Advise- low gpa

[kecb17]

I am in need of some advice.

I took the LSATS in September and scored exponentially lower than my practice exams. During the time of the exam, I had Mononucleosis. I was hesitant to take the test since I was already feeling so sick, but I decided to power through it and try my best. In retrospect, this was not the best decision. I did not get to a large portion of questions due to not being able to focus and being exhausted. I have been studying since and I'm hoping this Powerscore course, in addition to the extra reading I am doing, will help me get a higher score in November. My first question is, should I write an addendum for my first low LSAT score?

Second, I have a lower GPA (3.2). I had a difficult last semester which brought me down from my 3.4. I work 20 hours a week for my University and hold an internship with a law firm. As for my extracurriculars, I am my sorority's President and dedicate a lot of my time to community service. I am currently working with a professor to bring a program advocating for mental health resources to campus. I have made Dean's list in the past and I believe I will be making it again this semester. I know that my GPA is not very strong. Should I address this in my application? Since I am doing much better this semester, should I wait to request my transcript?

Thank you for all of your help!

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi Keb,

Sorry to hear about your illness during the September exam. That sounds like a really tough situation. I would highly recommend an addendum to explain the situation if you end up with a significantly different score in November.

Regarding the low GPA, you will want to write an addendum to explain if it is out of the school's typical range. If you have one outlier semester that's bringing your whole GPA down, you can also explain any extenuating circumstances that would explain the off semester. Test out what your overall GPA would look like with this term's grades using a GPA calculator.

The good news is that is sounds like you are involved in a lot of great activities. You have a lot to be proud of, and a lot of accomplishments that you'll be able to talk about. Focus on the November LSAT and your school work.

Best of luck to you!
Rachael

[kecb17]

Thank you so much!