First and foremost, I would like to say sorry for having to contact you under these circumstances but thank you for taking the time to read my letter of appeal.
I am aware that I have been struggling academically for a quite a bit of time now. To put it as concisely as possible the reason for my academic struggles has been my mental health. I am currently in a state of depression and have been for years now. Making depression the scapegoat of this letter or of my life, for that matter, is not my goal, but it is a part of me which affects all my actions. I have never needed to describe this issue formally; so I am not sure how to impart the complexity of this state to you but I would like to try. The largest prevailing feeling that there is in my mind on a day to day basis is futility. This does not begin and end at having to do the work I am responsible for at school, that reaches me even here as I write this letter. This does not mean that I do not perceive these things as important, just that my actions will not help change a situation. I understand that this may sound contradictory given that I am writing this letter but there is a part of me that believes that it is never too late to become the person you want to be. The first stepping stones for me would be becoming an adept student and adult.
That being said my plan for significant academic improvement, given that I am readmitted, begins with utilizing the Psychological Counseling Center. This way I can receive help with my mental health issues and continue studying at ____. Visiting a psychologist is currently not an option for me because my health insurance does not cover those expenses. The second step in my plan is to speak with my advisor and the department in charge of my major in order to discuss what are the best options for me to secure a degree. The third step in my plan is to complete most, if not all, of my school work at the library on campus. Treating my school work like actual employment will solidify the thought in my mind that it is important to complete it before heading home if I can. The fourth step is to speak with my professors outside of class if I need help. In the past I have not spoken to my professors because I did not want to take up more of their time. I understand that it is their job to help their students but asking for help has not been the easiest thing for me given the aforementioned mental health problem.
Thank You once again for taking the time to read my letter of appeal. I look forward to hearing from the Committee on Academic Standing and Appeals soon.
@Pixis - This is a very brave and honest letter, and is a response, I’m guessing, to being placed on academic probation of some kind. While your anxiety about your academic status is completely understandable, all the deans and teachers at your school will agree that nothing matters more than your physical safety and emotional well-being. So please seek help from trained professionals immediately. Once a treatment plan is in place and underway, your feelings of “futility” will abate and become less overwhelming. The health services and counseling office will help you to identify doctors and therapists to guide and support you through this rough patch. Once you start treatment, your psychiatrist can write a letter to your Academic Dean to confirm that you are actively addressing your mental health needs with the aid of a doctor and therapists.
You sound very motivated to face both your mental health and academic challenges. You will find that if you ask for help, that administrators and counsellors at your school will do everything in their power to ensure that you gain access to doctors and therapists to help you deal with your depression and that you also succeed academically.
Have you contacted the school counseling center to see what advice they can give you now i stead of waiting until September? What does your primary care physician say about your depression? From your letter, it doesn’t sound like you are doing anything now to treat your depression. Also, before you were dismissed, were you on probation first? If so, you should describe what actions you took to improve your grades then.
@worriestoomuch I wanted to be as honest and explain things even if it was a fraction of how I feel usually. I really hope that they see my letter as you do. Thank you.
@CheddarcheeseMN As I stated in the letter, my health insurance does not cover a psychiatrist and neither me or my family can pay for one out of pocket. The best I can do realistically is either find some means of psychotherapy for free or learn how to help myself (which I have not had a great time with in the past.) During my previous semester I was on probation, things did not improve for me. Taking strides to improve your academic performance while on probation doesnt really bode well when youre generally constantly conflicted on whether or not you and your abilities are worth investing in. I don’t mean to offend with my reply, i feel like it comes off a bit harsh but I’m genuinely describing how I perceive things on a frequent basis.
@Pixis, please google “NAMI” (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and the name of the state you’re in (please note that I deleted the name of your school - you probably don’t want to post that publicly). NAMI should have a help line you can call. It’s not a crisis line, but someone may be able to direct you to resources if your PCP isn’t enough help.
@MaineLonghorn Hi, thank you very much for the information, I will be looking into NAMI if I need help beyond what my PCP can provide and thank you for removing my schools name.
This is a small note to everyone in this thread because you all seem very worried. I am by no means suicidal. My mind may not be a very great place for me all the time but that is not a thought I have ever entertained.
Being honest…what I see in this letter is that you know you have depression, it impacts your ability to do school work…but that you are not really taking steps to get it addressed. I would want to see you take a semester off, get treated and stabilized…and then think about returning to classes.
Were you medically diagnosed with depression? If not, have you seen or will you see a doctor? If so, then you may be able to get a retroactive medical withdrawal.
Have you seen a doctor? Is your depression under control? What evidence do you have?
A successful appeal must do several things:
show that you understand what went wrong
show that you take responsibility for the academic failures
show that you have a plan for future academic success
in a broad sense, show that you are being honest with yourself and the committee
Some of this is general, and some specific to your situation.
search this topic on CC and you will see many other posts on academic appeals
Make sure your letter states what the issue was that caused you to have academic difficulties
Did you talk to your professors/dean of students about the issue?
Did you make use of the many resources your school has? if not, why not?
Find out what those resources are…e.g. counseling center, talking to professors, talking to your adviser, withdrawing from class, talking to dean, maybe taking incompletes,
State how you would use those in the future
How are you addressing what caused the issue?
Think about if you should continue at college, or take a break.
Think about if you should continue at a community college, to be close to your family
How is your college funded? Will that continue?
In general, keep in mind what the college wants…they want students who can succeed. They need to know that you understand what the issue was, know now the resources that you can use, how the problems is resolved so you will not have academic issues in the future.