About application addendum... Forum

Share experiences and seek insight regarding your experience as an underrepresented minority within the legal community.
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting

Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about bar exam prep. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.

Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
Jimlaw123

New
Posts: 87
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 6:00 am

About application addendum...

Post by Jimlaw123 » Sun Mar 19, 2017 12:51 am

I have a question about the "Add anything you think is relevant addendum" to your application.

In my personal statement I speak about how I had literally bad eyes, and how an "Eye surgery" saved my vision, and got me into law.. though the personal statement is a bit "long" and I changed the font to size 11 font, and try to cheat it a bit... (On the advice of my counselors as they felt it was a great story, and strong essay).

I then have a diversity statement about how I lament about my background, how I was raised in 3 different cultures, but I'm American, and speak about my lower socio-economic status a bit.

Then I speak about my vision/disability issues detailing the issues with my vision and eyes (it over laps with my essay, but my personal statement is more about "the process and how it got me into law, and my drive for "law school" and how "law peaked my interest" during that time. The disability/LSAT issues, speaks about my surgery, how bad my vision was (Legally blind, and going blinder), and how I wasn't able to get a "disability" for the LSAT for it, though, LSAC did pass me, but my paper work came too late, I said, "fuck it" (been studying for about 6-8 months), I couldn't do it no more.. On the LSAT I didn't even answer 8 questions (RC), 5 questions on both LR's and I managed a 153, and vision and eyes, just going to town.. but I'm cool with it.

Should I add my "Socio-Economic" issues to the "richer universities?" I sent something like that to Wake Forest, I was denied within 2 weeks, could have been my scores, I don't know.. point being, I don't want to go the "Sob story" route, but talking about eye issues, vision problems, then going into being "poor" (Which I was), it seems like over kill to me.. I don't know, I need your guys help, what should I do?

3.65 GPA, UCLA, 153 LSAT(Had medical documented vision issues, that plagued eyes, etc..) Well, thanks in advance, good luck to all those going into this pit... I know how hard it is.

Also, should I have my doctor send my medical paper work to each school? I figured if they asked, I can just have it sent, but not to barrage them with it, unless they ask.. Well, thanks you guys.

User avatar
TripleM

Bronze
Posts: 139
Joined: Wed May 11, 2016 8:35 am

Re: About application addendum...

Post by TripleM » Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:52 am

You took the LSAT without disability status but it was later granted?

You know what's coming...

Better than telling them that you could do better would be retaking and doing better.

Jimlaw123

New
Posts: 87
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 6:00 am

Re: About application addendum...

Post by Jimlaw123 » Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:52 pm

TripleM wrote:You took the LSAT without disability status but it was later granted?

You know what's coming...

Better than telling them that you could do better would be retaking and doing better.
Nah, bro.. I'm not taking it again.. took me 3-4 years of bullshit, studying,interuptions.. I'm good. Either they let me in, or they don't. So what about the " Socio-Economic" status thing? Should I add it? Well thanks.

User avatar
lymenheimer

Gold
Posts: 3979
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:54 am

Re: About application addendum...

Post by lymenheimer » Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:54 pm

1) you should retake so that you can at least fill in the last almost 20 questions. Random selection could put you closer to 160.

2) Lol at the idea of "richer" schools and that having anything to do with submitting your "sob story."

User avatar
TripleM

Bronze
Posts: 139
Joined: Wed May 11, 2016 8:35 am

Re: About application addendum...

Post by TripleM » Sun Mar 19, 2017 4:50 pm

Jimlaw123 wrote:
TripleM wrote:You took the LSAT without disability status but it was later granted?

You know what's coming...

Better than telling them that you could do better would be retaking and doing better.
Nah, bro.. I'm not taking it again.. took me 3-4 years of bullshit, studying,interuptions.. I'm good. Either they let me in, or they don't. So what about the " Socio-Economic" status thing? Should I add it? Well thanks.
How unique is it? More importantly, have you demonstrated that you "overcame the odds" in some way. Just being poor isn't compelling enough. Overcoming poverty to become exceptional will help.

User avatar
brinicolec

Gold
Posts: 4479
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 7:09 pm

Re: About application addendum...

Post by brinicolec » Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:21 am

I'm slightly confused about your question...

Are you asking if your socioeconomic status is an "anything you think is relevant" addendum? If so, I'm gonna say no.

If you're saying you wrote a diversity statement about your socioeconomic status and are wondering if you should add it to applications for "richer schools," I'm still gonna say no because richer schools aren't going to change you from a ding to an accept because you've struggled UNLESS..... you're saying you wrote a diversity statement about your socioeconomic status that genuinely adds something to your story that you feel needs to be told to adcomm because it reveals something IMPORTANT, ENGAGING, and INTRIGUING to who you are as a person/applicant. If it adds quality to your application, then yes.

Also, I know these are things you didn't ask about, but I'm gonna go ahead and say them.

1) Okay... Just to make sure I'm understanding you properly you write about your bad eyesight in both your PS and DS? I don't think that was a good use of your statements to double-up on an issue. You want to optimize your opportunities to tell adcomm about who you are as a person. I'd have to see the statements to really know, but just from how you described them, I don't think you did so by bringing up the same issue several times.
2) Your DS sounds like it was kind of all over the place based on what you said you wrote about.
3) For the love of everything holy, retake. You have a 3.6+ but a below avg. LSAT score that sounds like it was because of some poor planning on your part or responsiveness on LSAC's part regarding being eligible for accommodations and you didn't even get close to finishing the sections. If it took you 3-4 years, I think one more won't kill you, especially when you're getting rejected from places like Wake Forest when you have a GPA that, if paired with a solid LSAT score (think probably mid-160s) could get you into some of the TOP schools in the nation WITH money.
4) If you do retake, redo all of your statements as well, and GET A SHIT TON OF FEEDBACK ON THEM, preferably from people who don't know you/your story well. You want to be able to ask what story your statements are telling (and make sure it's the right story).
But seriously, reconsider your refusal to retake. You have a solid GPA and a great reason to retake.

Monday

Silver
Posts: 784
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:36 am

Re: About application addendum...

Post by Monday » Sat Apr 29, 2017 10:16 am

.

Post Reply Post Anonymous Reply  

Return to “Underrepresented Law Students”