Top Law Schools

Hey, I'm hoping to send out my apps tonight, I'm wondering if it's worth writing an addendum for my GPA.
My cumulative GPA is a 3.6, but with great variability per semester/year.
Fresh yr: 3.67
Soph: 3.8
Junior 1st semester: 3.6
Junior 2nd semester: 3.0 with a W (whihc LSAC doesnt count-- but it does show only 12 credits)
Senior yr 1st semester- trancript not yet updated, but i did take 20 credits to compensate for the W, so I could still graduate one semester early.

My junior yr second semester (obv my worst) a friend died of an undiagnosed diabetic condition right before finals... also that was my hardest semester academically... Worth writing an addendum or is the overall GPA paramount? I just want to address the awful junior yr semester.

Don't think it will hurt. My law school adviser says that most schools mean it when they say they are open to receiving information that will help them make a decision. But keep in mind that the 3.0 from that one semester does not bring your grades down that dramatically.

How does this sound? I don't want to sound whiny, just informative.

I would like to address the disparity in my grades between the spring semester of junior year and the rest of my undergraduate career. That semester, a close friend of mine passed away just before finals, from an undiagnosed diabetic condition. Naturally, the shock of his death greatly impacted me emotionally. Additionally, that spring, I challenged myself by taking difficult courses outside of my major’s department. Both of those factors contributed to a lower GPA. In order to compensate and prove my commitment to my academics, I took 20 credits the following semester (fall 2010), enabling me to graduate early. I hope you take these matters into consideration while evaluating my application.