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Lsat addendum

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:47 pm
by girlygirl9
I’ve taken the lsat before and I am scoring higher than my first score. However, I feel like I am still not scoring that high and am
Still below both mediums. I feel like an addendum will communicate that I am
More than my score. Does anyone mind reading it?

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:51 pm
by UVA2B
I'll look it over for you.

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 11:34 pm
by rpupkin
I can tell without reading your addendum that you shouldn't submit it. I'm sure you amount to more than your LSAT score, but you should demonstrate that through your other application materials--resume, ps, and letters of rec.

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 11:36 pm
by UVA2B
rpupkin wrote:I can tell without reading your addendum that you shouldn't submit it. I'm sure you amount to more than your LSAT score, but you should demonstrate that through your other application materials--resume, ps, and letters of rec.
I didn't want to say it without reading the addendum first.

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 11:40 pm
by rpupkin
UVA2B wrote:
rpupkin wrote:I can tell without reading your addendum that you shouldn't submit it. I'm sure you amount to more than your LSAT score, but you should demonstrate that through your other application materials--resume, ps, and letters of rec.
I didn't want to say it without reading the addendum first.
OP: Although I stand by my post, you should take UVA2B up on his kind offer. He's a smart guy with plenty of common sense.

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 11:45 pm
by girlygirl9
Thanks guys. Super grateful for the advice

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:14 pm
by Jjbb938483
I'm willing to take a look if you like.

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2017 11:40 am
by thatcandoromg
Does "a history of underperformance in standardized test" count as a legit reason for LSAT addendum?

Like poor score from SAT and high GPA stuffs.

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2017 11:59 am
by UVA2B
thatcandoromg wrote:Does "a history of underperformance in standardized test" count as a legit reason for LSAT addendum?

Like poor score from SAT and high GPA stuffs.
Here's a decent litmus test for whether you should write an addendum: find every reason not to write it, and see if that leaves something critical out of your application to explain something important about you as an applicant.

For example, if you have documented anxiety issues, and you scored in the 60th percentile on the SAT, did well in UG (were valedictorian of your class or something that doesn't jive with your substandard performance on the SAT), scored in the 70th percentile on the LSAT, and want to show how standardized testing isn't entirely reflective of your academic abilities, then an addendum showing why you underperform on standardized testing might help. But notice here that your reason for the addendum isn't really poor performance on standardized testing; you have documented issues with anxiety.

Or, alternatively, if you studied for and took the SAT 7 times and couldn't improve for some undiagnosed reason, similarly did very well in UG, took the LSAT 4 times and have only seen nominal improvements, then it might also make sense to do an addendum showing this history of poor performance on standardized testing. In this case, the strength of your claim is bolstered by showing the efforts you went through to improve on both exams and couldn't improve for reasons you can at least minimally describe. But that explanation should be more than just "for some reason, I freeze up on standardized testing." And you'll absolutely want a demonstrated history of putting forth every effort to improve on those standardized test scores and fix the problems you've had.

Simply showing you underperformed on the SAT, have a high GPA, and also underperformed on the LSAT isn't sufficient though.

Addenda, more often than not, accomplish more to assuage your concerns in the weaknesses in your application than it does to help bolster your application for someone reading it. Always remember that your application materials are meant to explain important points about you to a complete stranger that can't be seen elsewhere in your application. An addendum showing you did poorly on the SAT and the LSAT, but your GPA is better than those scores would suggest, really doesn't say much about you that is new and worth mentioning.

Hope this helps.

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2017 3:47 pm
by thatcandoromg
UVA2B wrote:
thatcandoromg wrote:Does "a history of underperformance in standardized test" count as a legit reason for LSAT addendum?

Like poor score from SAT and high GPA stuffs.
Here's a decent litmus test for whether you should write an addendum: find every reason not to write it, and see if that leaves something critical out of your application to explain something important about you as an applicant.

For example, if you have documented anxiety issues, and you scored in the 60th percentile on the SAT, did well in UG (were valedictorian of your class or something that doesn't jive with your substandard performance on the SAT), scored in the 70th percentile on the LSAT, and want to show how standardized testing isn't entirely reflective of your academic abilities, then an addendum showing why you underperform on standardized testing might help. But notice here that your reason for the addendum isn't really poor performance on standardized testing; you have documented issues with anxiety.

Or, alternatively, if you studied for and took the SAT 7 times and couldn't improve for some undiagnosed reason, similarly did very well in UG, took the LSAT 4 times and have only seen nominal improvements, then it might also make sense to do an addendum showing this history of poor performance on standardized testing. In this case, the strength of your claim is bolstered by showing the efforts you went through to improve on both exams and couldn't improve for reasons you can at least minimally describe. But that explanation should be more than just "for some reason, I freeze up on standardized testing." And you'll absolutely want a demonstrated history of putting forth every effort to improve on those standardized test scores and fix the problems you've had.

Simply showing you underperformed on the SAT, have a high GPA, and also underperformed on the LSAT isn't sufficient though.

Addenda, more often than not, accomplish more to assuage your concerns in the weaknesses in your application than it does to help bolster your application for someone reading it. Always remember that your application materials are meant to explain important points about you to a complete stranger that can't be seen elsewhere in your application. An addendum showing you did poorly on the SAT and the LSAT, but your GPA is better than those scores would suggest, really doesn't say much about you that is new and worth mentioning.

Hope this helps.
Thank you very much for the comment! So I do not have a documented mental/physical issues and had only took the SAT 3 times. However, there is a significant discrepancy between my SAT and GPA percentile (and my GPA was high during the very first semester, so it unlikely that I was improving later on.) Would this be appropriate to write an addendum?

Re: Lsat addendum

Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2017 3:51 pm
by UVA2B
thatcandoromg wrote:
UVA2B wrote:
thatcandoromg wrote:Does "a history of underperformance in standardized test" count as a legit reason for LSAT addendum?

Like poor score from SAT and high GPA stuffs.
Here's a decent litmus test for whether you should write an addendum: find every reason not to write it, and see if that leaves something critical out of your application to explain something important about you as an applicant.

For example, if you have documented anxiety issues, and you scored in the 60th percentile on the SAT, did well in UG (were valedictorian of your class or something that doesn't jive with your substandard performance on the SAT), scored in the 70th percentile on the LSAT, and want to show how standardized testing isn't entirely reflective of your academic abilities, then an addendum showing why you underperform on standardized testing might help. But notice here that your reason for the addendum isn't really poor performance on standardized testing; you have documented issues with anxiety.

Or, alternatively, if you studied for and took the SAT 7 times and couldn't improve for some undiagnosed reason, similarly did very well in UG, took the LSAT 4 times and have only seen nominal improvements, then it might also make sense to do an addendum showing this history of poor performance on standardized testing. In this case, the strength of your claim is bolstered by showing the efforts you went through to improve on both exams and couldn't improve for reasons you can at least minimally describe. But that explanation should be more than just "for some reason, I freeze up on standardized testing." And you'll absolutely want a demonstrated history of putting forth every effort to improve on those standardized test scores and fix the problems you've had.

Simply showing you underperformed on the SAT, have a high GPA, and also underperformed on the LSAT isn't sufficient though.

Addenda, more often than not, accomplish more to assuage your concerns in the weaknesses in your application than it does to help bolster your application for someone reading it. Always remember that your application materials are meant to explain important points about you to a complete stranger that can't be seen elsewhere in your application. An addendum showing you did poorly on the SAT and the LSAT, but your GPA is better than those scores would suggest, really doesn't say much about you that is new and worth mentioning.

Hope this helps.
Thank you very much for the comment! So I do not have a documented mental/physical issues and had only took the SAT 3 times. However, there is a significant discrepancy between my SAT and GPA percentile (and my GPA was high during the very first semester, so it unlikely that I was improving later on.) Would this be appropriate to write an addendum?
Have you taken the LSAT 4+ times with no improvement despite extensive studying? If so, the addendum might be appropriate if you can explain what is holding you back in standardized tests generally. Otherwise, no it's not necessary.

ETA: the discrepancy between your GPA and SAT are irrelevant for this, you realize that? Getting a good GPA despite a lower SAT doesn't matter for law school admissions. Your addendum (if you had a good reason to write one) is showing that despite your best efforts on standardized testing (in this case, the LSAT after multiple attempts), you weren't able to overcome a specific reason for struggling. Despite that problem, your GPA should more clearly demonstrate your academic abilities.