Is this a good addendum? Forum

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Res publica

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Is this a good addendum?

Post by Res publica » Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:31 pm

Hi,

I am beginning my cycle for 2019 in August, and I am prepping my addendum. I would like to know some advice if people on this forum would feel that it would be a good addendum or not. I haven't written it yet, but here is a paraphrase of the situation [note, this is NOT how it would be written of course!)

Father died sophomore year of high school (should I mention suicide?) and this affected my academic performance (GPA) throughout college (due to feelings of guilt and remorse). My paternal grandfather "became" my father figure in his absence during my tenure at college. He got very ill my junior and senior year of college, and died before finals of my senior year of college.

I'd like to know if this would help offset my low GPA from the view of admissions.

A few other notes:
LSAT - 178
GPA - 3.27
Ugrad - large public
Major - Finance
job - Investment Banking Analyst

Auxilio

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Auxilio » Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:44 am

Personally, given your situation I don't think I'd write an addendum (I might mention some of the difficulties in your personal statement though).

To be very blunt:

- father died in high school (unusual and sad, but hard to use this for more than the year it happened (high school)).

- Grandfather died in college (not unusual, but extra hurtful in your situation because of father).

I just don't there's enough there to write an addendum, and 3.27 isn't horrible (it's not great, but it's not really scary either).

I'm sorry for your losses though, I just don't think this merits an addendum (but it might belong in personal statement).

Res publica

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Res publica » Wed Jan 09, 2019 7:08 pm

Blunt is good, thank you.

Npret

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Npret » Wed Jan 09, 2019 7:25 pm

Auxilio wrote:Personally, given your situation I don't think I'd write an addendum (I might mention some of the difficulties in your personal statement though).

To be very blunt:

- father died in high school (unusual and sad, but hard to use this for more than the year it happened (high school)).

- Grandfather died in college (not unusual, but extra hurtful in your situation because of father).

I just don't there's enough there to write an addendum, and 3.27 isn't horrible (it's not great, but it's not really scary either).

I'm sorry for your losses though, I just don't think this merits an addendum (but it might belong in personal statement).
I don’t agree that the death of a parent only applies to the year it happened. The death of your grandfather is meaningful too.

I’m really torn about this one. If it’s in your personal statement I wouldn’t do an addendum.

If you decide to do an addendum, I would word it carefully.

Res publica

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Res publica » Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:04 pm

Thanks for the advice. I am writing about something else in my PS.

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SlipperyKipper

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by SlipperyKipper » Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:10 pm

If you do decide to write an addendum, I think an important point to demonstrate that you have overcome the guilt and depression that affected your grades. The school wants to know if you are now able to better succeed academically. Is there an upward grade trend that you can point to? That would be worth highlighting.

I think an addendum in this situation could be warranted and shed some valuable light as to the reasons for your lower GPA. But as the previous poster said, word it carefully.

Npret

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Npret » Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:32 pm

Res publica wrote:Thanks for the advice. I am writing about something else in my PS.
If you decide to do an addendum, you can post it here. I just feel that this is part of your life story that might be relevant for admission officers to know. Like i said, I’m torn. I don’t see any reason it might hurt you to use an addendum but I want to think about it some more.

Other opinions would be useful here. The question is would a well-worded addendum hurt OP? It may not help much, but it would help ad coms know OP a little better.

This is different from the typical “I wasn’t serious my first year but I have an upward trend in my GPA” addendum.

scottsanett

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by scottsanett » Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:45 pm

Is it necessary to add an addendum when one has an LSAT score that high?

Npret

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Npret » Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:42 am

scottsanett wrote:Is it necessary to add an addendum when one has an LSAT score that high?
It helps explain OPs splitter status. It’s not necessary but I keep thinking it’s important (or at least useful) information for ad coms. I want to know what other people think.

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QContinuum

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by QContinuum » Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:03 am

Npret wrote:
scottsanett wrote:Is it necessary to add an addendum when one has an LSAT score that high?
It helps explain OPs splitter status. It’s not necessary but I keep thinking it’s important (or at least useful) information for ad coms. I want to know what other people think.
I agree. I think it can't hurt and can only (potentially) help (by convincing schools to place more weight on OP's LSAT score). This is not like disclosing, say, a health condition, where adcoms might worry about a recurrence during law school. The bad events in question will not happen again. I can't remotely divine any way in which the addendum would be held against OP.

Res publica

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Res publica » Thu Jan 10, 2019 6:31 pm

Thanks for all the pensiveness guys. I appreciate you guys trying to help me figure this one out; that's why I posted it because I was torn on it myself. Maybe I will write a draft this weekend to see the issue more clearly.

Npret

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Npret » Thu Jan 10, 2019 6:34 pm

Res publica wrote:Thanks for all the pensiveness guys. I appreciate you guys trying to help me figure this one out; that's why I posted it because I was torn on it myself.
I would write it. As I’ve said, it can help ad coms get to know you. It won’t hurt your admission chances unless it’s poorly written. I think it could help you.

I very rarely think an addendum is justified but I feel you should use one in this instance.

ImBasicallyAFelon

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by ImBasicallyAFelon » Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:38 pm

If I was in your position, I would write the addendum. People grieve in their own ways, some people grieve for YEARS, some for the entire lifetime. That said, I think addenda about bad things should be straightforward in the problem, and most of the focus should be on how you took that bad thing and turned it around.

If I WERE to write it, I'd write something like this; (warning, I'm about to downplay your father's significance in this situation, please don't take offense to it)

My grandfather died while I was in college. He became my paternal support after my father's passing in high school. Losing two of the most important people in my life profoundly affected my performance in life and in school. They taught me to be (list some good qualities they taught you). I now use these traits to work hard for my legal career. With my (list other support systems, mother or siblings maybe)'s support, my (a quality you like about yourself, perseverance maybe), and my father and grandfather's teachings, I know that I can achieve (name your goal). My LSAT score is one example of this in action. (brag about your score, how you got it etc). I intend to continue this fight (or something like that) through law school and I hope the admissions committee will consider this when reviewing my application.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT. If you agree with my wordings, you're obviously gonna have to reword it a lot, in case an admission officer is reading TLS in her past time and sees this lol. Don't plagiarize.

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Res publica

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Res publica » Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:42 pm

I like it, especially how you note I should take a positive from the addendum i.e. how it has impacted me for the better and will help for my legal career. I hadn't considered that angle. I have written a full draft of it today, but I think It could be a little too long. I have sent it to my Law School advising dept at my school for further review. Thank you for your example!! It helped!

nixy

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by nixy » Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:45 pm

ImBasicallyAFelon wrote:If I was in your position, I would write the addendum. People grieve in their own ways, some people grieve for YEARS, some for the entire lifetime. That said, I think addenda about bad things should be straightforward in the problem, and most of the focus should be on how you took that bad thing and turned it around.

If I WERE to write it, I'd write something like this; (warning, I'm about to downplay your father's significance in this situation, please don't take offense to it)

My grandfather died while I was in college. He became my paternal support after my father's passing in high school. Losing two of the most important people in my life profoundly affected my performance in life and in school. They taught me to be (list some good qualities they taught you). I now use these traits to work hard for my legal career. With my (list other support systems, mother or siblings maybe)'s support, my (a quality you like about yourself, perseverance maybe), and my father and grandfather's teachings, I know that I can achieve (name your goal). My LSAT score is one example of this in action. (brag about your score, how you got it etc). I intend to continue this fight (or something like that) through law school and I hope the admissions committee will consider this when reviewing my application.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT. If you agree with my wordings, you're obviously gonna have to reword it a lot, in case an admission officer is reading TLS in her past time and sees this lol. Don't plagiarize.
I feel like this is kind of long and wordy for an addendum. They should be short and sweet.

Npret

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Npret » Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:15 am

The addendum is a brief statement of facts about the situation. It’s not a substitute personal statement. This is one reasonwhy I am usually against them. People don’t write them correctly.
OP can write a draft and post it if necessary.

Res publica

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Res publica » Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:22 am

Npret wrote:The addendum is a brief statement of facts about the situation. It’s not a substitute personal statement. This is one reasonwhy I am usually against them. People don’t write them correctly.
OP can write a draft and post it if necessary.

Yes, please show us the way! haha

Npret

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Re: Is this a good addendum?

Post by Npret » Sun Jan 13, 2019 7:29 am

Just write the facts like you did in your post here:

My academic performance was affected by the deaths of two people from my immediate family while i was in high school and college
My father died suddenly [add suicide if you want]
I was in high school and devastated
My grandfather became my support and with his help i went to college
My grandfather became ill while I was in college
He died
My grades were adversely impacted by these deaths

PS - write it “better” than that but don’t elaborate on it.
PSS - I’m not writing it for you, not that you asked. It needs to come from you, not someone who’s never met you.

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