Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Letter: Dear Board of Studies,

My name is Ayan Chowdhury and I am appealing the Associate Dean??s decision to deny my appeal to drop the course PHYS 118 (full year course) after the academic deadline. I feel strongly that PHYS 118 does not reflect on my capabilities in an academic standing, and I would like to request again for it to be overviewed.

Although my initial appeal letter states my focus was directed more towards other courses I took, some with good success, I continued to try my best in PHYS 118. My mental health was at a very low point dating through the beginning of March to the end of April as I began to see a counsellor in hopes of aiding the balance of my demanding course load that placed stress and anxiety on me. Struggling with mental health made my focus less effective with a complex course like PHYS 118 rather than driving my focus away from it.

As a first-year student coming to live on residence in a year very different than others, it was extremely difficult to adjust to a new lifestyle and staying on top of deadlines and work. I was not always aware of upcoming instructions and deadlines set by Queen??s University; it took me awhile to adjust and I continue to do so. The feeling of being overwhelmed gives a very negative impact on my abilities at school and in my daily life, such as things as eating. I am slowly and steadily trying to stay on track and on top of the various deadlines set by Queen??s for all its students.

My circumstances regarding mental health have improved after completing my first year of university. The impact I felt from the beginning of March through the end of the school year made me feel very isolated and gave me the feeling I could not do anything; studying was hard, attending classes gave me anxiety, and I did not feel like myself. I understand that four out of my five courses had relative success, but PHYS 118 created barriers for which I could not overcome. In particular, the proctored exam made me very uncomfortable and anxious due to the fact someone was watching me and I could act like I usually do during in exam, for example mumbling a question out loud to hear it and better understand what it is asking.

Now that my mental health is going uphill, I am in a better position to take on a full course load as well as better understand my future plans. I have coping methods to deal with my mental health when I feel negative feelings, overwhelmed, and anxiety that help ground me and clear my mind to focus and work efficiently. I understand my strengths and weakness better as well as my interest as I move forward into my second year. Please review my appeal as I??ve explained a few points that I believe were misinterpreted the first time. I am looking forward to hearing back from you.

Thank you,
Ayan Chowdhury
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