Addendum (lower GPA from sickness)

[starre]

Hello! I have a lower than median GPA (3.3) for top law schools, but my GPA significantly lowered during a time when I was sick with my Hashimoto's hypothyroidism. I will definitely be writing an addendum, but I'm struggling with figuring out how much information I should be giving in order to not sound whiny about it. Hashimoto's is a version of hypothyroidism that is autoimmune, so it is something that I will always have. I was diagnosed when I was 11, and every few years I have to increase my medication dosage due to a raised TSH level. When I was originally diagnosed, I only really had one symptom, and I typically catch when my TSH is elevated from my yearly blood tests without experiencing symptoms. However, in the middle of college, my TSH became elevated along with many symptoms that effected me dramatically. I did not recognize these symptoms immediately as I had never experienced them before, and the time it took me to get the appropriate diagnosis and then for the increased medication dosage to bring my TSH levels back to a stable normal level resulted in months of a daily struggle that effected my GPA. Should I present the symptoms I experienced? How do I write an addendum that would make admissions counselors not worry about this affecting my law school performance? I appreciate any advice I can get! Thank you!!

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Starre,

Thanks for the question! I think this may be easier than you think: you just need to outline the sickness, explain the symptoms, and then discuss what happened with your GPA. Make sure to point out that this was a situation that won't recur, and that your illness is essentially under control. Law schools deal with things like this all the time, and so it won't surprise them. As long as they understand that it was beyond your control at the time but is now under treatment, it will ok. Just be straightforward, and don't play down or play up what happened. Matter of fact but with some descriptive flair is the right approach here

Best of luck!