LOW LSAT SCORE AND GPA ADDENDUM

Please provide feedback on the following LSAT/GPA Addendum. Both my LSAT and GPA are low and I wanted to provide plausible explanation.

THANKS!

Plz hurry! Deadlines are looming....

Since childhood, my family impressed a need to find a profession that impassioned me. Although I realized the importance of excelling in school, I immaturely narrowed my focus on practical experience. As a teen news reporter, I viewed my degree as merely a tool to start a career in broadcast journalism. I excelled in classes I thought were related to my career and coasted through those that I thought were unrelated. As my excitement for journalism grew, my interest in the practical applications became paramount. The excitement of practicing the craft overshadowed the virtue of honing the necessary tools for improved success in the field.

After college, I was hired at a television news station within six months of completing my degree. Though my GPA was unremarkable, I was the only student in my graduating class with on-air ambitions to materialize my dreams of becoming a television news reporter. My work was fulfilling and extraordinarily multi-faceted. Success in broadcast journalism demanded a diverse body of knowledge and underscored the importance of coursework that I had previously dismissed. Though demanding, I embraced the challenge. As a result of my professional experiences in journalism, I acquired a more global perspective and enhanced my research skills. In addition, my work exposed me to several facets of the legal system, including the opportunity to observe various stages of law enforcement.

This exposure helped me to reshape my professional purpose, solidify my desire to seek a career in law and pursue law school admission. Although I couldn't devote money to my LSAT preparation, I devoted time and research. After obtaining the LSAC Waiver, I was excited about studying; but once test day arrived, my excitement quickly turned to nauseous nervousness. Anxiety and impulsive changes in my test-taking strategy cost me a satisfying score that was truly reflective of my aptitude for law. I committed to taking the test again and gaining more confidence through further study.

During the period between my first and second time taking the LSAT, I started my own business and continued to manage my daily responsibilities while studying. As the second test date neared, I intensified my studies and narrowed the focus of my attention on the LSAT. After a marathon-like six weeks of study, I concluded my second attempt taking the test feeling stronger and more confident than the first. Although proud of the discipline required for self-guided study, I realize that the ability to spend money on LSAT preparation would have most likely yielded a higher score.

Neither my LSAT score nor GPA may accurately reflect my aptitude for success in law school. The best indicators of my potential success in law are found outside of the LSAT/GPA ratio. My career in journalism, demonstrated ability for research and diverse personal experiences provide a documented foundation for success in law school and, ultimately, success as a practitioner. Although I am excited about the prospect of practicing law, my experiences have reinforced the importance of academic excellence and exemplified the value of possessing a diverse body of knowledge. My fervent desire is acceptance into the 2011-12 1L Class based on my professional experiences and demonstrated ability for advanced writing and research.

Hmmm.. my first thought was that you could do better with this last line of the first paragraph. But then I settled into it and appreciated what you are doing. It is right for you to highlight this great, proactive effort you made... and the steps you took for practical application.

Here, maybe you can do this: After six marathon-like weeks of study, I concluded ...---ha ha, maybe I am wrong, actually. With your essya, I for some reason lack confidence in any ideas I have!

You made a strong case. With your great writing skill, I'm surprised you had trouble with the GPA.

My best advice is like this: Add a sentence to the end of the intro para and the conclusion para, both of which express some clear goals in your envisioned future. Show the reader that you know precisely what you intend to do and why. That really motivates the reader to feel emotionally invested in your success.

:-)

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Thank you so much for your post! I appreciate your candid advice and constructive criticism. Let me work on it for a bit and I'll repost the additions that you suggested.

Once again, thank you!

Hello dreamkat, you have a great username. Hey, this first sentence is uninteresting. So... because you included it, I feel that I should really emphasize the importance of making sure that the first sentence can stand a lone. Always write the first sentence of an essay in a way that makes it so that the reader would be interested in you after reading that first sentence. This one has got to go! :-) So... replace it with a witty, astute observation or question or... some strange idea.

Neither my LSAT score nor GPA may accurately reflect my aptitude for success in law school. The best indicators of my potential success in law are found outside of the LSAT/GPA ratio.---Look at what these 2 sentences accomplish. Take out the first one, and the second one is fine on its own. No need to overemphasize the unsatisfactory gpa and lsat.

so... Neither my LSAT score nor GPA may accurately reflect my aptitude for success in law school. The best indicators of my potential success in law are found outside of the LSAT/GPA ratio.

:-)