Good advice on writing an LSAT addendum for an 8 point Forum

[Rory1987]

increase? Just a quick paragraph? What's needed exactly?

[Shooter]

increase? Just a quick paragraph? What's needed exactly?

Well, given that I got an 8 point increase on my LSAT, I know a little about this.

I wrote about 3/4 of a page, consisting of three small paragraphs.

Acknowledge that they are not obligated to place more weight on your second score, but politely ask them to anyways. Give the reason why you didn't perform as well the first time, and then be honest about what led to that sub-par performance (lack of preparedness, sickness, etc). Essentially, find a way to convince the ad-committee that your second test was a more accurate portrayal of your academic capabilities.

Make it as short and concise as possible. Also try not to make it too extravagant (unless truly extravagant circumstances are to blame).

[Adjudicator]

I got an 11 point increase when I retook the LSAT and I didn't write an addendum for it... is it really important to do this?

[Shooter]

I got an 11 point increase when I retook the LSAT and I didn't write an addendum for it... is it really important to do this?

With your LSAT score? Hell no.

[Sandro]

Is this

[MrAnon]

Do NOT write an addendum for your LSAT or your GPA. You have responsibility for these things. You were sick or whatever but in the end you chose to sit for the LSAT on the day you first took it. If anything it just makes you look like a dummy who can't make wise decisions about when to take or not take your test. I'll bet the ensuing practice helped a bunch too. Do you know how many increased LSAT scores they get now? Its practically EVERYBODY now that you can take the test unlimited amount of times. And nobody ever tests under ideal conditions.

[JustE]

Do NOT write an addendum for your LSAT or your GPA. You have responsibility for these things. You were sick or whatever but in the end you chose to sit for the LSAT on the day you first took it. If anything it just makes you look like a dummy who can't make wise decisions about when to take or not take your test. I'll bet the ensuing practice helped a bunch too. Do you know how many increased LSAT scores they get now? Its practically EVERYBODY now that you can take the test unlimited amount of times. And nobody ever tests under ideal conditions.

Really? This can't be the best advice.

[Kabuo]

Mr Anon's advice clearly contradicts the advice of some deans who ask for an addendum to explain a 3 pts or greater deviation. Cornell's Dean is quoted on this site as saying this, and Dean Z at Michigan says she would want an explanation for a spread of 150, 151, and 170 to explain why they should care about the 170. I imagine that a more in depth search would yield even more examples of schools that have policies like this.

[Sandro]

Do NOT write an addendum for your LSAT or your GPA. You have responsibility for these things. You were sick or whatever but in the end you chose to sit for the LSAT on the day you first took it. If anything it just makes you look like a dummy who can't make wise decisions about when to take or not take your test. I'll bet the ensuing practice helped a bunch too. Do you know how many increased LSAT scores they get now? Its practically EVERYBODY now that you can take the test unlimited amount of times. And nobody ever tests under ideal conditions.

So when schools specifically ask for extenuating circumstances for an increase in score you should just ignore them ? Solid advice.

[Shooter]

Do NOT write an addendum for your LSAT or your GPA. You have responsibility for these things. You were sick or whatever but in the end you chose to sit for the LSAT on the day you first took it. If anything it just makes you look like a dummy who can't make wise decisions about when to take or not take your test. I'll bet the ensuing practice helped a bunch too. Do you know how many increased LSAT scores they get now? Its practically EVERYBODY now that you can take the test unlimited amount of times. And nobody ever tests under ideal conditions.

Really? This can't be the best advice.

Anna Ivey > Mr. Anon = end of discussion

[aisforapple]

PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO THOSE THAT ARE TELLING YOU NOT TO WRITE AN ADDENDUM! Absolutely foolish advice. If you haven't figured it out already, the entire law school process is about selling yourself- the admissions committees doesn't know you and so they use every word you give them to paint a picture. Don't allow them to assume the worst. Case in point 2 T10 schools have asked me about the difference between my LSAT scores (while they were deliberating on my application), even though I was smart enough to submit an addendum they wanted clarification. By submitting the addendum I was able to literally spark a conversation with the committees via email- an opportunity I might not have received if I allowed them to let their imaginations run ramped with my score.