Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Tessa Murray (20474739), and I am a second-year undergraduate student at Queen’s University. I am writing to respectfully petition the removal of two courses - POLS 111 and PSYC 100 - from my transcript. These courses were taken during the fall and winter term of my first year. Through this petition, I hope to provide context regarding the extenuating circumstances that significantly affected my academic performance at the time and to explain why I was unable to withdraw from these courses before the academic deadline.

I chose to attend Queen’s University because of its strong academic reputation and vibrant campus culture. I was also influenced by the experiences of my two older cousins, whom I am very close to and who both attended Queen’s. Their positive experiences reinforced my desire to pursue my education here and contributed to the high expectations I set for myself entering first year.

Prior to university, I attended a private international school where I benefited from extensive academic and personal support systems within a highly structured environment. This setting allowed me to develop strong communication skills and succeed academically, but it also masked the extent to which I relied on external structure. At the time, I believed the challenges I experienced were temporary and something I would eventually overcome with maturity and effort.

Throughout my life, there had been longstanding suspicions, both from myself and those around me, that I may have ADHD, dating back to elementary school. These concerns were reflected in report cards, particularly in areas such as focus, attention to detail, and procrastination. However, I was never formally assessed or diagnosed due to hesitation surrounding medication-based treatment and uncertainty about what a diagnosis would entail. As a result, I entered university without a full understanding of how significantly ADHD was affecting my academic functioning.This only became clear at the end of my first year, when I was placed on academic probation.

At the time, I genuinely believed that with sufficient effort, planning, and perseverance, I could manage the workload despite the difficulties I was experiencing. I relied heavily on schedules and organization, believing this would allow me to succeed. Unfortunately, this mindset directly influenced my decision not to withdraw from POLS 111 and PSYC 100 before the academic deadline. As a first-year student, I was concerned that withdrawing would place me behind academically and disrupt the stability of my course load.

PSYC 100 was a full-year course, and dropping it would have required replacing it with two separate courses, which felt overwhelming while I was already struggling to manage my existing responsibilities. At the time, I did not recognize that my challenges stemmed from an underlying condition, nor did I anticipate the extent to which they would affect my academic performance.

I chose to continue with these courses because I understood that first year is challenging for many students and believed it was my responsibility to persevere. I have always worked extremely hard academically and often need to exert more effort than the average student to achieve similar outcomes. I was also mindful of the financial commitment my parents were making to support my education and did not want to disappoint them by withdrawing from courses when I believed persistence was the appropriate response.

Since that time, my circumstances have changed significantly. I have now received a formal diagnosis of severe ADHD, which has provided clarity regarding the challenges I experienced during my first year. With this diagnosis, I have implemented meaningful changes in how I approach my academics. I am registered with Student Accessibility Services, receive appropriate accommodations, and remain in regular contact with my academic advisor. I actively use university support systems and maintain ongoing communication with my doctor, allowing me to structure my academic responsibilities in a way that is realistic and effective.

The courses I am requesting to have removed - POLS 111 and PSYC 100 - were ones I enrolled in out of genuine interest. However, due to my undiagnosed ADHD at the time, these courses posed significantly greater difficulty compared to others on my transcript. I believe the grades I received do not accurately reflect my academic ability or the effort I invested in attempting to succeed.

I recognize that, in hindsight, there may have been steps I could have taken earlier to avoid the need for this petition. However, as a first-year student, I was still learning how to navigate university life, including academic policies surrounding course withdrawal and GPA implications. These decisions felt beyond my capacity at the time, particularly while managing undiagnosed ADHD and the pressures of transition.

I am confident that, with the supports now in place, I am well positioned to continue making consistent academic progress throughout the remainder of my studies at Queen’s University. I am committed to meeting the requirements for release from academic probation and to sustaining continued academic improvement beyond that point. Documentation supporting my ADHD diagnosis and registered academic accommodations can be provided upon request.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Warmly,

Tessa Murray
20474739