Specific circumstance - Mental Health GPA Addendum or No?

reardensteel489

Bit of a specific request. My GPA/LSAT are 3.46/169. I graduated in 2011 and have pretty solid work experience and strong extracurriculars. So far I've gotten waivers from Penn and Michigan. Looking at LSN it looks like people with my numbers have been admitted to both at decent rates.

Here's the issue - the latter half of my college years were sort of marred by mental health issues related to a side-effects, dependency, and withdrawal symptoms for a medication I was prescribed but in hindsight should have never been taking. I went from straight A's my first two years to a basket of B's and C's my later two years.

I plan to write an addendum for this for top 5 schools - because I figure my chances there are slim anyway, my gpa (and probably LSAT) will absolutely be an issue for them and explaining the circumstances can only help

For schools like Penn and Michigan where I have a waiver, should I bother explaining anything? Or will the explanation just hurt my already okay chances? The worst on my transcript are a few C's Junior/Senior year, and then a withdrawal (non-punitive) from 3 courses my last semester.

What about other T-14 schools where I don't have a waiver. Addendum or no?

Thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

Leah M B

The waiver doesn't really factor in here - they're nice to receive, but don't say anything to the odds of being admitted. If you think something is worth an addendum, then you should include it everywhere. LSAT typically matters more, but your GPA is below the 25th for all the T14. Since you have an explanation, it's worth an addendum for everyone.

reardensteel489

very helpful, thank you!!

_oshun1_

Just keep it short and say you had health troubles which are better now. You’re explaining your transcript turn for the worse, not your health issues