Mentioning PMS and cramps in a LSAT addendum? Forum

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trinkschoko

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Mentioning PMS and cramps in a LSAT addendum?

Post by trinkschoko » Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:47 pm

First off thanks for reading. I'm in need of some advice right now as to whether I should write a LSAT addendum for a 8-point increase about PMS-related issue. I took the LSAT for three times. Didn't prepare enough for the first one (huge mistake), the second one is 1-point higher than the first, 5 points lower than my average practice test scores at the time and the third is a 8-point increase from the second. I have been suffering from immense cramps and PMS several months before the second LSAT (which could prevent me from even leaving my bed and painkillers worked very very slowly on me). A family friend was a doctor specialized in the area so following his recommendation I started taking a specific kind of birth control 1 month before the second test, which for the first few months caused nausea, mood changes, very irregular periods and worsened my depression. Now that things improved and I got a great LSAT score this is my dilemma:

1. I'm worried that if I don't write an addendum, some schools might consider my third score an abnormality (I'm applying to NYU and, well, taking a long shot at Yale and both seem to take all LSAT scores into consideration).
2. I'm worried that if I write about it, schools might seem me as overly sensitive and someone who can't handle what many women have experienced and lived with -- I've had work supervisors criticizing me in that way because I asked for leave due to cramps so I'm kind of imagining her in the admission committee.
3. Technically I didn't go to a doctor for that so I don't have medical records or diagnosis, just my words, so what if it sounds like I'm making up excuses and stories?

I literally don't know what to do. Any advice is welcome and thanks in advance for your help!

QContinuum

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Re: Mentioning PMS and cramps in a LSAT addendum?

Post by QContinuum » Wed Oct 10, 2018 12:08 am

I wouldn't write the addendum if I were you. Your second LSAT is actually higher than your first, so it's not like you have an abysmally low second LSAT that ought to be explained. Your LSAT scores have gone up (+1) and up (+8), and three LSATs isn't all that uncommon, so I don't think they'll raise any red flags.

It's unfair and unfortunate, but I would really worry about how an older male admissions officer (or even a woman who's never experienced severe PMS) might react to an addendum about PMS. I think given your score trajectory, best not to mention this at all.

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