<p>Rewrote my letter and made it more to the point. Also including a brief letter from my PA that I got about 3 weeks ago to the university and I am also including the documentation of an initial er visit where I was first diagnosed with anxiety (despite it having pretty bad grammar which makes me not want to include it...I feel its necessary). The first semester it was GPA, the second it was falling below completion rate by mistake. Let me know if you think this looks good...my school has a good acceptance policy and anxiety is considered a good reason so I'm hopeful.
May 30, 2014</p>
<p>Dear Financial Aid Office,</p>
<p>My name is _ and I am hoping that through the reading of this letter you will reconsider your decision and allow the continuation of my financial aid. First off, I want to say thank you for taking the time to read my letter and for allowing me to attend _ this year. It has been a truly great experience for me and I would love to continue my education here. I would also like to formally apologize regarding my academics in 2014, I take full responsibility for what happened. That being said, I would like to explain some of the circumstances behind what happened this semester.</p>
<p>During the semesters of 2013-2014 I was dealing with some troubling issues. These were beyond my control at the time and contributed to my inability to meet SAP requirements. These are health issues that stem from an underlying anxiety disorder which did not get formally addressed until it brought me to the ER on several occasions in the spring semester.</p>
<p>Spring semester I was thrown into an unfamiliar workload and had little idea of where I wanted to go following a path that had been suggested for me. This built up over time leading to chronic migraines throughout the course of my first semester. This was likely the initial trigger to my anxiety. In the spring semester my symptoms began to significantly impact me physically far beyond that of the first semester eventually pushing me to seek emergency medical attention. My symptoms were chest heaviness, migraines, insomnia, and at times an inability to solid food. I was avidly trying to figure out my problems. In doing so, I was unable to attend classes and study as I had before. It was not until after seeing numerous doctors and going through a multitude of tests that one of the ER doctors went ahead and tried an anti-anxiety medication. It is called Xanax and within hours of taking this medication my chest pain was gone and I was able to sleep again. This medication had eliminated my symptoms so I finally understood that anxiety was the root of my problems. Since the discovery of my underlying anxiety, I have been able to treat my symptoms and move forward and focus on achieving my goals again.</p>
<p>In order to reach my goals and ensure that I meet SAP requirements I have formulated the following plan. First, I am going to make sure my symptoms are managed so that they will no longer interfere with my academics. I will do this through medication and by not hesitating to seek help. I am currently taking a medication called Buspar. This is my long term anti-anxiety medication which I take daily to keep my symptoms under control. I also have been prescribed Xanax (Alprazolam) for more immediate relief. This is fast acting and would enable me to function normally if there was a day where my symptoms outweighed my normal medication. A second and equally as important thing that I will be doing is seeking out counseling from the university. This will serve two purposes. First, I will become more informed about myself and learn how to better deal with my anxiety. This will provide me with another way to deal with my symptoms that does not involve medicine. At the same time I will also get counseling on my study skills so that I can better myself as a student. Having become aware that my strengths do not lie in math/science, I am no longer pursuing these areas. I know that I am not where I should be in regards to academics and counseling would be a way to improve this. Furthermore, I will keep a record of these visits and present them at the end of the semester to demonstrate my progress and prove that I am keeping my word. Through the management of my symptoms, bettering myself as a student, and pursuing coursework that plays on my strengths, I know that I will be able to meet SAP requirements in the upcoming semester.</p>
<p>For all the reasons listed above I ask that _ reconsider its decision and reinstate my financial aid. I understand the importance of education and I want to graduate so I can start a successful career. On my own I do not possess the funds or resources necessary to attain these things, so without the help of financial aid I will not be able to attend _ come fall. Again, I take full responsibility for what has happened and I am taking the necessary steps to ensure that it will never happen again.</p>
<p>Thank you for your time and consideration.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>_</p>