Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Having the ability to pursue higher education is a privilege, and something that I have always dreamed of doing from a young age. I have always found comfort in learning environments, being motivated by the challenges and personal growth that come with being a student. Coming to Queen¿¿s University in 2014 was a dream come true for me, as high school posed many challenges and hurdles. In the middle of my high school career, my father and I suffered in a serious roll over car accident on the highway. Though I was able to come out of it with only minor injuries, my father was seriously and critically injured. It was very uncertain if he was going to live He underwent numerous surgeries and was a patient in Kingston General Hospital for many months. His recovery process was very stressful for me when I was younger, but I was unable to receive help at the time, because all of my time was spent between studying and taking care of my family. I have a younger sister that needed emotional support and day to day care to make sure she could live at home and go to elementary school. Thankfully my father recovered over the next few years, and I was able to attend Queen¿¿s University. My first year of university was quite successful academically, and I was excited that I could bounce back from a difficult time even though I still struggled from PTSD of the accident. However, right before my second year, my family was challenged again. A few weeks before the end of the summer, my mother faced a severe heart attack where she was in critical condition. She underwent bypass surgery, and unfortunately, this surgery had severe complications. My mother had a stroke during her surgery which added to the complications afterwards. We were optimistic about the bypass surgery, but the worst had happened. This stroked changed everything. My mother was unable to walk, talk, or move parts on one side of her body. She was totally dependent on someone to be with her in the hospital or at home to take care of her. Also, her mood changed significantly and she was verbally not herself as she communicated with a lot of frustration with herself and her family. This was very hard for me to take, and I felt the weight of this, and the weight of the PTSD of my car accident all come over me at once. It was as it the whole world was coming down. After my mother was discharged, it was only harder at home. I had to come home a lot in my second year and third year to take care of my mother and my little sister. Also, as a result of my mother¿¿s mood changes, and my father who had just recovered, my parents were in a lot conflict, and were in the talks of having a divorce. This was extremely hard for me, but I had to spend time helping my little sister emotionally and day to day. Along with being a full time Biology Student, I also worked as a Residence Don and a Residence Facilitator in these years. As a result, these stressors did not allow me to focus on my academics in a way that truly reflected my true academic potential. This was seen in courses like Organic Chemistry 1 and 2, Biochemistry and Physics. The start of my fourth year was great, but I felt the PTSD of the situation come back to me in my fourth year second semester. I went to see a doctor who said I was suffering from PTSD from the situation and cyclothymia depression. These feelings of worthlessness and no hope really impacted me from pursuing this appeal earlier. I finally understood the importance of my mental health, and in my 5th year (last year) and went to regular appointments with doctors and counsellors with Student Wellness Services. As a result, my final year GPA was 3.65. I know that if I could appeal the grades in my courses from earlier, it would have the ability to open doors for me, as my grades from the past in those courses did not represent my ability at all. I would be retaking all of those courses at a university this year to represent my true academic potential in a time where there are no extenuating circumstances in my life and now that I am managing my mental health. I know there are no shortcuts in life, but getting this appeal would allow my transcript to represent my true academic ability. It would be an honour and a privilege to be able to appeal those grades, and to use that pursue many opportunities in the future. All paper work for my healthcare, my father¿¿s healthcare, and my mother¿¿s healthcare are being sent separately. Thank you for your consideration.