<p>This past year has been a challenge for me and I have recently been academically dismissed from my school. However I was given a chance to appeal and I have until Monday to send it. I wanted to ask you guys what you think of my letter. All criticism is welcome, do not hesitate to let me know if I need to revise thoroughly. </p>
<p>Dear xxxxxxx,
My name is xxxxxxx, and I am writing this letter to you as an appeal on behalf of my poor academic performance this past Fall semester. I take full responsibility for all my grades and collegiate progress. Despite having an unsatisfactory academic performance, I do not mean to make excuses, but I would like to inform you with the reasons as to why my GPA has become low.
Throughout the course of my first two years in college, I was encountered with several challenges academically, and personally. During freshman year, I was excited to continue my education at xxxxxxxxx. However, just after the first semester started, I had two deaths in the family; my Uncle lost a battle with cancer and my Grandfather had passed away. I was also told my older brother was diagnosed with psychosis. The disheartening news struck me with a depression, and it became increasingly hard to cope with as time passed.
Since I was able to finish the first semester with decent grades, I did not think it was necessary to receive professional help for my battle with depression, as I took it to be a temporary feeling of grief at the time; this was a poor decision that would only make the battle harder. As I went into the second semester, I lost a sense of urgency and became overwhelmed with the 15 credit hours I registered late for due to an outstanding out-of-state balance. It significantly dropped my GPA putting me on academic probation.
When I was given the email telling me I had been put on probation before summer, my sense of urgency was rejuvenated. In spite of the bad news, I was still determined to redeem myself for the Fall semester. However, as soon as classes began in September, my mother became very ill and had to be hospitalized for a while. I tried to keep focus on my studies, but the devastation took a toll on my battle of depression.
This caused me to make a poor, costly decision yet again. In attempt to cope with my battle, I decided to go off campus one weekend and become intoxicated. I was cited for an underage by campus police and ended up having to go to the hospital as well for alcohol poisoning. It was a spur of the moment choice that was completely out of my character, and I am currently paying for my repercussions.<br>
In the following months, I disciplined myself to the best of my ability. I exhausted every opportunity I could to make progress by joining the AIM program and meeting with a staff member every other week, setting appointments with tutors in subjects I had trouble with, applying new study methods, and managing my time better.
My grades held up until the near end of the semester, when I became anxious of exams, low test scores, and a few missed assignments that dropped my grades in two classes, Cultural Geography and Applied Statistics. Lack of communication with the professors and professional counseling applied a great amount of pressure on me to average the required GPA, and in the end, those two classes dropped my GPA significantly. I thought I would be able to handle all the burdens myself, but I was clearly wrong.
Please understand that my low GPA does not imply that I am a bad student. I have good intentions, but this year, I have made bad choices which begotten bad results. Now that a new semester as well as a completely new calendar year is about to begin, I am starting a new chapter and I am leaving the past behind. I cannot promise you my personal struggles will discontinue, but my reactions and decisions towards them will.
If I am approved of this appeal, this semester I have devised a plan to ensure my academic status is recovered. I will:
schedule four classes again until I can prove I am able to handle more credit hours.
go to the counseling center to receive professional assistance with depression.
reinforce study methods by evaluating what is most effective to improve test scores
diligently communicate with my professors on a consistent basis by email and appointment
remain in the AIM program to assess my study habits and discipline
construct this plan with a strategy and time efficiency by negotiating it with advisor</p>
<p>Thank you for your time and consideration. I sincerely hope I am reinstated for the Spring semester.</p>