Appeal Letter

Applying to College
1

<p>I could use some help! I have prepared this appeal letter, and will be submitting it soon. English was always my worst subject, so any suggestions would be helpful. It would be ideal if someone qualified to do so would edit my letter for me. It is very important to me, and help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>

<p>To whom it may concern:</p>

<p>I have recently applied for admissions as a transfer student to _____ State University. In early September I received a response to my application, and for your reference, was assigned a number: 12345. I was denied acceptance based on a below minimum grade point average of 2.11 overall. It is my purpose with this letter to change your mind, and therefore, I hope this letter finds an understanding, compassionate, and forgiving person. If so, after reading this, I am certain you will acknowledge my transformation, and gladly admit me into _____ State University. </p>

<p>There are several reasons for my inadequate academic performance. One major reason was my athletic priorities. I played baseball through high school and into college and gave very little attention to my studies. My study time was sacrificed for practice time, and my focus wasn’t where it should have been. It is an excessive problem that I often recognize in our education system today, and am too familiar with myself. Unfortunately, when it came to choosing a school, academics played no role in my decision. Another reason was my lack of motivation. I was always smart, and extremely talented. Anything I applied myself to I did very well. However, there lies the problem. I applied myself to very few things. It was too easy to just skate by with minimal effort, and still make decent grades. For high school that worked, but I kept the same pattern in college and had a rude awakening. I didn’t have an understanding of good study habits, and only made matters worse by not properly withdrawing from classes. “If I only knew then what I know now” could never be truer in this case. Be that as it may, I plain and simply wasn’t ready for college. I was an immature eighteen year old who was invincible. Consequences were an afterthought and it didn’t occur to me there would be repercussions for my actions. Regrettably, I didn’t think my education was as important.</p>

<p>Despite my mistakes that lead me here, I have found success in my professional career. More importantly I gained something; a valuable lesson. I have learned from my mistakes, and am now more than ready to redeem myself. I am more determined than ever to finish my education. I have made a commitment and set clear and concise goals to reach. I have managed to place myself in a position that would allow me to go to school full time and only work on a very part time basis. With the credits that I do have I believe I could reasonably graduate in two and a half years. I am also considering after that taking part time classes to get an MBA. Still, without the MBA I have created a couple of opportunities with my experience and network in my professional career that will become available to me with a degree. The education would be most beneficial to an entrepreneurial long term goal of starting my own business. You could certainly say that age has made me wiser, and moreover ready and mature enough to successfully graduate. I know now to take advantage of all my resources. I will utilize study groups, and work more closely with school advisors. It has been ten years, and that can make a huge difference, especially at that age. I can’t fail. I won’t fail. That is a promise.</p>

<p>Finally, I would like to express what this opportunity would mean to me. I have always been very competitive in nature. I love to win, and I hate to quit. Though, I left school, not from quitting, but to pursue an opportunity, I always felt it was a part of my life that remained unfinished. This is my chance to tie this loose end, and to finish what I started. It would stand as an example for my children and others who need guidance and a lesson in their life. Not only to never quit, but that getting a degree and having an education is the single most important decision a person can make. The ability to think, rationalize, and further gain knowledge makes us a dominant species. That is something in which we could all find value. For me personally, the extra confidence it would provide would be invaluable. My resume looks fantastic, except for the empty education section. This is my opportunity to make me a more versatile all around individual. It is my chance to prove not only my skills and business acuity, but my knowledge and business acumen as well. </p>

<p>Please understand that I am not blaming anyone other than myself for my academic record. I take full responsibility for the choices and mistakes I made. As I see it though, they are not failures if you learned a lesson, and I sure have. I completely understand your previous decision and commend you for upholding the standards of the universities admission requirements. Even so, my application could not present to you this substantial information that I have just provided. It is with this new information that I hope you will reconsider and make a better, more informed decision. One that will accept me for who I am now, and not who I was ten years ago. I hope you see my choices in college as mistakes, not failures. The seed has been planted. I will not give up, and my education will continue. I will graduate with a degree, and I hope it will be as a _____ State University (mascot). I appreciate and thank you for your time.</p>

<p>Sincerely,</p>

2

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<p>just lose those two parts. you want to make your letter seem like a humble request for a second chance. that sort of thing speaks to people. but the above lines cast your letter in the light of a threatening sort of demand.</p>

3

<p>Thanks ChoklitRain for the suggestion!</p>

4

<p>I think the letter is very sweet and earnest, but when state Us have minimums, they stick to them. Especially today when most are overcrowded.</p>

<p>What may be possible is grade forgiveness. Many schools will not count grades that you got a considerable time ago–usually 5 years. Your story suggests you’ve been out working for awhile, so this may be worth looking into. </p>

<p>Have you also considered community college classes to raise the GPA? Sounds like you would still have work you can complete there.</p>

5

<p>hmom5… thanks for your post. I have two years of college under my belt, though this was 10 years ago. I could get away with one semester at a community college, but more than that would be wasting credits. If I did this, after talking with an advisor, we calculated that I would need all A’s to bring my GPA to qualify. I am optimistic, but must be realistic as well. Many factors play into this decision, however if I can successfully appeal, it is my best option.</p>

6

<p>Given that it’s 10 years ago I would immediately call and ask the policy on grade forgiveness which could be a lot easier than an appeal.</p>

<p>If you do go the appeal route, given the time lapse and your age, I’d make the letter a little less about finding a nice person and a lot more about your success in those 10 years. Good luck!</p>

7

<p>Thanks! I’ll try that out.</p>

8

<p>mistakes that led me here (not lead)<br>
all-around (with hyphen)</p>

9

<p>watch some parts of your letter…there are areas which make you look very bad “lack of motivation,” “It is an excessive problem that I often recognize in our education system today” (you are in no position to make judgments about our education system), “My resume looks fantastic” (cocky much?)</p>

<p>also there are some poor phrasing choices- “change your mind,” “not properly withdrawing from classes” (what does that mean…?), “I can’t fail. I won’t fail. That is a promise.” (sounds fake), "I love to win, and I hate to quit. "(what…?..winning and quitting are not opposites), “Though, I left school, not from quitting, but to pursue an opportunity” (doesn’t make any sense)</p>

<p>there are a bunch more errors as well…but those are a few that i especially found issue with</p>

<p>to be honest…there are some good pieces of it but the only way you are going to get into this school is if you play up the emotional piece
however…in your current letter it feels as though you are being pretentious and just making excuses
i agree with the people above about discussing what you have been doing for the past 10 years…because after reading this currently…it seems as though you have just left school, not 10 years ago.
i do think that with editing it could potentially be a fine letter
good luck! and i hope you don’t think i’m insanely mean with all of this…lol…just trying to help!</p>

10

<p>Thank you Wildwood11 and reener for your help and advice!</p>