Before you read please realize everything on this letter is sincere.
Dear xxxxxxxx,
My name is xxxxxx, a sophomore student who has been dismissed after the fall semester of 2015. When I was notified that I had become dropped as a student, I knew I had no one to blame but myself. Although my reasons were not due to any physical reasons, I urge you to give me one more chance to prove myself as a student.
Going into my freshman year, I was already mentally unstable because I had been previously been rescinded by xxxxxxx due to poor grades in my senior year of high school. I was running away from my mistakes because I was naïve and arrogant. I had always thought I just needed to study more and I would never receive any academic failures. During my freshman year and first semester of my sophomore year, the main reason for my failure in class was not attending lectures and discussions and neglecting help from reliable teachers. I failed to realize that just studying more and trying to learn everything on your own will never work in college because college is a place where only the brightest and most curious students study. Even students who were very successful in high school have goals to study more in college.
The most important thing I have failed to realize is my mindset about school was inaccurate. College is not a place meant for everybody. If there is no determination and willingness to succeed though curiosity, going to college is a waste of time. This failure has allowed me to settle down and rethink about what I really want to do in the future. I realized I had a burning passion to help those who are sick due to lack of medication. I have realized I want to study biology and later pursue pharmacy.
I have grown to love xxxxxx because it has taught me things beyond just academics. It would mean everything to graduate from this university. My GPA was low mainly because my mindset on college was very inaccurate. If I am readmitted to this university, I will attend every class with the intention to learn regardless of any excuse, take advantage of the free tutors my university provides for the students, and retake classes that I have previously failed to boost my GPA and successfully change my major. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxxxx
I feel like the letter focuses too much on your past mistakes and not enough on why they would want to readmit you. You use the words mentally unstable, failure, naive, neglectful, and arrogant to describe yourself. Those are not necessarily I would want to hear used to describe a student I am considering readmitting. While I understand that you are likely feeling regretful and are hard on yourself at the moment, I would ask you to focus more on the positive aspects and what you are planning to do to improve. It’s okay to admit your past wrongdoings, but literally describing yourself as running away from your mistakes and not attending class will probably not do you any favors when it comes to considering admitting you back to the school
I think you are honest about taking blame for your actions, but I find your letter a bit contradictory. You say repeatedly that college is only for bright and curious people. It isn’t. It’s for people who are willing to work hard. You say that studying more wont work. It does. I would absolutly remove those phrases. Also,the one about mental instability. This letter could achieve the same if it were shorter. You can say “I screwed up, I deeply regret it. I was arrogant and naive. I thought running away from mistakes would help, but it didn’t, because I didn’t try to think about what caused my behavior.” You have it right to say you will get extra help from the many on campus resources. You might also want to say that you are also utilizing counseling services. Those things show proactivity. Good luck.
If I were in admissions, I wouldn’t readmit you - even with the (very good) modifications suggested by the prior to posters. What I see is someone who has been failing since senior year of high school, is clearly suffering but hasn’t received counseling, doesn’t really understand why he/she didn’t make it or what it takes to make it in a 4 year college. I would want to see you attend community college for a year or two to demonstrate that you have the skills and stability to succeed in a 4 year college and then reapply for admission.
Understand that this isn’t a criticism of you. It’s about concern for your psychological well-being, which take precedence over your education. Schools are risk averse and you sound like you need some help. Please get some from a professional counselor, figure out how you need to change your life so you can focus on your work, and then set about creating a track record that proves you are ready for a return to full time academic studies.
@N’s Mom, Thank you for replying and giving me your opinion. I understand your point of view and that is my plan if i do not get readmitted to my university. I feel appealing this dismissal letter is something I must do because I lack the mental drive to do whatever necessary (within the legal boundaries of course) to succeed. Although you may believe I need time off of a 4 year college, please give me feedback on how to get readmitted to my university.
@Lindagaf and @shawnspencer thank you for the response and thank you for the feedback. I failed to realize that I am writing an appeal letter rather than a confession letter. I’ll focus on cutting down on my explanation of the mistakes by trying to be more concise. ill repost it here after I’m done
Did you have to write a letter to avoid being rescinded? This one will need to be even more convincing. You might review that and keep that in mind. I agree with the earlier comments that you should put yourself in their shoes with a critical view of your own history and develop a persuasive argument as to what is different and why they can be assured you will succeed now.
@1203southview thank you for commenting. I did not write a letter to appeal being rescinded. I was rescinded from another university and just ran away due to humility. However I had talent in art, and another university who had admitted me during high school gave me an opportunity to study there.
Ah, okay. I think your letter is a good start but you should try to take it in the direction of what your positive attributes are and what you bring to the school through your commitment to succeed with your newfound passion. You should explain what you will do differently in a concrete way (not just try harder, work harder) and you need to show a maturity and wisdom that will convince them. It is fine to leave in some mea culpa and taking ownership of your past failures. I would leave out the sentence about “mentally unstable”; I think it is likely inaccurate and is not what you mean and it does not represent you well (Going into my freshman year, I was already mentally unstable because I had been previously been rescinded by xxxxxxx due to poor grades in my senior year of high school.) I think you can leave in the part about being naive and arrogant and being humbled by the experiences of failure.
Move on from that to work on the positives as well. I hope it works out for you.
I think your intentions are very good, but I have to agree with the advice that other posters have given you. The thing is, right now you don’t really have anything to prove that the next semester will be any different from the past two years or so. If you’re able to seek counseling now, then you can reapply for the fall and show that you’ve been working to understanding your problems with the help of a professional. As it stands, the people who review your application will have no reason to believe in your improved performance beyond your word for it – and as much as you might mean what you say, they’ve probably seen a lot of people who have made similar promises and not followed through.
I absolutely have to agree with @N’sMom, you’re not ready to return and you’ve stated it yourself:
Additionally, the adcom’s meet and review several appeals letters, together. They want to see concrete actions in the appeal. They will compare and see who has actually made a concerted effort to change behaviors; who do you think they will readmit?
Here’s your letter
Vs other students who will include:
*I have scheduled tutoring appointments every other week in the subject areas of: Algebra, History, etc. at the Learning Center. Please contact: Jeff Journey at x7890 to discuss my case.
*I have made appointments with my previous Profs: Smith, Taylor, Anderson for the following dates ( list dates) to review my previous tests and discuss/clarify my errors in strategical studying.
*The Writing Center has included my name on email alerts for papers reviews in small study groups. I will attend their sessions on Mondays from 3 to 5 pm. Please contact Sam Smith at x1555 if you have questions.
My academic advisor, Pat Patterson, and I have reviewed my list of coursework for the coming year. She has recommended this schedule of coursework to increase my success, and has given me the schedule of current office hours. She can be reached at: 760-555-5555.
It’s not just about writing an appeal letter; it’s also about your legwork to act upon the changes.
Go get some mental health help or none of your previous behaviors will change.
@“aunt bea” hello. Thank you for your comment. I think I had the wrong choice in word when i chose to say that I am “mentally unstable”. I don’t have any issues with my mental health. I just wanted to say I got scared to confront myself when I was rescinded which was obviously the wrong choice. I believe I am ready to return because my issues with school is related to attendance. My exam scores were actually the grade helping my overall grade and my attendance ended up bringing me down.
I have rewritten my appeal letter. If everyone can take another look at it and give me feedback, it would be GREATLY appreciated.
Dear xxxxxxx,
My name is xxxxxx, a sophomore student who has been dismissed after the fall semester of 2015. When I was notified that I had become dropped as a student, I knew I had no one to blame but myself. Although my reasons were not due to any physical reasons, I urge you to give me one more chance to prove myself as the diligent student I know I can be.
I was running away from my mistakes because I was naïve and arrogant. During my freshman year and first semester of my sophomore year, the main reason for my failure in class was due to not attending lectures or discussions and neglecting help from reliable teachers. I had always thought that the meaning of academic success was solely to study to a great extent and pass all my exams. However, when I took a deeper look into my grades, the grades were split into categories of academics as well as attendance. My exam scores helped improve my grade while my attendance scores brought it down. Attendance, at first, was not part of my meaning of academic success but I have learned the hard way that attendance is a great deal. It is more than just academic success but also a privilege to be able to sit in a classroom and obtain higher education.
The most important thing, which I have failed to realize, is my mindset about school. I used to think college was meant for only those who are smart and those who study a lot. However, college is much more than that. It is a place for people who have the determination and desire to succeed. My academic dismissal has allowed me to think about why I want to stay to stay in school and why I want to succeed. I thought about what I really want to do in the future and have realized that I have a strong passion to help those who are sick due to lack of medication. My goals is to study biology and later pursue pharmacy.
I have grown to love xxxxxx because it has taught me things beyond just academics. It would mean everything to graduate from this university. I know I have the study skills to achieve good grades in college. I also know that due to my academic set back, there are many steps I need to take in order to achieve my goal. If I am readmitted to this university, I will follow through with the plan of retaking English and physics in the spring semester. I will do whatever it takes to receive a B or higher in all of my classes. By doing so, my accumulated GPA will be higher than a 2.0.
I will ensure these grades by visiting the walk in tutor hours my university provides in English, Mathematics, and Physics. I will also list my name in the free tutoring sessions in Mathematics and Physics offered by the university numerous times a week in order to fully understand the concepts taught in lecture. I will attend every lecture and discussion with the intent and determination to learn regardless of any excuse. Finally, I will visit my professors during office hours to always know how I am currently standing in terms of my grade. I hope you can take this into consideration and allow me to continue my education at xxxxxx.
Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxxxx
This is better, but I think AuntBea is right. Set up appointments right now, put the appointments in this letter. Your second parageaph is too long. List the tutorials you will go to, for the clases you need. All you should say is “I screwed up, I was naive and arrogant, and I didn’t attend class. That was a major mistake. However, my test scores were good…” And maybe include some from the classes you did poorly in.
Your third paragraph is also too long. Just start with the bit about “My academic dismissal has forced me to prioritize my life, and what I want is…”
Letter is too long and makes excuses, such that they will read the first paragraph and won’t really want to read the rest.
@Lindagaf has written it efficiently:
. Adjust the language a little. Then list where you have included your appointments. This is the hard part, making all of your appointments and listing them.
Remember that they want to hear a positive spin on what you’re changing and why they want and need you. It’s like applying for a job. It’s life changing! Lengthy sob stories won’t work. Fess up that you messed up, efficiently, and tell them how you’re moving on. (Tell them that you’re sharing your google calendar with them!)
Add language like, “After I graduate from this university in 2018, I will be fully prepared to apply and enter a pharmacy program.”
They’ll have maybe 20 cases to get through. Give them something to think about. Good Luck!
@Lindagaf @“aunt bea” thank you for the responses again! It means so much that you guys are helping me with my appeal letter. I will edit my letter and repost it later tonight. Ill add in the appointments I made when the tutor offices and advisor offices open. At the moment, I cannot make any appointments.
Good luck! Let us know when you get in!
I have edited the 2nd and 3rd paragraph. Is this edit better than the other one?
Dear xxxxxxxx,
My name is xxxxxx, a sophomore student who has been dismissed after the fall semester of 2015. When I was notified that I had become dropped as a student, I knew I had no one to blame but myself. Although my reasons were not due to any physical reasons, I urge you to give me one more chance to prove myself as the diligent student I know I can be.
During my freshman year and first semester of my sophomore year, the main reason for my failure in class was not attending lectures and discussions. I was naïve and arrogant. I had thought passing exams was so important that it would outweigh everything else. For example, in general education classes such as Intro to Psychology and Intro to Sociology suffered by dropping from an A grade to a C grade because of my lackluster effort in attendance.
My academic dismissal has allowed me to think about why I want to stay to stay in school and why I want to succeed. I thought about what I really want to do in the future and have realized that I have a strong passion to help those who are sick due to lack of medication. My goals is to study biology and fully prepare myself to pursue pharmacy once I graduate from this University.
It would mean everything to graduate from this university because I have grown to love this university. I know I have the study skills to achieve good grades in college. I also know that due to my academic set back, there are many steps I need to take in order to achieve my goal. If I am readmitted to this university, I will follow through with the plan of retaking English and physics in the spring semester. I will do whatever it takes to receive a B or higher in all of my classes. By doing so, my accumulated GPA will be higher than a 2.0.
I will ensure these grades by visiting the walk in tutor hours my university provides in English, Mathematics, and Physics. I will also list my name in the free tutoring sessions in Mathematics and Physics offered by the university numerous times a week in order to fully understand the concepts taught in lecture. I will also be on task of every assignment by organizing myself and listing everything on a google calendar. I will attend every lecture and discussion with the intent and determination to learn regardless of any excuse. Finally, I will visit my professors and my academic advisor frequently to always know how I am currently standing in terms of my grade. I hope you can take this into consideration and allow me to continue my education at xxxxxx.
Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxxxx
“…were not due to any physical reasons…” I would just leave out this whole line. Get to the point, you want them to reconsider. Express regret right away: “I deeply regret my actions and urge you to give me another chance…”
“For example, in general education, classes…” Needs a comma.
“It would mean everything to graduate from ______, because I have grown to love this university.” Try to avoid using the word university twice in a sentence.
In your final paragraph, don’t use the word “also” repetitively, it flows better to just say “I will…”
Last paragraph “…frequently, to always…” Get rid of “always”, it is redundant.
Last line should be more forceful, IMO. Rather than say “I hope you can take…” I think you should use a little emotion, as at this point, you have nothing to lose. Try “I implore you to please take this letter into consideration, and I fervently hope you will consider reinstating me.” If you can’t bear that, maybe say “I respectfully request that you take everything I have written into consideration, and know that I am very sorry for my actions. Being reinstated at _____ is the most important thing in the world to me.”
I do think you should say you are sorry, anyway.
Can you retake any classes in the summer at community college? If so, consider that, and state it. Any chance you had a good rapport with any teacher? Maybe an employer or someone in the community? Perhaps they can also write a letter in support of you. If so, get a letter asap and submit it at the same time.
I wish you luck, I can tell this is eating you up. If it helps at all, I was once put on academic probation while in college. It was a BIG wake up and helped me get back on track, and while it took me 6 years to graduate, it was worth it in the end.
If this all fails, go back to CC, get great grades, and transfer when you can. probably the classes you passed are worth something somewhere, so maybe it will turn out better than you expected. I ended up having credits from CC, and four colleges on my final transcript. Not because I was kicked out, but I also took summer courses, etc,…at nearby colleges. You can do it. You are young, and I know it is hard to think of the future, but you will be fine if you stick with it and graduate. Try not to beat yourself up too much. What is done is done, now you have to move on and work with what you are given. Your future does not have to be determined by this incident. Be strong, good luck!
Are there any parts I can fix? I plan on sending this letter soon. Hopefully I can get reinstated.
Dear xxxxxxxxx,
My name is xxxxxx, a sophomore student who has been dismissed after the fall semester of 2015. When I was notified that I had become dropped as a student, I knew I had no one to blame but myself. I urge you to give me one more chance to prove myself as the diligent student I know I can be.
During my freshman year and first semester of my sophomore year, the main reason for my failure in class was not attending lectures and discussions. I was naïve and arrogant. I had thought passing exams was so important that it would outweigh everything else. For example, in general education classes, such as Intro to Psychology and Intro to Sociology suffered by dropping from an A grade to a C grade because of my lackluster effort in attendance.
My academic dismissal has allowed me to think about why I want to stay to stay in school and why I want to succeed. I thought about what I really want to do in the future and have realized that I have a strong passion to help those who are sick due to lack of medication. My goals is to study biology and fully prepare myself to pursue pharmacy once I graduate from this University.
It would mean everything to graduate from this xxxxx because I have grown to love this university. I know I have the study skills to achieve good grades in college. I also know that due to my academic set back, there are many steps I need to take in order to achieve my goal. If I am readmitted to this university, I will follow through with the plan of retaking English and Chemistry in the spring semester. I will do whatever it takes to receive a B or higher in all of my classes. By doing so, my accumulated GPA will be higher than a 2.0.
I will ensure these grades by visiting the walk in tutor hours my university provides in English, Mathematics, and Chemistry. I will list my name in the free tutoring sessions in Mathematics and Chemistry offered by the university numerous times a week in order to fully understand the concepts taught in lecture. I will be on task of every assignment by organizing myself and listing everything on a google calendar. I will attend every lecture and discussion with the intent and determination to learn regardless of any excuse. I will visit my professors and my academic advisor frequently to know how I am currently standing in terms of my grade. Finally, I will retake Physics and take additional classes to improve my overall GPA. I implore you to take this letter into consideration and I fervently hope you will consider reinstating me to this university.
Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxxxx