Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: I am writing to formally request permission to drop MATH 310 - Group Theory after the official deadline due to extenuating circumstances that were beyond my control and that significantly affected my academic performance in the course. During the week of the midterm, I had an unusually heavy and compressed academic schedule. I had four midterms within a two-day period, including the midterm for this course. Despite my efforts to balance and prepare for each assessment, the cumulative academic load left me with insufficient time to study for this specific midterm, which directly resulted in the grade I received. Importantly, I did not receive my midterm result until after the last date to drop the course without academic penalty. Until I received that grade, I had no reasonable way of knowing the extent to which the situation had affected my standing in the course. Once I received my mark, it became clear that continuing in the course would not be academically advisable, as the result placed me in a position where passing the course would be extremely difficult. This situation was not due to lack of effort or planning, but rather the unusual academic circumstances of having multiple major assessments condensed into a short time frame. The stress and time limitations created conditions that I could not reasonably manage or avoid, and they directly impacted my performance in this course alone. I took steps to manage the situation to the best of my ability, including organizing study time around the other midterms, seeking feedback once the results were released, and evaluating whether recovery in the course was possible. After receiving the midterm grade, I made what I believed to be the most responsible academic decision by dropping the course; however, the date had already passed through no fault of my own.
Given the circumstances and their clear academic impact, I respectfully request approval to drop this course without academic penalty. I appreciate the committee’s time and consideration of my petition.

Sincerely,

Matthew Carroll
Student ID: 20406438
Queen’s University, Faculty of Arts and Science