should i write a GPA addendum? Forum

[kblueboi]

my gpa is a 2.26 because i blew off classes, had no motivation, etc. a lot people do this, but with enough cramming and bullshitting on papers can manage gpas in the low 3s. however, i was a computer science major and these tactics are difficult to execute successfully in the hard sciences.

i've been out of school for 7 years now and have work experience to compensate a little for the low gpa and the main idea of my personal statement is how i've matured and developed ambition through work experience. since my personal statement conveys that i didn't do well because i was immature do i need to write anything further in an addendum? perhaps, although i don't know how i'd write this, say something about how my gpa would still be bad, but not as bad if i pursued an easier major?

i just feel like i have to write something because it's so low ...

[pwyoung]

The problem with this is while your work experience may have shown motivation, it's not necessarily a reflection of how you're going to function in a school environment.

I'd write an addendum, but you've got to be very clear how on top of things you are now and hopefully have some LOR's that talk about that too.

[20160810]

Given how monumentally low your GPA is, you're going to need to come up with something to explain it, but I really don't suggest just admitting that you were a crappy student with no motivation. I'm not telling you to lie, but there's gotta be a way to re-frame this story in a way that makes you look a little better.

[kblueboi]

from what i've read, it seems the law schools only want you to write an addendum if it's an acceptable excuse such as financial hardships, accidents, life altering events, etc. i can't bring myself to make anything up and writing that i wasn't attending classes, missing exams, doing lots of drugs is just giving them a detailed picture of the person i want to distance myself from. really the only thing i can think of is 'my gpa could be a low 3 something had i not been doing a hard science major', but i have no idea how i'd even write that. i can picture ad coms nudging each other being like 'is this guy serious?' and yet the monumentallily low gpa seems to beg some type of explanation ...