got an email from CSULB after I attended my SOAR orientation. It said my admissions offer for fall 2016 was rescinded (canceled) after they received my official transcripts from spring 2016. The reason for rescinding my offer because the noticed I dropped a recommended physics course (PHYS 152.). I Was struggling with depression and homelessness at the time so school eventually got squeezed out of my life as my life circumstances worsened. I have since gotten hooked up with a church fellowship , am in a stable living environment, and have also dedicated myself to weekly psychotherapy sessions. I am back on my feet and I feel I’ve built a solid support structure to prevent myself from falling to a low point again. I believe I’m in the right mind state to continue my academic career and CSULB. I’ve attached the appeals letter I sent in to the Admissions Committee. Tell me what you guys think . Do I even have a shot? Be honest and constructive in your criticism, please. Thank you all.
To whom it may concern:
My name is Harry Johnson and my CSULB student I.D number is 12345678910. On July 20,
2016, it was brought to my attention via email from Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions,
Natalie Sparkman, that my admissions offer to Long Beach State for fall 2016 had been
rescinded (canceled). The decision was reached after a careful review of my transcripts revealed
the fact that I’d not completed a recommended course for electrical engineering transfer students;
that course being PHYS 152. From many councilor visits during my time at Long Beach City
College, and a previous denial of admissions for spring of 2016, I am fully aware of the
competitive, highly selective nature of the institution that has been deemed by many students to
be “the prized gem of the California State University system”. With that being said, I fully
understand and respect the schools right to rescind my admissions offer due to my having fallen
short of expected admissions criteria. However, with Long Beach State being my top choice for
transfer, I feel compelled to exhaust all enrollment opportunities. It is with my divulging of
sensitive information that I appeal for my admissions decision for fall 2016.
In fall semester of 2015 I was working 40 hours per week while also attending LBCC as a full-
time student. I was juggling the two while couch surfing, as I was homeless. With no permanent
living situation, my obligation to work and school became overwhelming. My grades began to
fall. In an attempt to finish the semester with passing grades, I resorted to dropping my computer
science class. My lack of permanent housing followed me into the spring semester of 2016.
Indeed, the second wave of chaos proved to be much more crippling. I found myself less
engaged in life. I had no physical or mental energy to go to class. I began isolating myself; I
found myself giving up. Though I didn’t fully understand it at the time, I now realized that I had
slipped into a state of depression. While in this state it became easy for me to linger on the fact
that I had come from a troubled past: I had no adult guidance; I left home from a physically and
emotionally abusive environment at the age of 17; I endured watching my mother be beaten by
my father for several years; and I was placed into foster care for a period of my childhood. My
depression worsened as I was tormented by my past. This lasted for nearly two months, from the
beginning of February to about the middle of March. During this time, I felt I would always be
held captive by my past, that I would never be able to achieve anything or make something of
myself. I express what I’ve endured not in an attempt to appeal the committee’s emotions; rather,
I do this to be honest and vulnerable with what hindered my performance this last year.
This past year has, indeed, terribly effected my self-esteem; however, I believe it was a
necessary suffering as my desire to be an electrical engineer is greater now than it was before. I
feel blessed to have found fellowship on campus with the club, Alpha-Omega (a Christian-based
club affiliated with the Long Beach Church of Christ). The relationships that I am building, and
the instruction from God I now receive has inspired my desire for furthering my education all the
more. The fellowship has provided me with guidance, nurturing and belief of doing better.
Through the Church, I now have stable housing and a supportive environment (I no longer have
Joshua L. Coleman
to worry about where I’ll be retiring or what I’ll be eating). I’ve even been blessed through the
church with a job that is completely flexible to work around a full-time school schedule.
Furthermore, I’ve begun weekly therapy sessions through Abbeyfield Psychotherapy. I
feel God has opened up another door for me to constructively address my depression caused by
years of abusive childhood. I’m learning how to best address my traumas, and I’m encouraged to
focus and to believe in myself.
As proud as I am of the progress that I have made, the hope of attending Long Beach
State as an electrical engineering student is always on my mind. I believe that there is something
more to be gained by my attending CSULB as opposed to other options in the state university
system. I am attracted, again, to the competitive nature of the school and am excited to know that
the institution’s ability to thoroughly equip me with the skills necessary to be an effective
engineer. Indeed, the institution holds great value in my eyes. I also believe that being of African
American decent, and possessing a unique story, I, too, am able to add value, through diversity,
to the schools electrical engineering department.
I would like to reemphasize that I have been preparing myself, mentally, for success at
Cal State Long Beach. With my involvement with Alpha Omega, my relationships therein, my
confidence in God and the help of my therapist, I feel confident in my ability of taking not only
PHYS 152, but also a full-time schedule worth of upper division EE courses that aren’t offered at
the city college level. I now believe that there’s no obstacle too great for me to overcome. I like
to believe that I’m not the only one who has had to face hard times; that the engineers who’ve
had a roll in constructing the ins and outs of Cal State Long beach itself also had troubles of their
own and yet can know say they’ve had a hand in constructing an instillation that gives back to
the community mountains of knowledge and numerous resources.
I have an engineer’s mindset. I’ve done some troubleshooting taken note of habits and
circumstances that were having a negative impact on my academic career and I’m fixing them. I
have signed a consent-to- release form with my therapist should CSULB want to inquire more
about my treatment for depression. I also grant permission to confirm upon request my affiliation
with Alpha Omega, the Long Beach Church of Christ, and proof of residence. Thank you to the
Committee members for taking the time to hear my appeal.