Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Associate Dean / Board of Studies,

I am respectfully submitting this petition for a late course drop, mainly for MATH 121 and any other eligible courses from the Winter 2025 academic year I failed. I understand that petitions submitted after the deadline require an explanation of both the extenuating circumstances that affected academic performance and the reasons for the delay in submitting the petition.

My academic difficulties began during my first year at Queen’s University, particularly during the Winter term. As a first-year student living away from home, I experienced significant challenges adjusting to university life. I was not living on campus, which meant that commuting to classes, accessing campus resources, and becoming involved in the university community were more difficult. The transition to university academics was much more challenging than I anticipated, and I struggled to adapt to the workload and expectations of multiple courses.

During the Winter term, I also began working a part-time job to help support myself financially. Balancing work responsibilities, commuting, and a full course load became increasingly difficult and significantly reduced the time I had available for studying, attending office hours, and completing coursework. As the semester progressed, I began falling behind academically and day by day found it increasingly difficult to catch up.

These difficulties were further compounded by an ankle injury that occurred during the semester. The injury affected my ability to regularly attend classes and fully participate in my courses. Because I was commuting and not living on campus, travelling to and from class became even more challenging. As a result, I missed important course material and struggled to keep up with assignments and exam preparation. The combined effects of my injury, employment obligations, commuting, and adjustment to university life had a substantial negative impact on my academic performance throughout the term.

These circumstances affected my performance across multiple courses, including MATH 121. My ability to attend lectures consistently, remain engaged with course content, and adequately prepare for assessments was significantly impaired. As my academic situation worsened, I became overwhelmed and did not fully understand the academic options available to me.

One of the reasons for the delay in submitting this petition was my misunderstanding of the regulations surrounding full-year courses. At the time, I believed that because I had already completed the Fall portion of MATH 121, it was no longer possible to withdraw from or petition the course. As a result, I did not pursue a late drop or petition earlier. Additionally, I remained focused on adjusting to my circumstances, recovering from my injury, and managing the consequences of my academic difficulties. Looking back, I recognize that I should have sought assistance sooner, but at the time I felt overwhelmed and was unaware of the options available to me.

I take responsibility for my academic performance and acknowledge that I should have sought support earlier. However, I respectfully request that the extenuating circumstances described above be taken into consideration. I believe these circumstances were beyond my control and directly contributed to the academic difficulties I experienced during the Winter term.

Thank you for your time and consideration of my petition.

Sincerely,

Arvel Samson
Student Number: 20532064