hi i recently received a notification of academic dismissal from my graduate art program and I’m wondering if anyone can read my appeal letter over ASAP and can give me some feedback. This is my first semester and I’m scared out of my mind Thank you
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is _______ _________. This week I have received a letter from the school, notifying me of my academic dismissal. While I am very distraught by this, I am well aware the rules regarding the academic standard for graduate students in their first semester. When coming down to it, it’s my fault that I was unable to reach the standard set for me and in result, I put myself in this predicament. I am writing this appeal to explain the situation and to hopefully to encourage you reinstate me for the upcoming semester.
When I came into the institution after being away from school for so long, I was excited but also uneasy. I admit that it took a bit of time to readjust to the idea of college/graduate life, books, and classes and as a result, my academic standing has suffered for it. Within my Studio Art course in particular, I struggled to grasp the lessons of my professors and I was too focused on the finishing something than the development, too concerned on making a pretty picture than a meaningful one. It was during midterm, where my advisor and I decided it was best to meet with each other, to discuss my general process and help with my research.
This was going well until my car was destroyed when a tree collided with from a windstorm. The stress dealing from this random incident was overwhelming. Unfortunately, I took away my focus on studies to focus on that situation and my grades were ultimately hurt by it. By the time of the final meetup, my lack of focus and my misunderstanding of their teachings gave me the grade that I have now. Ever since then, I have been taking a good look at myself and my studying habits this semester. I have also been reviewing the lessons and the reviews I’ve received. I now believe have a better understanding of what they were teaching and I’m confident I can improve my academic standing.
I love _______ university and it would really mean a lot to me to receive my master degree from ________ University. If I am readmitted back into ____University, I will not only continue my meetups with my advisor but also start up meetup with the other members of my committee. I would love to discuss, review and share my ideas for spring semester but also come to them about any problems that I might need help to overcome. I will push their advice to their peak. I would also continue to do more research within the library archives. In the previous semester, my committee chair setup a meeting between the librarians in helping how to properly look up different artists and try different mediums. I currently using this method of research while I’m on winter break in preparation for the spring. For my first semester, I currently have 2.88. If given a second chance with what I know now I can turn this around and become the graduate student ____University believe I could be when they accepted me
Thank you for this opportunity, for a second chance and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
okay after looking over this, i’ve realized all my the mistakes in this rough draft and fixed them. Is there a way I can delete this thread or edit it so this won’t mess me for the future?
It can’t be deleted. I’m not sure what you may have edited, but my recommendation is not to focus on why you did poorly, but on convincing the faculty as to why you will succeed if permitted to continue in the program. Quite frankly, a car being damaged does not appear to be sufficient explanation for an entire semester’s GPA and progress. I can appreciate how difficult it might have been, but that’s only going to cause them concern should any other unexpected event occur in the future. Rather, identify the things you can change, and how you plan to change or improve them. Have you discussed this with your advisor? What are their thoughts on your ability to progress in the program? Having someone on your side can help.
Thank you for responding. I’ve been talking with my advisor and other professors and they seem to have my back.
But in your opinion, should get rid of my car incident all together, or minimize its impact to focus on the solutions?
I would either leave it as, “due to personal reasons…” or make a very brief statement, such as, “due to loss of transportation, which impacted my ability to access the studio…” (I don’t know a lot about your degree program or how the transportation issue specifically impacted your progress). But the key is to state how that is no longer an issue going forward (i.e., you’ve secured transportation or overcome the personal issues), and what you’ll do differently. For example, “after a difficult readjustment to academic life, I have developed the following time management skills…” I also advise having someone proofread the letter to ensure there are no grammatical errors, and that your thoughts are clearly expressed.
i have someone proofreading a copy of this. I want to thank you for your advice in this troubling time in my life. i was wondering if i can pm you a copy of what i currently have. You seem to know a lot on the subject. Are you on a committee now or were in the past ?
Maybe go see a psychiatrist and see if you can get a physician’s note for distress/anxiety or something as a result of the car accident. That would help your case.
As a psychiatrist myself, I would discourage a psychiatric evaluation after the fact for the sole purpose of a bogus medical justification for your academic predicament. In any case, I think a post hoc psych eval might hurt your case rather than help it.
No, I am not on a committee and my comments are based merely on my understanding of the academic world as a fellow grad student. I don’t think including your GPA is necessary, since they will already have all of that information. And yes, depending on the sympathetic nature of your department, bringing up mental health could imply that you’re unable to handle the pressures of grad school and that you may have similar struggles in the future (whether or not that’s true, there is still quite a bit of stigma around the subject for many people). Stick to the positives and what you’re doing to ensure you will succeed.