[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-detail-178708-en":59,"doc-seo-178708-105":80},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":60},{"doc_id":61,"user_id":62,"nickname":63,"user_avatar":64,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":66,"doc_content":67,"file_id":68,"file_url":69,"file_type":70,"file_size":71,"view_count":72,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":73,"language_code":74,"site_id":75,"html_lang":74,"table_of_contents":76,"faqs":77,"seo_title":78,"seo_description":66,"update_tm":79,"read_time":24},178708,687207022233,"Connor ","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","Law School Application - Optional Essays and Addenda","Guide on how law school applicants should approach optional essays and addenda. Explains that optional essays are typically beneficial when the applicant can provide a strong, well-written explanation that adds relevant context, including common prompt types such as diversity statements and “Why X Law School” essays. Clarifies that addenda should be used for significant, factual weaknesses or gaps—such as GPA, LSAT cancellations, character and fitness issues, or absence—while advising applicants to avoid using addenda for minor issues or to shift blame.","| \u003Cbr>Law school application\u003Cbr>optional essays and addenda\u003Cbr>|  |\n| --- | --- |\n| What is an optional essay?\u003Cbr>Most law schools offer applicants the opportunity to submit additional information about themselves in the form of optional essays. Although these essays are termed“optional,”it is actually in your best interest to submit any essay for which you can articulate a strong, well-drafted response that provides relevant additional information. The most common two types of optional essays are: (1) a diversity statement and (2) a“Why‘X Law School’?”essay (see p. 2 for detailed explanations of each).\u003Cbr>Some law schools may provide additional prompts to which you are permitted to respond. For example, Michigan Law suggests 8 topics, and applicants are permitted to submit up to 2..\u003Cbr>Regardless of the nature of the essays, consider them an opportunity to round out your application and provide another writing sample.\u003Cbr>What is an addendum?\u003Cbr>The personal statement and optional essays are not the place to address weaknesses in your application. You should use addenda to provide context for any significant weaknesses or gaps in your application. An addendum is a brief, factual summary of the circumstances surrounding an element of your application that could raise a genuine question or concern for admissions committees. The following are common types of addenda:\u003Cbr>• GPA addendum to address circumstances that contributed to a very low GPA in one particular class or during a certain semester or other defined period of time.\u003Cbr>• LSAT addendum addressing multiple LSAT cancellations or a significant jump in LSAT score between two tests.\u003Cbr>• Character and Fitness addendum addressing incidents of misconduct (required by most if not all schools).\u003Cbr>• Absence addendum addressing a leave of 1+ semesters from college or a significant gap on your resume. | When are optional essays unnecessary?\u003Cbr>• DON’T submit an optional essay if you really have nothing to say about the topic. Admissions committees only want additional material that is helpful to them in evaluating your application.\u003Cbr>• DON’T submit an optional essay if you aren’t willing to spend significant time drafting a strong essay. Admissions committees do not want you to go through the mechanical process of drafting and submitting materials without putting significant thought and effort into them.\u003Cbr>• DON’T write a diversity statement unless you can articulate both (1) a genuinely diverse perspective, and also (2) how your diversity has shaped you or how it will benefit your fellow classmates’ learning experience.\u003Cbr>When are addenda unnecessary?\u003Cbr>• DON’T use addenda to address minor weaknesses. You risk drawing attention to weaknesses and making them seem more significant than they truly are.\u003Cbr>• DON’T use an LSAT addendum to explain that you were scoring much higher on your practice tests. Law schools only care what happens on test day. But you may describe significant events that negatively impacted your test-day score.\u003Cbr>• DON’T use an addendum to assign blame for misconduct or poor grades elsewhere. Explain the circumstances, take responsibility, then end on a positive note—briefly state what you learned from the situation.\u003Cbr>• Remember: Use good judgment when deciding whether an addendum is needed. |\n| Center for Pre-Law Advising Guide Number 5 of 9 |  |\n\n\n| \u003Cbr>Law school application\u003Cbr>optional essays and addenda\u003Cbr>|  |\n| --- | --- |\n| Common optional essay one: diversity statements\u003Cbr>A“diversity statement”is a common typeof optional essay that encourages applicants to reflect on any personal diversity that they may contribute if selected asa member of the incoming class. The most important thing to realize is that“diversity”is interpreted broadly by law school admissions offices and is not limited to race or ethnicity. Diversity includes any element of your identity, circumstances, or experiences that you believe may give you a diverse perspective from fe","cbCaieTfwPAwqAFa","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaieTfwPAwqAFa","pdf",96098,11,"English","en",105,"# What is an optional essay?\n## When are optional essays unnecessary?\n# What is an addendum?\n## When are addenda unnecessary?\n# Common optional essay one: diversity statements\n# Common optional essay two: Why “X School of Law”?","[{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of an optional essay in a law school application?\",\"answer\":\"Optional essays let applicants provide additional information that helps admissions committees evaluate the application. Submitting a strong, relevant essay can be in the applicant’s best interest.\"},{\"question\":\"When should applicants avoid submitting an optional essay?\",\"answer\":\"Avoid submitting an optional essay if there is truly nothing to say, if you are unwilling to invest time drafting a high-quality response, or if you cannot explain both the diversity you bring and how it shaped you or benefits classmates.\"},{\"question\":\"What types of situations belong in an addendum, and what should be avoided?\",\"answer\":\"Use addenda for significant, factual circumstances such as GPA dips, LSAT cancellations or score jumps, character and fitness incidents, or substantial absences. Do not use addenda for minor weaknesses, to excuse practice-test performance, or to assign blame for misconduct or grades elsewhere—instead, explain context, take responsibility, and end positively.\"}]","Law School Application - Optional Essays and Addenda | PDF",1788333064,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"ok",{"site_id":75,"language":74,"slug":83,"title":65,"keywords":84,"description":66,"schema_data":85,"social_meta":139,"head_meta":141,"extra_data":143,"updated_unix":79},"law-school-application-optional-essays-and-addenda","",{"@graph":86,"@context":138},[87,101,121],{"@type":88,"itemListElement":89},"BreadcrumbList",[90,94,96,99],{"item":91,"name":92,"@type":93,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":95,"name":9,"@type":93,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":97,"name":20,"@type":93,"position":98},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":100,"name":65,"@type":93,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/law-school-application-optional-essays-and-addenda/178708/",{"url":100,"name":65,"@type":102,"image":103,"author":108,"headline":65,"publisher":110,"fileFormat":113,"inLanguage":74,"description":66,"dateModified":114,"datePublished":115,"encodingFormat":113,"isAccessibleForFree":116,"interactionStatistic":117},"DigitalDocument",{"url":104,"@type":105,"width":106,"height":107},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/law-school-application-optional-essays-and-addenda/178708.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":63,"@type":109},"Person",{"url":91,"name":111,"@type":112},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-08","2026-09-02",true,{"@type":118,"interactionType":119,"userInteractionCount":72},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":120},"ViewAction",{"@type":122,"mainEntity":123},"FAQPage",[124,130,134],{"name":125,"@type":126,"acceptedAnswer":127},"What is the purpose of an optional essay in a law school application?","Question",{"text":128,"@type":129},"Optional essays let applicants provide additional information that helps admissions committees evaluate the application. Submitting a strong, relevant essay can be in the applicant’s best interest.","Answer",{"name":131,"@type":126,"acceptedAnswer":132},"When should applicants avoid submitting an optional essay?",{"text":133,"@type":129},"Avoid submitting an optional essay if there is truly nothing to say, if you are unwilling to invest time drafting a high-quality response, or if you cannot explain both the diversity you bring and how it shaped you or benefits classmates.",{"name":135,"@type":126,"acceptedAnswer":136},"What types of situations belong in an addendum, and what should be avoided?",{"text":137,"@type":129},"Use addenda for significant, factual circumstances such as GPA dips, LSAT cancellations or score jumps, character and fitness incidents, or substantial absences. Do not use addenda for minor weaknesses, to excuse practice-test performance, or to assign blame for misconduct or grades elsewhere—instead, explain context, take responsibility, and end positively.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":100,"og:type":140,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":111,"og:description":66},"article",{"robots":142,"canonical":100},"index,follow",{"doc_id":61,"site_id":75}]