GPA Addendum Opinion Forum

[LawSchoolHopeful92]

Deleted

[Clemenceau]

I don't like it at all. The second and second-to-last paragraphs were particularly cringe-worthy.

Thousands of applicants have bailed on hard majors that ended up doing damage to their gpa. Adcomms have seen it before, and nothing you said is novel or unique to you as an applicant. I would ditch it.

[kepfd24]

Seems really long

[Lawcat11]

You should definitely put in an addendum. Law schools expect to see explanations for everything and if you don't send one in it looks off.

However, there were a few parts of the addendum that rubbed me the wrong way- it seems that you're conflating being "sincerely unintelligent" with someone who works a blue-collar job. It sounds rather elitist, although I'm sure you didn't mean it that way. I also didn't really like the part of your last paragraph where you mentioned "self-actualization"- this phrase just sounds- I'm not sure how to put this- like you've read too many self-help books or something.

Good luck on your apps!

[PoopyPants]

Do not send this. It says two things: 1) you have a history of making poor decisions and no evidence that you've changed or learned from it, and 2) you think blue-collar workers are stupid. Neither are impressions you want to make.

[Clearly]

this might be the worst addendum I've ever read. Also, respective doesn't mean what you think it does.

[Clearly]

You should definitely put in an addendum. Law schools expect to see explanations for everything and if you don't send one in it looks off

Most consultants (and posters) disagree with this blanket statement.

[LawSchoolHopeful92]

I appreciate all of your advice. I think I will not include an addendum at all. Thank you.

[Lawcat11]

You should definitely put in an addendum. Law schools expect to see explanations for everything and if you don't send one in it looks off

Most consultants (and posters) disagree with this blanket statement.

Okay, I'll admit that I'm wrong here. But I think that if there is a good explanation- which there isn't here- one should send something in.

[Clearly]

I appreciate all of your advice. I think I will not include an addendum at all. Thank you.

Or if you do, make it 1/8th as long and way less off putting

[PoopyPants]

I appreciate all of your advice. I think I will not include an addendum at all. Thank you.

Or if you do, make it 1/8th as long and way less off putting

I'm not sure what to write there. A series of poor decisions with no evidence of a turnaround is hard to spin. It may be better to just kill the LSAT and hope for the best. Of course, that assumes the GPA isn't catastrophically low. Unless I missed it, I don't think it was explicitly stated.

ETA: I guess he could just write that he had a crappy undergrad because of his original major and that it doesn't represent him academically. But since he appears to have gotten poor grades once he switched majors, that might be a hard sell.

[LawSchoolHopeful92]

TBH I don't have an explicit reason, other than the fact that I chose the wrong major, which I'm sure a lot of people did. Should I include an addendum at all?

[PoopyPants]

What exactly is your GPA?

[LawSchoolHopeful92]

2.33

[Clearly]

Woof that's gonna be tough. I was a 2.8 and opted not to write an addendum tho OP. Don't feel obligated to if you don't have a good reason.

[LawSchoolHopeful92]

How did your admissions go?

[Clearly]

I did good, but I had WE and a great lsat. Money is pretty much off the table tho.

[PoopyPants]

Yeah, that's gonna be a tough sell. Hope your LSAT is good. I think an addendum might help, but only if you have a good reason, which it appears you do not. Honestly, I'd say don't send it in.