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I want to include addenda with my applications to explain bouts of unusually low GPA, but I need to include 2, and am not sure if this is a good idea since I will likely need to also include one to explain my much higher LSAT (I choked and got a 158 last Oct, tho my practice average is like 166 and I still have 2 months of studying and a prep course ahead of me).

Back story: my GPA freshman year was crap since my dad got cancer, which along with financial aid woes all prevented me from performing well. I withdrew from that school and went to community college for a year and then transferred to Cal, and my GPA was much better at both of those schools. BUT, 2nd semester of senior year at Cal, I got a 2.97 when I usually get about 3.4, since I had major surgery in January that resulted in complications/infections that caused me to have to make multiple trips home and miss a lot of class (I even almost fainted during a midterm and ended up getting a D instead of my usual B+ on such tests, leading directly to a C in the class).

I thought about including addenda for both, BUT I don't want it to look like I am just making excuses for the two lowest points in my GPA. Should I include both addenda, or would it do more harm than good?

UCLAorbust wrote:I want to include addenda with my applications to explain bouts of unusually low GPA, but I need to include 2, and am not sure if this is a good idea since I will likely need to also include one to explain my much higher LSAT (I choked and got a 158 last Oct, tho my practice average is like 166 and I still have 2 months of studying and a prep course ahead of me).

Back story: my GPA freshman year was crap since my dad got cancer, which along with financial aid woes all prevented me from performing well. I withdrew from that school and went to community college for a year and then transferred to Cal, and my GPA was much better at both of those schools. BUT, 2nd semester of senior year at Cal, I got a 2.97 when I usually get about 3.4, since I had major surgery in January that resulted in complications/infections that caused me to have to make multiple trips home and miss a lot of class (I even almost fainted during a midterm and ended up getting a D instead of my usual B+ on such tests, leading directly to a C in the class).

I thought about including addenda for both, BUT I don't want it to look like I am just making excuses for the two lowest points in my GPA. Should I include both addenda, or would it do more harm than good?

I would include both. I think you reasons are pretty understandable. But you probably only need one addendum. Just label it GPA Addendum or something like that. And remember to keep it short and to the point.

You don't want to include too many addenda if they don't say anything worthwhile. However, both of your GPA valleys are tied to events that you would expect to lower someone's GPA. Write them both into a single addendum, but you won't be writing too much.