Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Hello,

I am appealing to waive the 21-day or one term deadline because I have been unable to write an appeal until now. I have a disability that has significantly affected my performance in school. I am appealing to drop courses from 2018 (CHEM 112, MATH 121, PHYS 117, and PSYC 271) and 2019 (PSYC 204, SOCY 122, BIOL 243, and PSYC 251).

I have been doing my best to persevere. I continuously see doctors, seek treatment, and make plans to continue. I was unable to request this appeal before now because my symptoms have been debilitating. Debilitating anxiety is one barrier that has prevented me from writing an appeal. I have written a letter like this about ten or so times before, and each time I have, my anxiety would lead to paralysis. I would be unable to move or talk for up to hours at a time. Sometimes, it would lead to seizures. I need to be able to look at the task I am doing to complete it; yet if I am paralyzed, I cannot complete the task.

I was about to send in a letter of appeal at the end of April. My best friend passed away on April 29th, 2021. Even with this tragedy, my doctors and I have agreed that it is still in my best interest to continue taking 5 courses. After passing all 5 courses, my lowest grade was a B.
In this past year, I have taken and completed 3 courses in the fall, 4 in the winter, and 5 in the summer. For 3 months last summer, I was in Boston in an intensive treatment for my disability. The treatment has improved my overall health. I believe that the drastic turn around within the past year, after receiving treatment, proves that my failures in school, and delay in appealing to drop those courses, is a direct result of my disability.