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the school's 25th GPA %?


I ask this because I am a splitter who has hopes for T14. My GPA is 3.3 and I plan on writing an addendum asking my GPA be looked at closer to a 3.6 (strong upward trend. Had 1 really bad year - 2 grandparents dying, got sick for a month, lost like 15 pounds. The weight might not seem like a lot but I was only 140 lbs to start off with).

Anyway, is it worth writing an addendum if my "real" (the 3.6) GPA is still under my target school's 25th %?


Let's not debate about my actual chances of getting into my target school if my GPA is that low. I've done all the research on LSN, etc. I can pull an LSAT score with my transcript GPA and still gain acceptance to some of the schools in the T14 I'm looking at.

You can write an addendum if you'd like, but under no circumstances should you tell them what your GPA "should be" considered as. Explain the low semester/year, and that's it.

of course of course.




But yea, would it even make a difference? Part of me thinks they will read it and think..."ok, so it's closer to a 3.6. Our 25th is a 3.7, what was the point?"


Idk, more input would help!

What's your GPA for each academic year?

3.3
2.82 *deaths in family+bad sickness*
3.5
3.7

Yeah I'd probably write one.

Dany wrote:Yeah I'd probably write one.

Definitely. Looking at that, I'd wonder why you had such a bad year. You need to address it.

Do you think it's a good idea to actually list each year's GPA like that? I have a copy of my transcript and it doesn't lay out the numbers in plain site like I did just now. I had to mathematically find the averages for each year to post here. The only thing on my transcripts are my cum. GPA #'s and individual term GPA's, not the average of each school year's term.

Your LSAC Academic Summary Report will list your GPA by academic year. No need for you to as well.

darkatillam2 wrote:Do you think it's a good idea to actually list each year's GPA like that? I have a copy of my transcript and it doesn't lay out the numbers in plain site like I did just now. I had to mathematically find the averages for each year to post here. The only thing on my transcripts are my cum. GPA #'s and individual term GPA's, not the average of each school year's term.

LSAC should have calculated this for you, so the school can see it if they want.

Oh great, thanks everyone

If my GPA is above the 25% percentile but below the median is it worth sending in an addendum?

My GPA for my first year was a 2.68.

Second year was a 3.78.

Third - 3.9

Fourth - 4.0

Fifth - 3.9

Is that worth an addendum? Without my first year I would have a very solid GPA, but I left home and was unprepared, and had roommate issues.

I know that these things are not legitimate reasons, hence asking.

Thanks guys!

they'll probably assume what you're saying anyway by virtue of the fact that it's first year. You can write one just to confirm it but they're going to see

1st year: bad gpa
2nd-4th year: awesome gpa

so your most recent gpa's are good meaning the first one matters much less. Think of it like an LSAT, you take it once and get a 150 then take it again and get a 175. Anyone is going to assume that the first score is not representative of your abilities.

Moomoo2u wrote:they'll probably assume what you're saying anyway by virtue of the fact that it's first year. You can write one just to confirm it but they're going to see

1st year: bad gpa
2nd-4th year: awesome gpa

so your most recent gpa's are good meaning the first one matters much less. Think of it like an LSAT, you take it once and get a 150 then take it again and get a 175. Anyone is going to assume that the first score is not representative of your abilities.

I get what you're saying w/r/t LSChamp and his addendums, but since he's newish, I just want to clarify: law school admissions are largely a numbers game. What you have is a good soft (massive upward grade trend, a first year completely not indicative of your abilities) but law schools will have to report your cumulative lsac gpa to us news. However, they only have to report one LSAT score. So while some may look at all of the scores, a 150 retaken to get a 175 is a lot different than an upward grade trend.

I'd write an addendum, fwiw, although there are ways of phrasing it with a bit more finesse. Something about finding the transition intimidating at first but eventually you were able to thrive, and that personal issues took more precedence than they should have, but you developed a disciplined attitude that you will also bring to law school.

Hth.

The comparison was only to highlight the fact that it's not representative of his abilities, and I agree that he should write the addendum.

Moomoo2u wrote:The comparison was only to highlight the fact that it's not representative of his abilities, and I agree that he should write the addendum.

I didn't doubt that, and I said as much in my post. I was just clarifying for the sake of the OP, who is new.

oh, haha wasn't sure who w/r/t were :X

Oh sorry. Means "with regard(s) to". I tend to overuse abbreviations when I'm on my iPhone.

f7u12 wrote:Don't write one unless you have better reasons for your first year grades.

This.

descartesb4thehorse wrote:I'd write an addendum, fwiw, although there are ways of phrasing it with a bit more finesse. Something about finding the transition intimidating at first but eventually you were able to thrive, and that personal issues took more precedence than they should have, but you developed a disciplined attitude that you will also bring to law school.

Hth.

Not this.