Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Officer,

Hope you are doing well. My name is Yuan Wang. Recently, I received a decision from the faculty to withdraw me for one year due to my cumulative GPA failing to meet the requirements. I am writing to submit this letter to request the faculty to give me an opportunity to continue my studies in 2025 fall after understanding my past experiences and current situation. I sincerely admit that my academic performance in the past didn’t meet the requirements, but I hope to explain to you that the primary factors affecting my studies were not laziness or lack of ability, but long-term severe psychological stress.

I enrolled in the 2023 Fall term and faced significant difficulties adapting to university life. The fast pace of university courses, high level of autonomy, and more complex assessment system left me unprepared in terms of learning methods and self-management, resulting in failure in the three courses. In the 2024 Winter term, my mental state deteriorated sharply. Starting in February, my relationship with my then-girlfriend gradually worsened. She had depression and anxiety tendencies, with extremely unstable emotions in our interactions, including multiple self-harm behaviours and suicide threats. At the time, I tried to maintain the relationship and often blamed myself for her emotional struggles, feeling deeply guilty and remorseful. Consequently, I invested substantial time and energy in calming her emotions and preventing self-harm or suicidal thoughts, leaving no capacity to focus on my studies. My daily life was dominated by late-night disturbances, repeated arguments, and extreme anxiety. I began to suffer from severe insomnia, loss of concentration, and emotional instability. Despite this, I attempted to complete the courses and take exams but unfortunately failed.

In the 2024 Fall term, I made efforts to recover. I enrolled in four courses and carefully completed all assignments and quizzes in the first half of the term. My problem set and quiz scores demonstrated significant initial effort, with many assignments scoring 90 or nearly full marks. I briefly felt my condition improving and regained confidence in my studies. However, as the term progressed, my girlfriend’s emotional state deteriorated again, with multiple episodes of loss of control and renewed suicide threats, keeping me in a constant state of high anxiety and inability to focus on learning. Meanwhile, although my parents were aware of my circumstances, they still criticized my grades and added pressure, which exacerbated my mental collapse. During this period, my mental health rapidly declined. I could not concentrate, my daily routine became chaotic, and I lost all motivation to study. I was not willing to communicate with others, and I began to ignore my parents’ messages and calls. These further hindered my ability to study effectively and caused my grades to plummet.

In the 2025 Winter term, my mental state remained poor, and I tried to seek changes. In January, I began taking traditional Chinese medicine to soothe nerves and improve sleep, but these provided only temporary relief. I also attempted to reconcile with my parents, but their lack of response, including my father’s refusal to communicate, became the final straw, pushing me into extreme isolation and complete loss of motivation for learning or living.

I recognize my academic performance over the past two years has fallen far short of the university’s expectations. However, I want to emphasize that despite these challenges, I never stopped trying to improve. I sought communication with my parents, pursued traditional medical treatment, and actively engaged in self-help, but my inexperience with mental health issues and difficulty articulating my needs prevented these efforts from resolving the root problems.

Since April 2025, my condition has gradually improved. I have ended the relationship with my girlfriend and am rebuilding my life, while family communication has become more stable. Reflecting on these experiences, I understand that my academic struggles stemmed from prolonged emotional repression and lack of support, but not intellectual inadequacy. I have restored a regular routine and mental clarity, and I am now ready to resume my studies.

I earnestly request the faculty to consider the unique psychological challenges I faced and reverse the suspension decision. I am committed to completing my undergraduate studies with greater responsibility and dedication, and I deeply appreciate your understanding and support during my darkest moments.

I have provided the relevant medical records and chat history to prove my statement. Thank you very much for your understanding.

Sincerely,
Yuan Wang