. Forum

[henry flower]

.

[canuck]

Is this okay? Should I even talk about the later semester? I really don't have a "good" reason for any of it... but I'm required to talk about the probation/suspension for most of my apps.

I was placed on academic probation for poor grades after the fall of 1997, my first semester of attendance at COLLEGE. I was then placed on academic suspension for poor grades the following semester (Spring 1998) and reinstated after discussion with the Dean of Students. The next semester I was again placed on Academic probation for poor grades. My academic troubles were largely due to immaturity and poor attendance, problems I was able to rectify throughout the remainder of my academic career, as evinced by my making the Dean’s List for the next 3 semesters (Fall 1999-Summer 2000) and graduating with a cumulative institutional GPA of 3.39.

Although I generally performed admirably after my return to good academic standing, I would like to briefly address my grades during the spring semester 2003. I was taking classes I was unfamiliar with, because I was exploring the idea of a minor in journalism (which I later abandoned), and I was also dealing with some personal issues that caused me to miss a large amount of class, which resulted in me earning poor grades. In retrospect, I wish I had handled the situation better, but I believe that I now know how to better balance my personal life with my academic life.

I would just mention the personal issues. Citing unfamiliarity doesn't look good (how familiar are you with law school courses?) and the statement about wishing you handled it better is unnecessary (of course you do).

[henry flower]

Thanks! Anyone else got any ideas?

[henry flower]

Sorry for another bump, but I'm getting ready to submit and I would really like some feedback, particularly regarding the later semester I screwed up. Should I even include that in the addendum.

[TLSanders]

I think you should consider rewording the first paragraph to be less progressive. As I read it, I kept waiting for things to get better and then there was something else negative. I'd sum it all up at the beginning: I struggled academically during my first X semesters of college, resulting in X followed by Y and Z. Thereafter...(and go into the positives).

Whether or not you should address the later semester depends in part on just how bad it was, how it impacted your overall GPA, how far out of line with your surrounding grades it was, etc.

[henry flower]

yeah, I made a couple of Fs... so I think I'll mention it. it's funny, I don't have any Cs on my transcript, and only 2 or 3 Bs... It's pretty much all As, or Fs...

thanks for the advice on the addendume!