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[ManOfTheMinute]

Did you ever take another math class and not fail it?

Your complete apathy is the second worst case scenario (the worst being that you were too dumb to pass it), so if your academic record can nix the worst case, no point in really talking about the second IMHO.

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[heythatslife]

I don't think "I was young and foolish" makes a legit addendum. A screw-up is a screw-up, is all.

[Tiago Splitter]

Adcomms say you should write an addendum so as not to let them use their imaginations to fill in the missing details. In your case though what their imaginations come up with might be better than the actual explanation.

[jbagelboy]

Linear algebra or abstract or what kind of algebra as a college freshmen were you taking? I took linear as a freshmen before vector but abstract would have destroyed my GPA that early too. As a junior it was still a bitch.

I had a terrible semester my freshmen year and wrote an addendum, but it wasnt laziness, it was medical. Still, I dont think my addendum made any difference -- I doubt they ever do for low grades outside of very extreme circumstances where they are necessary

[Toby Ziegler]

Adcomms say you should write an addendum so as not to let them use their imaginations to fill in the missing details. In your case though what their imaginations come up with might be better than the actual explanation.

I lol'ed

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[RodneyRuxin]

It sounds like something else was going on here (perhaps depression?).

Regardless, I think that not caring enough to write an addendum to explain how you've matured/changed/etc. is the perfect way to demonstrate you haven't learned your lesson.

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[jbagelboy]

It sounds like something else was going on here (perhaps depression?).

Regardless, I think that not caring enough to write an addendum to explain how you've matured/changed/etc. is the perfect way to demonstrate you haven't learned your lesson.

As soon as I posted, I remembered what was going on during that time (mild/severe depression) but I wasn't getting treatment for it + I didn't want to edit my OP to make it seem like another excuse.

Given your comment, I may write that addendum after all.

Ive actually read that just writing an addendum for "depression" or "transition anxiety" or some derivative as a justification for sub-par grades as a college freshmen is not advisable. Those addenda sound like boomer prelaw adviser drivel to me. Everyone has a tough college transition.

[arkgawilson]

It sounds like something else was going on here (perhaps depression?).

Regardless, I think that not caring enough to write an addendum to explain how you've matured/changed/etc. is the perfect way to demonstrate you haven't learned your lesson.

As soon as I posted, I remembered what was going on during that time (mild/severe depression) but I wasn't getting treatment for it + I didn't want to edit my OP to make it seem like another excuse.

Given your comment, I may write that addendum after all.

Ive actually read that just writing an addendum for "depression" or "transition anxiety" or some derivative as a justification for sub-par grades as a college freshmen is not advisable. Those addenda sound like boomer prelaw adviser drivel to me. Everyone has a tough college transition.

Yes, but not everyone who has a tough college transition becomes depressed, and those that do are often stigmatized or there is the mindset of "suck it up- we did". I personally think if OP, or anyone, were to mention mental illness as a contributing factor of why they did not perform their best, that individual would show the school that they have some level of insight into various stressors that affect daily living, and I think (or at least hope) it would be respected.

[Clearly]

Dude, failing one class isn't a screw up worthy of an addendum. Whats your final GPA? LSAT? Goals? I don't think people realize how often writing an addendum for something objectively petty draws ATTENTION to something that would have been missed anyway. They care about your final GPA, and the major, short of some really absurd trend, its not going to make or break you. Coming off as a neurotic person and specifically writing a letter saying "Hey! Look at this F!" isn't always a wise idea. Failing all of your classes on the other hand, needs explaining.

[Tiago Splitter]

Dude, failing one class isn't a screw up worthy of an addendum. Whats your final GPA? LSAT? Goals? I don't think people realize how often writing an addendum for something objectively petty draws ATTENTION to something that would have been missed anyway. They care about your final GPA, and the major, short of some really absurd trend, its not going to make or break you. Coming off as a neurotic person and specifically writing a letter saying "Hey! Look at this F!" isn't always a wise idea. Failing all of your classes on the other hand, needs explaining.

Exactly. The downside of any addendum is that it draws attention to a part of the app you'd rather they not focus on. That's okay in some cases, but it means there should be a presumption against just writing addenda to explain every weakness. The best proof that you've changed is your strong grades from the next several semesters following the F, and they can see that on the transcript.

[bp shinners]

Yes, but not everyone who has a tough college transition becomes depressed, and those that do are often stigmatized or there is the mindset of "suck it up- we did". I personally think if OP, or anyone, were to mention mental illness as a contributing factor of why they did not perform their best, that individual would show the school that they have some level of insight into various stressors that affect daily living, and I think (or at least hope) it would be respected.

But also not everyone who thinks that they're clinically depressed is. You shouldn't write that addendum unless you were successfully treated for it. Otherwise, why should I believe that the same thing won't happen during your transition to law school?

[Cobretti]

Yes, but not everyone who has a tough college transition becomes depressed, and those that do are often stigmatized or there is the mindset of "suck it up- we did". I personally think if OP, or anyone, were to mention mental illness as a contributing factor of why they did not perform their best, that individual would show the school that they have some level of insight into various stressors that affect daily living, and I think (or at least hope) it would be respected.

But also not everyone who thinks that they're clinically depressed is. You shouldn't write that addendum unless you were successfully treated for it. Otherwise, why should I believe that the same thing won't happen during your transition to law school?

+1
If you say it was depression, and you don't say you were treated for it, you are shooting yourself in the foot.

[CyanIdes Of March]

It sounds like something else was going on here (perhaps depression?).

Regardless, I think that not caring enough to write an addendum to explain how you've matured/changed/etc. is the perfect way to demonstrate you haven't learned your lesson.

It's called being a teenager and it happens to the best of us. I'm so thankful I took AP courses instead of the College courses they offered because I'd have tons of crappy grades.