can being diagnosed w/ ADD be used in a GPA addenda??? Forum

[jdhopeful11]

I have a friend that was diagnosed and treated for ADD about 6 months ago. Since then, she's wrapped up her ug career by taking 18 credits and scoring a 3.92 gpa. Her cumulative is a 3.2 and she's exhibited a very strong upward grade trend despite the boost from being prescribed amphetamines. She scored a 166 on the June LSAT.

Will it be helpful to her if she mentions that she was diagnosed and prescribed with this illness even though it was only 6 months ago and all she has are 18 credits to show for her performance afterwards? She was also prescribed with depression a year ago as well, would that help her justify her rather slow start in college?

She believes it won't make a difference and that adcomms would denounce her instead, but I'm trying to convince her that it would in fact help. Any thoughts?

Oh, and for all those wondering, she's a dime in my book

[Mike12188]

If I was an adcomm it'd be an auto-deny.

[artichoke]

If I was an adcomm it'd be an auto-deny.

I disagree. ADD is a legitimate medically recognized illness. I definitely think she should write an addendum explaining the situation.

[bk1]

This seems addendum-worthy. In spite of that, don't expect it to make up for numbers in any significant way.

[Mike12188]

If I was an adcomm it'd be an auto-deny.

I disagree. ADD is a legitimate medically recognized illness. I definitely think she should write an addendum explaining the situation.

Damn, maybe I should go get classified before I send the rest of my apps out

[turkeysub]

.

[Marionberry]

Still, if I was her, I wouldn't expect the one good semester she had to really convince anyone. If she had come back and make a 3.9 for a year or two, that would be another case. As is, it's probably worthy of an addendum though I don't know how compelling it will be.

[jdhopeful11]

Thanks guys. Should she send records from her doctor? And what about her manic-depression? Is that worth talking about?

[Marionberry]

She should not send records, though it doesn't hurt to state that documentation is available on request. Also, bipolar (which is what I assume your talking about) could be worth mentioning if it is being effectively managed, and if she can demonstrate that. I would be very hesitant to do so unless she can and unless there is a clear connection between her bipolar and her academic performance, i.e. got treatment and then grades improved. If she was diagnosed and treated for bipolar and ADD at the same time, it could all be one addendum. Although, someone with a diagnosis of bipolar on adderrall could possibly have just been in a manic episode during that last semester where she kicked ass. Basically, unless it's really going to help she might want to reconsider discussing it.

Also, tell her to get a TLS account so you don't have to ask her questions for her.

[jdhopeful11]

Just to clarify on her "last" semester - it included 6 research credits for grades, 12 pass/fail internship credits that don't get factored into the LSDAS gpa, 6 credits from a community college in the first half of the summer and then 6 credits at her ug in the second half of summer. So this probably consisted of 2 semesters (fall and summer).

Now my question is - does this help or hurt her case? Imho its easier to do well in semesters that are fragmented such as the ones she had in the summer and arguably fall. However, it may help her because she's demonstrated a high level of work for 2 semesters.

[GATORTIM]

I started to put together a good response but got distracted by nintendo while I was eating dinner, talking on the phone, putting together a puzzle, watching baseball and juggling steak knives...what did u ask?

[Marionberry]

Those circumstances imo make her "increase in academic performance" appear much less significant. And it didn't appear all that significant to begin with.

Maybe I'm wrong though.

[blsingindisguise]

I'm going to go against the crowd on this one and say don't mention the ADD or the bipolar.

The fact that ADD is a "legitimate, medically recognized illness" is not really dispositive. It's a disorder on the DSM-IV, sure, but it's not viewed as debilitating in the same way that life-threatening cancer would be. It also varies GREATLY in degree, and many students who are diagnosed with it still get good grades without medication (I am one of them). Further, like you said, one good semester doesn't really prove much of anything -- people's grades fluctuate for lots of reasons.

The bipolar is a different story -- this can be a gravely serious disorder. However, you absolutely do not want to tell the adcom you have it, because it just makes you a risk in their eyes. Law schools want students they can rely on to perform well and go out and succeed in the legal field and if they think you have something that could potentially hinder that, they don't really care what it is. Plus bipolar brings up images of suicide, erratic behavior, etc. Law schools don't want to deal with that shit, regardless of whether they don't "officially" discriminate.

[jdhopeful11]

She should not send records, though it doesn't hurt to state that documentation is available on request. Also, bipolar (which is what I assume your talking about) could be worth mentioning if it is being effectively managed, and if she can demonstrate that. I would be very hesitant to do so unless she can and unless there is a clear connection between her bipolar and her academic performance, i.e. got treatment and then grades improved. If she was diagnosed and treated for bipolar and ADD at the same time, it could all be one addendum. Although, someone with a diagnosis of bipolar on adderrall could possibly have just been in a manic episode during that last semester where she kicked ass. Basically, unless it's really going to help she might want to reconsider discussing it.

Also, tell her to get a TLS account so you don't have to ask her questions for her.

Well she finally cracked and decided to see a doctor last september for her insomnia and depression. He referred her to a shrink, and the shrink treated her manic depression using lithium. She managed the highest semester gpa of her college career up to that point in that semester in which she was diagnosed. In january 2010, she was also diagnosed with ADD too. That's when her grades skyrocketed. So she saw improvement after being treated for mania, and then more improvement for the ADD. So she is currently being treated with both.

[Marionberry]

Given that it was that recent, it might not be wise to mention the bipolar at all, like another poster mentioned. Maybe a brief addendum stating that she was diagnosed with ADD in January, and that she performed much better after having been treated.

[fragged]

I'm going to go against the crowd on this one and say don't mention the ADD or the bipolar.

The fact that ADD is a "legitimate, medically recognized illness" is not really dispositive. It's a disorder on the DSM-IV, sure, but it's not viewed as debilitating in the same way that life-threatening cancer would be. It also varies GREATLY in degree, and many students who are diagnosed with it still get good grades without medication (I am one of them). Further, like you said, one good semester doesn't really prove much of anything -- people's grades fluctuate for lots of reasons.

The bipolar is a different story -- this can be a gravely serious disorder. However, you absolutely do not want to tell the adcom you have it, because it just makes you a risk in their eyes. Law schools want students they can rely on to perform well and go out and succeed in the legal field and if they think you have something that could potentially hinder that, they don't really care what it is. Plus bipolar brings up images of suicide, erratic behavior, etc. Law schools don't want to deal with that shit, regardless of whether they don't "officially" discriminate.

+1 here

ADD is legit, but unfortunately I think it has become somewhat of a "boutique" disorder. It may hurt the app, it may help it - all depends on who reads it and what their view is on ADD. I also agree with the bipolar thing - bad Juju to put images of bipolar behavior in the mind of an adcomm.

[mst]

First, I think it depends on the schools she is applying to. If her GPA is within or very close to their ranges I would avoid the addendum simply from the risk. If her GPA is well outside of the range of the schools she is applying to, I would include it simply because she probably wouldn't get in without one anyways. Either way, one semester of good grades doesn't really demonstrate much: maybe she took easier classes, got lucky, had a better mood... the point is that there isn't a lot of evidence to back it up and that's exactly what the adcomm's will think in my opinion. They could very easily come to the opinion that instead of this student just being a little lazy in classes that this student is just incapable of handling the academic rigors of law school. Yes, it's a disorder. But strip clubs don't have to hire you if you're ugly... Again I think this would be a different story if she had more evidence post-diagnosis that she had corrected any possible issues.

[whymeohgodno]

Not going to matter. It won't help nearly enough to make a difference. It probably won't hurt nearly enough to make a difference either.

Just flip a coin.

[Eric475]

I have a friend that was diagnosed and treated for ADD about 6 months ago. Since then, she's wrapped up her ug career by taking 18 credits and scoring a 3.92 gpa. Her cumulative is a 3.2 and she's exhibited a very strong upward grade trend despite the boost from being prescribed amphetamines. She scored a 166 on the June LSAT.

Will it be helpful to her if she mentions that she was diagnosed and prescribed with this illness even though it was only 6 months ago and all she has are 18 credits to show for her performance afterwards? She was also prescribed with depression a year ago as well, would that help her justify her rather slow start in college?

She believes it won't make a difference and that adcomms would denounce her instead, but I'm trying to convince her that it would in fact help. Any thoughts?

Oh, and for all those wondering, she's a dime in my book

If she's the girl in your avatar she's a dime in my book as well.

I've been getting good grades with ADD (and anxiety) my whole life, took adderall for a while but there are so many negatives. You also mentioned your friend is an insomniac. I'm also one of those, and adderall made it nearly possible to sleep or eat. Really wasn't worth the extra focus it provided (though that was awesome). I treat the insomnia with a lil ganja in the evenings if needed. Anxiety medications suck too, they make you dumb as hell.

Point is, I don't think one great semester because of prescription stimulants is going to make or break an acceptance decision, but I don't know.

[Patriot1208]

The better question is, is that a self tar?

[jdhopeful11]

Not going to matter. It won't help nearly enough to make a difference. It probably won't hurt nearly enough to make a difference either.

Just flip a coin.

Wow, thanks for your thoughtful insight

I have a friend that was diagnosed and treated for ADD about 6 months ago. Since then, she's wrapped up her ug career by taking 18 credits and scoring a 3.92 gpa. Her cumulative is a 3.2 and she's exhibited a very strong upward grade trend despite the boost from being prescribed amphetamines. She scored a 166 on the June LSAT.

Will it be helpful to her if she mentions that she was diagnosed and prescribed with this illness even though it was only 6 months ago and all she has are 18 credits to show for her performance afterwards? She was also prescribed with depression a year ago as well, would that help her justify her rather slow start in college?

She believes it won't make a difference and that adcomms would denounce her instead, but I'm trying to convince her that it would in fact help. Any thoughts?

If she's the girl in your avatar she's a dime in my book as well.

Finally somebody figured it out. Yes it is she, and yes she is my baby girl, and yes we want to go to law school together and have baby lawyer geniuses when we grow up

[jdhopeful11]

I think we both decided to just call individual schools and ask someone in admissions. Thanks for your input guys

[Tsispilos]

I thought our entire generation had ADD

[Patriot1208]

I thought our entire generation had ADD

With how loose they are with it i'm pretty sure our entire generation could get the diagnosis. Don't get me wrong some kids actually have a bad case that affects them, but a lot of kids get special time and stuff from universities who have nothing going on.

[Nicholasnickynic]

Given that it was that recent, it might not be wise to mention the bipolar at all, like another poster mentioned. Maybe a brief addendum stating that she was diagnosed with ADD in January, and that she performed much better after having been treated.

Although I don't have bipolar, I do have adhd, and I mentioned it and how my grades improved after med, and I think it seemed to help.

In terms of having a low GPA- giving addendum won't necessarily negate it- adcoms need certain gpas for USNWR. But I think if you are a splitter, and they need you for your lsat, its easier for them to take you if they can justify your low GPA.

I think one thing people need to remember is "Whats in it for the adcom/school?" If nothing, then they probably don't care.