Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean (Studies),

My name is Alexandra Ewing, and I am requesting an appeal to wave the 21-day appeal deadline in seeking a Credit Standing (CR) for COGS100. First, I will provide an explanation of the extenuating circumstance that I encountered in my first year at Queen¿¿s and I will follow with an outline of why I was unable to complete the appeal within the 21-day period.

During my first-year at Queen¿¿s University, I worked extremely hard to succeed academically. I was heavily involved in extracurricular activities and spent a significant amount of my time focusing on my academics. In the Fall semester of my first year I took COGS100, or Introduction to Cognitive Science. I had performed above average on both the mid-term and assignments and expected to complete the class with a grade reflecting the effort I invested into the course. Unfortunately, the day of my COGS100 final exam I received a phone call that an important individual in my life had passed away. Subsequently, I was psychologically distressed and unable to think clearly. As a first year student I was unsure how to handle the situation and still wrote the final exam, just a few hours after learning the upsetting news. I was upset, distracted, and not mentally present during this exam and thus performed to a standard significantly below my average. The final exam was worth 60 of my overall course mark, and thus the hard work I had put into the previous course work went virtually unnoticed due to one mark resulting from one extenuating circumstance. My mark in COGS100 is the first mark that appears on my transcript, and therefore is the first mark future employers, professors, and admissions coordinators will see. I do not believe the mark is reflective of who I am as an individual or of my academic abilities.

As a third year student at Queen¿¿s University studying Psychology, I was unaware of the ability to appeal a grade previously administered until very recently. It was my understanding that if a final exam was written and the course marks were posted on SOLUS, the grade was unable to be changed or altered. I had never been made aware of alternative options. I work extremely hard to maintain a strong academic standing at Queen¿¿s - as illustrated by my transcript, I perform above-average in almost every class I enrol in. I have been distressed about my mark in COGS100 since the minute after leaving the final exam as I do not believe it accurately reflects my abilities to perform to a high standard. Upon receiving knowledge of the ability to appeal a grade, I saw the opportunity to address an issue that has been extremely upsetting since first year. As a student who will be applying to graduate school in Psychology and hopes to complete a PSYC501 Research Credit my marks are extremely important.

Thank you for considering my appeal. It means a great deal to me.

Best,
Alexandra Ewing