Addendum? Poor GPA because I partied too hard freshmen year Forum

[KaliaSF]

My freshmen year GPA went 3.2, 2.7, 2.2 (quarter system). The following 3 years I got a 3.63 overall, bringing my cumulative GPA to around a 3.39.

Because I got a 170, I feel like any boost in my GPA makes me that much more competitive. Is it worth writing an addendum briefly mentioning this?

Thanks.

[09042014]

What are you going to say? I partied too much? I'd leave it alone.

[rundoxierun]

My freshmen year GPA went 3.2, 2.7, 2.2 (quarter system). The following 3 years I got a 3.63 overall, bringing my cumulative GPA to around a 3.39.

Because I got a 170, I feel like any boost in my GPA makes me that much more competitive. Is it worth writing an addendum briefly mentioning this?

Thanks.

Man up and take the GPA pain.. my GPA goes 2.63 freshman year, 4.0+ Soph year and 4.0+ Junior year.. and I have absolutely no regrets.

[kalvano]

Don't write anything or draw attention to it. A lot of people have crappy first years for a variety of reasons. In your case, it's best to let them wonder instead of removing all doubt.

[goawaybee]

Fox of the Desert is on point IMO.

What are you going to say? I partied too much? I'd leave it alone.

Remember most of these people were 18 once and many actually went to univ. as well. We are humans and we were all very young humans who just escaped our parents homes and had no clue what to do with our lives other than party...freedom tastes so good. Humans are errant creatures. That is our thing, we are highly skilled at it. I think you may benefit more by possibly spending that time stretching, listening to music or maybe spending a little more time refining other documents such as your PS.

[Miniver]

...

[Kiersten1985]

Your cumulative GPA is hardly low enough to warrant an explanation. And if schools actually take the time to look the individual grades themselves, they'll just assume you partied too hard in Freshman year anyway; so an addendum would just be telling (and reinforcing to) them what they already know.

The only reason to give an addendum here is if you have a good reason for why your GPA was low--like you had to spend the year raising five orphan children that you rescued from a burning building.

Exactly. You don't have a good reason, so there's nothing to say.

[flyingpanda]

What are you going to say? I partied too much? I'd leave it alone.

For some reason, this made me lol.

[shock259]

Good reason: mom died.
Bad reason: discovered alcohol.

[somewhatwayward]

Fox of the Desert is on point IMO.

What are you going to say? I partied too much? I'd leave it alone.

Remember most of these people were 18 once and many actually went to univ. as well. We are humans and we were all very young humans who just escaped our parents homes and had no clue what to do with our lives other than party...freedom tastes so good. Humans are errant creatures. That is our thing, we are highly skilled at it. I think you may benefit more by possibly spending that time stretching, listening to music or maybe spending a little more time refining other documents such as your PS.

you are a pretty crappy troll.

[calicocat]

Good reason: mom died.
Bad reason: discovered alcohol.

This made me lol

[acadec]

Fox of the Desert is on point IMO.

What are you going to say? I partied too much? I'd leave it alone.

Remember most of these people were 18 once and many actually went to univ. as well. We are humans and we were all very young humans who just escaped our parents homes and had no clue what to do with our lives other than party...freedom tastes so good. Humans are errant creatures. That is our thing, we are highly skilled at it. I think you may benefit more by possibly spending that time stretching, listening to music or maybe spending a little more time refining other documents such as your PS.

You know what? Go ahead and write this. In fact, please write this. It'll just make admissions this cycle that much easier for people who aren't retarded.

[Moose Thompson]

Fox of the Desert is on point IMO.

What are you going to say? I partied too much? I'd leave it alone.

Remember most of these people were 18 once and many actually went to univ. as well. We are humans and we were all very young humans who just escaped our parents homes and had no clue what to do with our lives other than party...freedom tastes so good. Humans are errant creatures. That is our thing, we are highly skilled at it. I think you may benefit more by possibly spending that time stretching, listening to music or maybe spending a little more time refining other documents such as your PS.

You know what? Go ahead and write this. In fact, please write this. It'll just make admissions this cycle that much easier for people who aren't retarded.

I don't get it. His advice is to leave it alone and not write anything. He even says that the time not spent writing an addendum would be better spent stretching , listening to music or working on a better PS.

[NewLobo]

Fox of the Desert is on point IMO.

What are you going to say? I partied too much? I'd leave it alone.

Remember most of these people were 18 once and many actually went to univ. as well. We are humans and we were all very young humans who just escaped our parents homes and had no clue what to do with our lives other than party...freedom tastes so good. Humans are errant creatures. That is our thing, we are highly skilled at it. I think you may benefit more by possibly spending that time stretching, listening to music or maybe spending a little more time refining other documents such as your PS.

You know what? Go ahead and write this. In fact, please write this. It'll just make admissions this cycle that much easier for people who aren't retarded.

I don't get it. His advice is to leave it alone and not write anything. He even says that the time not spent writing an addendum would be better spent stretching , listening to music or working on a better PS.

Perhaps he believe this was the OP?

[GermX]

Man, make up a story about someone in your family getting sick during that time.

But seriously, don't be dissapointed. With a 3.39 and a 170, if you apply early you can get into the bottom T-14 possibly (Cornell, G-Town), and everything else after that is up for grabs, including UCLA, GW, etc..., all wonderful schools.

[Kohinoor]

If you really partied too hard, your arrest and conviction addenda should tell the story for you.

[09042014]

Good GPA addendum don't even work, and this one wouldn't even be okay. Don't bother, have fun at Mich, Penn, or Cornell. /thread

[queenlizzie13]

Yeah, I wouldn't write anything. Besides I've heard that at a lot of schools your freshman year GPA counts the least. It is likely that some schools might ignore it completely. A lot of people have lower freshman year GPA's due to the adjustment of not being at home anymore, the loud dorms, etc.

My GPA is also the lowest in my freshman year. But I am not going to write an addendum just because it's lower. Ignore it and maybe you'll get lucky and the admissions committee will also ignore it. If you write something it just draws attention to it and that looks bad. It's why you shouldn't address the LSAT in the personal statement either, if it is particularly low.

[ScaredWorkedBored]

Yeah, I wouldn't write anything. Besides I've heard that at a lot of schools your freshman year GPA counts the least. It is likely that some schools might ignore it completely. A lot of people have lower freshman year GPA's due to the adjustment of not being at home anymore, the loud dorms, etc.

Um, wut? Your cumulative certainly doesn't discount it and that's the one that law schools care about because that's the one that gets used for rankings. What you're describing is a soft factor that only comes into play if your GPA is at least still worthy of admission or your LSAT is extremely good for the school (GPA not being so).

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@ OP: "I discovered alcohol but concealed my wanton illegal substance abuse from the authorities such that I do not have to write a criminal history addendum " is never a good topic.