I’ve recently been placed on academic suspension, due to many poor choices, and have a chance now at an appeal. I’m a freshman and decided to write a letter that I wish to mail to my assistant dean prior to my appeal date. Can anybody offer any thoughts on it and any thoughts in general for a successful appeal? If anyone can respond ASAP that would help tremendously. Thank you
Dear Associate Dean so and so,
The failing grades and consequent low GPA that I received this year were not a result of outside strife and interference, but rather a result of my poor decisions. When the time came for me to study for my exams and complete homework, I chose instead to spend that time with my peers and in turn neglected my studies. I partied excessively, following a crowd that I understood would be detrimental to my growth as a student, in pursuit of instant self-gratification, and lost focus of why I initially decided to attend the University of so and so. Merely stating that I will try to do better if allowed to come back for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year is not enough. Being placed on suspension has forced me to reflect on the habits I acquired over the course of my first year and what I will need to do in order to be a successful individual.
My first order of business must be my time management skills, or lack thereof. Properly allotting my time will allow me to better prepare for the academic rigors that my intended major, neuroscience, asks of me. Additionally, I plan to make it a point to visit professors during their office hours for guidance on course material, and to understand my standing in their class every step of the way. Resources such as the ARC and the writing center are there to aid students, and the ignorance I exhibited in neglecting these tools brought about my own failures. I want to become a better student, and in order to achieve that I now realize that I will have to make full use of these resources for that goal to become a reality. As important as it is to manage my time for schoolwork, I now understand that the ways in which I manage free time is are equally important. Partying excessively is a problem, and the amount of alcohol I consumed played a major role in that problem. I plan to attend meetings with the campus counselors as a means of rectifying my problem, and I also plan to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings while at home so that this problem is in check prior to coming back to the University.
I abhor the situation that I have placed myself in but the lessons that I have learned from it are ones that will stick with me forever. I have learned that a college education is a gift that I took for granted, and did not realize how precious a gift I had been given until it had been taken away. I have learned that hard work and a plan of action are a necessity if I want to be successful. With that said, what may have been the most important of all was what I learned about myself. I was selfish to not take into account the sacrifices that my parents have had to make in order for me to attend so and so. I took them for granted and never really gave a second thought to the hardships they’ve had to endure, all so that I could make a future for myself that was better than the one they had. I would like to apologize to the University of so and so for my shortcomings as a student and as an individual. I have learned a lot from the mistakes that I’ve made, and if possible I would love the opportunity to properly rectify my situation by being the student you initially let into your doors. Thank you.
Sincerely,
My Name