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Too many additional essays?

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:44 am
by Just
If I submit a DS, a why essay, an addendum explaining my first LSAT score alongside a ps, would it appear to be too much?
Thanks!

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:53 am
by justonemoregame
It's hard to say, but you may not need the LSAT addendum at all. As long as the other essays are within the guidelines for length, which may be different from school to school, you should be fine.

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:23 pm
by bp shinners
Just wrote:If I submit a DS, a why essay, an addendum explaining my first LSAT score alongside a ps, would it appear to be too much?
Thanks!
If they're all answering questions, then it's not too much.

However, an LSAT addendum is rarely warranted. What exactly are you saying in it?

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:20 pm
by AntipodeanPhil
Are the ways in which you are diverse clearly signalled by the rest of your application? If so, don't submit a diversity statement.

For example, if the only reason why you're diverse is that you're an international student from country X, and admissions committees will easily be able to see that you are from country X by looking at the other parts of your application, don't write a DS - unless there are substantial ways in which being from X makes you diverse that admissions committees won't already be aware of (for example, you're part of an unusual religious or ethnic minority in country X).

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 4:58 pm
by JohnV
As already said, LSAT addendums are rarely needed. Admissions officers are just going to ask why you didn't cancel the test if the conditions were bad.

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 8:50 pm
by Just
bp shinners wrote:
Just wrote:If I submit a DS, a why essay, an addendum explaining my first LSAT score alongside a ps, would it appear to be too much?
Thanks!
If they're all answering questions, then it's not too much.

However, an LSAT addendum is rarely warranted. What exactly are you saying in it?
test center disturbance

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 8:53 pm
by Just
AntipodeanPhil wrote:Are the ways in which you are diverse clearly signalled by the rest of your application? If so, don't submit a diversity statement.

For example, if the only reason why you're diverse is that you're an international student from country X, and admissions committees will easily be able to see that you are from country X by looking at the other parts of your application, don't write a DS - unless there are substantial ways in which being from X makes you diverse that admissions committees won't already be aware of (for example, you're part of an unusual religious or ethnic minority in country X).
I tried to write my educational background growing up in country X, but most people sat that I should remove it since it's not personal enough. So I'm thinking about including that and related stuff in a ds. I came from a special place in country X, does that count?

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 1:45 pm
by thelawschoolproject
I wrote a lot of essays during my cycle. For each school, I submitted the following:

-Personal Statement
-Diversity Statement
-Statement of Disadvantage

And, if I was WL'd or Held, I submitted a "Why X" essay (although some schools already offer them as supplemental essays). And, in March I sent LOCIs to every school I was WLd at.

As for the LSAT addendum, the general rule of thumb is that if you just studied in a more effective way and that led you to receiving a higher score, then an addendum is not necessary. However, since you're citing a test disturbance I'd think it'd depend on what exactly you were going to say. Addenda are usually brief and to the point, so you wouldn't want to spend a lot of time explaining a situation or blaming someone else for your performance because it might not come off in the way you want it to. That's something to be mindful of.

In all honestly, if you get a score you're happy with the second time around, I doubt an addendum is going to make or break you.

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:15 am
by JohnV
Just wrote:
bp shinners wrote:
Just wrote:If I submit a DS, a why essay, an addendum explaining my first LSAT score alongside a ps, would it appear to be too much?
Thanks!
If they're all answering questions, then it's not too much.

However, an LSAT addendum is rarely warranted. What exactly are you saying in it?
test center disturbance
So why didn't you cancel the score? Just asking because that's what they are going to want to know and it's very hard to convince them that the disturbance was bad enough to warrant the addendum but wasn't bad enough to cancel your score.

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 12:09 pm
by bp shinners
JohnV wrote: it's very hard to convince them that the disturbance was bad enough to warrant the addendum but wasn't bad enough to cancel your score.
This. Also, was there a complaint filed about the test center disturbance?

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 4:30 pm
by danitt
thelawschoolproject wrote:I wrote a lot of essays during my cycle. For each school, I submitted the following:

-Personal Statement
-Diversity Statement
-Statement of Disadvantage
This is a new one for me, what is it exactly?

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:55 pm
by taf889
I don't think so--I would just make sure nothing can get cut.

Re: Too many additional essays?

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 6:18 pm
by thelawschoolproject
danitt wrote:
This is a new one for me, what is it exactly?
It's basically just a statement discussing how one comes from a disadvantaged background. In mine, I focused on how my mother had several issues that caused her to be absent from our home, which forced me to raise my younger brothers at a very young age. There were a couple of places I applied (although I'd have to go back and look) who listed a Statement of Disadvantage as an optional supplemental essay. Annnd, since I wanted to take advantage of every writing opportunity I had, I included it in every application.

I will say, however, common TLS wisdom is to not add additional essays if they don't ask for them. And while my usage of the many essays seemed to positively influence my application, anecdotal evidence is anecdotal.