everyone!!

[lawyerwannabe]

Generally, isn't a GPA addendum (or any addendum for that matter) supposed to only be like 3 - 5 sentences?

[MrAnon]

Dear law schools,

My mother had a terrible difficult illness and I interrupted my school semesters to care for her. It was a difficult period and my transcript reflects this.

Yours truly,
Mr Anon

[imjustjoking22]

Generally, isn't a GPA addendum (or any addendum for that matter) supposed to only be like 3 - 5 sentences?

I really need more than that to explain fully...would love to know if there's a strict limit. Also, would you mind removing my addendum from the quote? Thanks!

ETA: Mr Anon- I'd rather elaborate unless it would really harm my application.

[JamMasterJ]

Generally, isn't a GPA addendum (or any addendum for that matter) supposed to only be like 3 - 5 sentences?

I really need more than that to explain fully...would love to know if there's a strict limit. Also, would you mind removing my addendum from the quote? Thanks!

ETA: Mr Anon- I'd rather elaborate unless it would really harm my application.

you still need to pare it back substantially unless you want to go full-DS

[imjustjoking22]

Generally, isn't a GPA addendum (or any addendum for that matter) supposed to only be like 3 - 5 sentences?

I really need more than that to explain fully...would love to know if there's a strict limit. Also, would you mind removing my addendum from the quote? Thanks!

ETA: Mr Anon- I'd rather elaborate unless it would really harm my application.

you still need to pare it back substantially unless you want to go full-DS

Ugh, I don't know what to do...I am writing my PS on being a caregiver but not really addressing academic failure, everyone said to put that into the addendum - how do I convey how much this dominated my life? Could I turn this into a good DS? I was also involved peripherally with my mom's cancer support groups and assisted/volunteered with many of them as well, maybe that would work?

[JamMasterJ]

Generally, isn't a GPA addendum (or any addendum for that matter) supposed to only be like 3 - 5 sentences?

I really need more than that to explain fully...would love to know if there's a strict limit. Also, would you mind removing my addendum from the quote? Thanks!

ETA: Mr Anon- I'd rather elaborate unless it would really harm my application.

you still need to pare it back substantially unless you want to go full-DS

Ugh, I don't know what to do...I am writing my PS on being a caregiver but not really addressing academic failure, everyone said to put that into the addendum - how do I convey how much this dominated my life? Could I turn this into a good DS? I was also involved peripherally with my mom's cancer support groups and assisted/volunteered with many of them as well, maybe that would work?

I would not write a DS on the same subject as your PS. Since you've already detailed the caretaking responsibilities, you should definitely remove a lot of the detail if you want to write a gpa addendum

[crumpetsandtea]

Yeah, this needs to be 3-5 sentences. Mine was about 2 family members getting cancer, and as hard as it was to just say the bare bones, I did it in ~5 sentences.

My suggestion (just tell me when you've seent his and want me to delete):


I know it feels like you're not adequately explaining it, but admissions committee's are only looking for the bare bones. They want to read something quickly and understand: I'm not sure they'd have the patience for a transcript of the entire experience ): I understand how hard it is to make something like this brief, because I struggled with it with my own statement as well. If you want you can see mine.

ETA: reading the posts you just made, if you address this issue in your PS, you can cut down even more here because theoretically they should have details from your PS.

[msblaw89]

GPA/LSAT addenda can be about a page... no more. But of course you can always manipulate margins...

[imjustjoking22]

GPA/LSAT addenda can be about a page... no more. But of course you can always manipulate margins...

Ok... a page, 3-5 sentences, or a paragraph?

[msblaw89]

If you can say all you need to say in 5 sentences... then get it done in 5 sentences. I have talked with several admissions deans at a law fair ( BU, Emory, UF, Duke, Penn etc) and they all were pretty consistent in saying that the addendum is your chance to tell the admissions committee what you want them to know and it can be as long ( or I suppose short) ad you want it to be. Whatever you don't tell them...they won't be able to take that into consideration. So, UF and BU in particular, both said to tell them "everything"

[imjustjoking22]

Yeah, this needs to be 3-5 sentences. Mine was about 2 family members getting cancer, and as hard as it was to just say the bare bones, I did it in ~5 sentences.

My suggestion (just tell me when you've seent his and want me to delete):

Winter quarter of my freshman year at X, my mother experienced many unexpected and life-threatening health complications related to a previous bone marrow transplant. She developed XXXXXX Disease (acronym) and was routinely in the hospital or traveling to appointments. During that time, she and my father separated, leaving her without a reliable caregiver in my absence. As a result, I often had to drive 14 hours multiple times a week to return home. Due to my mother’s needs at home and the financial obligations our family faced, I also took on a part time job and took care of my sister during this period of time, and eventually withdrew from school. [1 sentence about your mother passing away -- I can't do it justice] Despite my overwhelming grief, I excelled upon returning to school, earning straight A's. I maintained these same high academic standards for the rest of my college experience. I believe that my academic record during this time is more representative of my abilities and I would ask the admissions committee to take that into account when considering my application.

I know it feels like you're not adequately explaining it, but admissions committee's are only looking for the bare bones. They want to read something quickly and understand: I'm not sure they'd have the patience for a transcript of the entire experience of your mother's illness ): I understand how hard it is to make something like this brief, because I struggled with it with my own statement as well. If you want you can see mine.

ETA: reading the posts you just made, if you address this issue in your PS, you can cut down even more here because theoretically they should have details from your PS.

Thanks, crumps! I'm just loathe to edit things out because I don't want it to seem as if it was *just* about my mom getting sick and dying, but really emphasize the massive amount of time/energy that went into being a pretty much full-time caregiver and how that made it pretty much impossible to succeed academically.

[imjustjoking22]

Ugh, I don't know what to do...I am writing my PS on being a caregiver but not really addressing academic failure, everyone said to put that into the addendum - how do I convey how much this dominated my life? Could I turn this into a good DS? I was also involved peripherally with my mom's cancer support groups and assisted/volunteered with many of them as well, maybe that would work?

I would not write a DS on the same subject as your PS. Since you've already detailed the caretaking responsibilities, you should definitely remove a lot of the detail if you want to write a gpa addendum

So far, my PS has been more geared towards how being a caretaker will make me a more successful student/lawyer... not so much detailing what I did and the impact it had on my grades.

[crumpetsandtea]

Thanks, crumps! I'm just loathe to edit things out because I don't want it to seem as if it was *just* about my mom getting sick and dying, but really emphasize the massive amount of time/energy that went into being a pretty much full-time caregiver and how that made it pretty much impossible to succeed academically.

Yep, I totally know what you mean. Back when I wrote my GPA addendum it was like, 2-3 paragraphs long too. The issue is that an addendum is meant to be short and sweet: just a simple explanation of what happened laid out clearly so adcomms can glance and get it right away. Unfortunately this doesn't leave much room for emotion or details, which makes it challenging to write.

[rinkrat19]

During my freshman year at XX, my mother developed life-threatening complications after a bone marrow transplant, and separated from my father. I took on the responsibility of providing my mother with both caregiver and financial support, and my grades suffered as a result. She was admitted to hospice the following summer and I was able to give my classes more attention, as my improved grades show. Although my mother passed away the fall of my sophomore year at XX, I have remained motivated, and my grades have remained strong ever since. I believe my consistently high grades since Fall [year] more accurately reflect my academic capabilities than does my freshman year.

[imjustjoking22]

Thanks, guys! You rock! I'm pulling it down for now and am going to work on it, thanks for all the advice!