When a GPA Addendum Topic is Sensitive?

storm

Hey,

Any advice on dealing with GPA addendums that address very sensitive topics?

I went to my first uni for freshman year and into November of sophomore year. Verbal harassment (and a video posted online of him doing it in the name of “education”) was so bad throughout my time there, that the school offered to erase history of me having ever been there my first semester sophomore year (grades and tuition) in exchange for me not pursuing a lawsuit. I’m writing an addendum as the freshman year grades were not representative of my ability, given all I was going through in the classroom (this was a conservatory style program, where you have the same professor for a good chunk of your classes).

At my next university, I earned a 3.79 gpa, inclusive of 15 graduate level credits (this was an academic degree versus music).

My plan is to state the facts clearly and succinctly and then reshare my GPA for my time at the second university.

nessa.k13.0

Hi! Just be sure to briefly make the link between his verbal harassment of you, the actions you took to resolve it, and what the school did as crystal clear as possible. Note where on your transcript the incident directly impacted your grades. Otherwise, yeah end on a positive note about your improved gpa and skills gained that will help you in law school.

teamteamvicster

I think the best addendums address the problem, how it affected your grades, how it was out of your locus of control, and how it didn't continue to affect your grades afterwards. You have a nice upward GPA trend, which helps.

I've had to write addendums for every fellowship, grant and now law school app since graduating years ago. My mom was diagnosed with a terminal illness second semester of my freshman year. I even ended up leaving my school's honors college. It sucks that some things happen and that numbers aren't always 100% representative. Law admissions directors know this. Keep it succinct and objective.

Seeking Perfection

@storm said:
Hey,

Any advice on dealing with GPA addendums that address very sensitive topics?

I went to my first uni for freshman year and into November of sophomore year. Verbal harassment (and a video posted online of him doing it in the name of “education”) was so bad throughout my time there, that the school offered to erase history of me having ever been there my first semester sophomore year (grades and tuition) in exchange for me not pursuing a lawsuit. I’m writing an addendum as the freshman year grades were not representative of my ability, given all I was going through in the classroom (this was a conservatory style program, where you have the same professor for a good chunk of your classes).

At my next university, I earned a 3.79 gpa, inclusive of 15 graduate level credits (this was an academic degree versus music).

My plan is to state the facts clearly and succinctly and then reshare my GPA for my time at the second university.

I wouldn't focus all that much on the graduate courses in your explanation. It would probably just muddle the issue especially since it is actually usually easier to 4.0 graduate level courses. Even if yours are exceptions to this, explaining sounds like a distraction to me.

You want to keep it as brief and clear as possible while still telling your story. Maybe something like the following but adjusting tenses.

You had a professor at ____ college, a conservatory style program. He verbally harassed you throughout your time there. Despite your best efforts, this harassment inevitably bled into your life as a whole and affected your grades. Your school was reluctant to respond, but after video evidence came to light in November of your Sophomore year, the institution took action by firing the professor and clearing your grades as well as forgiving your tuition for that semester. Since the harassment had also affected your grades in your freshman year classes this was an inadequate form of redress, but you felt financial pressure to accept. At the time, you had not developed a full appreciation for the value placed on your undergraduate GPA in the law school application process or you would have pressed for the freshman year grades to be cleared as well. As such, you believe that your GPA of 3.79 at ____ University where you were free to devote yourself fully to your education is far more representative of your ability to succeed in law school and a better metric for comparison to your peers than your overall LSAC GPA.

storm

These responses are extremely helpful. Thank you!!!