LSAT/GPA score not reflective of your abilities? Trap? Forum

[lawschoolgirl312]

Is it a trap to answer if your LSAT/GPA score is not reflective of your abilities?
I have a mediocre/low GPA and LSAT score that I don't believe is reflective of my abilities..but I can't tell if it is a trap to answer it or not

[UVA2B]

This is a prompt for GPA/LSAT addenda, not to espouse why you think you're better than your numbers generically. If you have a legitimate reason for your low GPA (serious medical condition, outlier semester where you failed every class because you were helping your divorcing parents with custody issues, [insert things that would take up so much time that you couldn't possibly devote time to your studies that admissions wouldn't otherwise realize in your application]), or you had an outlier LSAT (always score poor on standardized testing with evidence of that, was knocked unconscious during the first section of the LSAT on your first attempt before taking it again, [insert similarly unlikely but reasonable reason why your LSAT history doesn't accurately reflect your academic abilities]).

If you just lament why your GPA is low, and separately why your LSAT is low, then it will come off poorly. But if you have legitimate reasons for your GPA and/or LSAT not indicating your abilities, then this is your chance to show why.

But just realize that very few reasons are actually persuasive for proving why an LSAT or GPA are not representative of your academic abilities.

[lawschoolgirl312]

ugh but what if you just want to explain how your work experience is a lot more reflective?
or is that still not a good enough reason

[xn3345]

It's a trap!

[Delano]

ugh but what if you just want to explain how your work experience is a lot more reflective?
or is that still not a good enough reason

Use the Personal Statement or some other part of your application to expound on that. The addendum is to explain how/why your LSAT/GPA is not reflective of your abilities.

[lawschoolgirl312]

It's a trap!

haha thank you for making me laugh. it was much needed today.

& thanks everyone for your input!

[Keilz]

Work experience and school are different characteristics. You want to highlight your work ethic and capabilities to show that you’re not going to blow off school and will work hard as an attorney, but schools do need to address your thinking abilities and capacity to succeed on the academic side as well.

Also I wrote an LSAT addendum b/c during the first time I took it, my watch didn’t work until I was halfway through the first section. I then addressed how this was a mistake I prepared for the second time. My lower score was only three points lower but it definitely shook me up. Don’t know if anyone bought it but it didn’t seem to impact my cycle