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Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 1:55 am
by mt1042
Just curious about everyone's opinion concerning an undergraduate GPA addendum.
Towards the beginning of the first semester of my Jr. year I had some health issues and was forced to undergo three different surgical procedures (sorry for the overshare). The rest of the semester I was on narcotics to manage the pain during my recovery. I managed to perform reasonably well in all my classes except Ancient Greek. My time in the hospital and on drugs caused me to miss some foundational concepts of the language. Since language study is innately cumulative my grades in Ancient Greek over the next three semesters significantly impacted my GPA lowering it from a 3.5 to a 3.18 as I was never able to catch up from everything I had missed. I could not go back and retake classes because it would have held me from graduating on time.
Is this worthy of an addendum or would an admissions committee just think I was lazy for not going back and focusing on what I missed during my first semester of the language?
Thanks!
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:10 am
by northwood
it works, but you need to edit it. I would keep the part about having a medical issue. delete the part about not retaking because you couldnt graduate ontime. that destroys the reasons credibility, and doesnt make you shine bright ( why wouldnt you take the semester off if you had surgery)?
dont make excuese, jsut state the facts. I had surgery and was on medicine. It negatively affected my performance in school. If you would like, I can submit medical records.( or something like that)
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:26 am
by 5823
would an admissions committee just think I was lazy for not going back and focusing on what I missed during my first semester of the language?
The way you've laid out the facts, it sounds like you had a rough time at the beginning of one semester, but then you let it affect you for 3 straight semesters instead of taking the initiative to get tutoring or extra study sessions. Reading this, I'm curious to know why you kept going with advanced Greek if you were already behind (were you required to take the extra classes for your major?) and why you didn't try to make up the missing basics sometime over the period of a year and a half that you were enrolled in these classes (or perhaps you did, in which case it might be worthwhile to mention it, as long as it doesn't get long and sappy).
The usual TLS advice: keep the addendum succinct, don't make excuses, don't talk about your feelings and get too whiny.
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:29 am
by mt1042
Thanks for the advice. The above is not actually the addendum I would type up (sorry I see the title of the post is easily misread). My real question is this situation worth an addendum or should I just let my GPA stand as is?
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:32 am
by 4for44
5823 wrote:would an admissions committee just think I was lazy for not going back and focusing on what I missed during my first semester of the language?
The way you've laid out the facts,
it sounds like you had a rough time at the beginning of one semester, but then you let it affect you for 3 straight semesters instead of taking the initiative to get tutoring or extra study sessions. Reading this, I'm curious to know
why you kept going with advanced Greek if you were already behind (were you required to take the extra classes for your major?) and
why you didn't try to make up the missing basics sometime over the period of a year and a half that you were enrolled in these classes (or perhaps you did, in which case it might be worthwhile to mention it, as long as it doesn't get long and sappy).
The usual TLS advice: keep the addendum succinct, don't make excuses, don't talk about your feelings and get too whiny.
This... or rather these
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:28 am
by nihilism is key
5823 wrote:I'm curious to know why you kept going with advanced Greek if you were already behind
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 12:37 pm
by WithoutMe
Why does no one indent their addendums or personal statements. Am i missing something
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 4:51 pm
by northwood
personal statements - indendted
addendum/ addenda- as long as you keep it to one per page, and very short I dont see the point. If you do 2 addenda per page, then you should indent- and title each addendum with something like addendum for lsat/ arrest/ time off during undergrad/ why you should give me a full scholly + living expenses and a pension.
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:46 pm
by mt1042
nihilism is key wrote:5823 wrote:I'm curious to know why you kept going with advanced Greek if you were already behind
The school required four semesters of foreign language. I started Greek at the beginning of my Junior year, but then I had the health issues. The course was not offered during the summer so I had to continue in order to graduate. I attempted to talk the Dean and get put in another language but I was turned down.
So that's the reason why I had to stick with Greek.
Anyway, I was leaning towards not writing this addendum (again the original post is not the addendum but me outlining the situation) but wanted to see what others thought.
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:45 pm
by Saltqjibo
You need to turn this to your advantage. Talk about how you were still able to learn greek while stoned out of your mind. You will get in for sure.
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:39 pm
by mt1042
Saltqjibo wrote:You need to turn this to your advantage. Talk about how you were still able to learn greek while stoned out of your mind. You will get in for sure.
Thanks friend that made me laugh out loud!
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 7:54 am
by ahduth
northwood wrote:personal statements - indendted
addendum/ addenda- as long as you keep it to one per page, and very short I dont see the point. If you do 2 addenda per page, then you should indent- and title each addendum with something like addendum for lsat/ arrest/ time off during undergrad/ why you should give me a full scholly + living expenses and a pension.
People still indent paragraphs?
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:52 pm
by northwood
apparently im old-I do
Re: Addendum Worthy?
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 5:04 pm
by nihilism is key
mt1042 wrote:nihilism is key wrote:5823 wrote:I'm curious to know why you kept going with advanced Greek if you were already behind
The school required four semesters of foreign language. I started Greek at the beginning of my Junior year, but then I had the health issues. The course was not offered during the summer so I had to continue in order to graduate. I attempted to talk the Dean and get put in another language but I was turned down.
So that's the reason why I had to stick with Greek.
Anyway, I was leaning towards not writing this addendum (again the original post is not the addendum but me outlining the situation) but wanted to see what others thought.
If you were required to continue with Greek even when you fell behind due to a medical reasons, I think that is addendum worthy.