Hi everyone, I’m a new member of this site. Nice to meet you all. 
I am currently applying for readmission after I got dismissed Winter 2015 due to poor academic performance. I was in the process of changing my major from chemical engineering (started Fall 2013) to computer science (in the same engineering school) but most of my classes in college were computer science related because I made the decision to change my major after first term in freshman year. After I was dismissed I was supposed to take 2 terms somewhere else but I only finished 1 term before my academic counselor told me that the school is limiting admission/readmission for computer science. But after talking to her I noticed they want more students in the electrical engineering department so I indicated that I am willing to be readmitted into either CS or EE.
Below is my appeal letter for readmission. If anyone could read over my letter and give me some advice for the letter and readmission in general that would be awesome. Thank you all so much in advance!
Dear Dean <dean’s name="">,</dean’s>
Thank you very much for taking your precious time to review my case. I am writing to appeal for readmission into Engineering. I was dismissed Winter 2016 after attending for two and a half years. This letter will detail what led to my academic failures, the actions I’ve taken, and my plans for the future.
Last semester when I was away from , I contemplated my college experience and finally realized no one is responsible for my poor grades other than myself. In the first quarter of freshman year I would finish all my homework early and teach my friends who did not understand the material. Then I got arrogant, thinking I could excel in classes without putting in much effort. So I started spending less time studying and even skipped classes. At the same time, I thought I was in a healthy relationship when it was in fact extremely toxic. On top of that, I chose to relieve stress by wandering online and distracting myself from the real problems. Now I fully understand your decision of dismissing me. I would only be wasting my own time and the school’s resources unless I made drastic changes in my attitude and actions. And that’s exactly what I did in the past semester.
The truth is I have no problem mastering course material and attaining good grades if I devote the time and effort into studying. I performed well in classes throughout high school and up until fall quarter freshman year. So I drew from my previous experience and acted upon the following plan last semester:
- Block time wasting sites (Reddit, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube etc.). I used a block site extension and asked my friend to set a pin so I can’t waste time on those sites.
- Dedicate blocks of time for stress-relieving activities in place of unhealthy habits. I set a strict schedule for study, exercise, meditation, reading, and sleep so I don’t bounce back to old habits. There are also blocks of time reserved for my hobbies and hanging out with friends that do not interfere with my schedule.
- Ask my friends or roommates to keep me in check. I admit it is difficult to keep myself on track all the time. Last semester I asked my roommate to check in with me minimum on a weekly basis, often on a daily basis, to make sure I’m on track with school work. If I return to , I will ask my close friends or roommates to do the same thing.
- Actively communicate with my professor starting from the beginning of the term. Last semester starting from the first day of class, I talked to my professor right away when there was confusion even if it seemed like the confusion was trivial. I found out this makes it far less intimidating to talk to professors later on about questions regarding class material or exams. This is also a psychological strategy to keep myself in check because if I know my professors on a more personal level then I can’t fail their expectations for me as a student.
As a result, this past semester I breezed through 12 units of course load and earned straight A’s while working a 20 hour/week part time job as a tutor (and often working over time). I am also more confident and healthier than before. If I return to I will implement the below measures while reinforcing the above mentioned ones:
- Start the 1st term light with at most 3 major courses. Unless required, I will not take more than 3 major courses, such as , , and or , when I first return. Though I can endure much more stress than before, I would rather ease into the rigorous studies by taking fewer classes and mastering the course material.
- No jobs/internship or club activities (other than for seeking tutoring) until 2nd term. ’s abundant and diverse student organizations is one of the reasons I love our school. I learned a lot and met many friends from clubs but my first priority in college should have always been academics. In the past I have often overestimated how much free time I have. This time I will have my priorities straight without any distraction.
- Join or start study groups for each class. Previously I was too shy and intimidated to talk to my classmates because of a sense of inferiority caused by my grades. However while being away from I learned to embrace my past and leave it behind me, I feel more comfortable joining study groups and just talk to people even if I will be older than most of my classmates. As mentioned earlier, study groups will also help me have dedicated study sessions.
- Explore the beauty of libraries (by studying there a lot). As cliche as it sounds, I found that a nice and quiet learning environment is crucial to focusing. I will also dedicate study sessions at and before and after class to preview and review the class material.
As I told , I am actually very grateful that I was pushed to take classes elsewhere. Even though there were many times I was overwhelmed by stress and shame, this was a big wake-up call for me. Now I am ready to face the challenges that lie ahead. has become my second home ever since I stepped foot in it in in summer 2012. Please allow me one last chance to excel as a member of the family.
My request is to be readmitted into Computer Science Engineering, Computer Science or Electrical Engineering major. My passion lies in the hardware and software intricacies of computer systems so my first priority is Computer Science Engineering or Computer Science major. But I understand CS major is more competitive every year with increasing number of students applying. Therefore I would also love to be placed in Electrical Engineering, which to me is like a big brother to CS. I will get to explore communication system design while also having access to computer architecture classes.
Attached at the end of this letter are my unofficial transcripts from last semester. If you would like a referral letter from my professors and supervisor or if you have an additional request please let me know.
Best regards,