Petition Letter
During my first year I was unaware of the appeal process. For this reason I am now looking to appeal two courses (PHIL 115 and ENGL 258) Due to my extenuating circumstances of ADD, I am hoping to appeal these courses in order to better my GPA so I can achieve a higher academic standing. Since I was diagnoses with ADD, on October 21st 2009 I have been on and off on a medication called Concerta. Although I find medication is helpful I often still struggle with exams and problem solving. I find myself constantly struggling to finish exams and testing in time. It has been discussed with my current physician about changing my current medication but I am very concerned that the transition will affect my academic success. Without accommodations in my first year I was unable to achieve grades that reflect my academic capabilities. Throughout my first year I struggled a lot, and did seek help from services provided by the university such as; Bounce Back, but even with the help of a tutor I found my learning style to be very different from other peoples because I struggled so much with memorization. The course PHIL 115 that was 6.0 units was the course that I struggled with the most, my professor at the time Mark Smith was a verbal teacher and I often struggled to maintain my own focus in the class because I had no visual aid. His main type of evaluation in the course was testing which is has always been a problem for me since a young age. I often find myself sitting down in an exam and not remembering a thing no matter the amount I studied. I get so easily distracted by others during exams and quizzes that I almost always lose my place, which I believe is why most of my professors say my work is confusing and scattered. In regard to the other course I am looking to appeal or get academic credit standing for ENGL 160, I struggled a lot with the overall pace of the course. My professor Dr. Robert May was very accommodating but no matter how much I tried my essays were constantly unsuccessful because of my inability to focus on one topic. I have recently contacted Disability Services in order to set up accommodations for upcoming exams and assignments. I also plan on speaking with them to see what I can do about medication for ADD so that it won¿¿t affect my academics. I am currently in the process of obtaining a form from my physician, so that I can get accommodations of some kind in time for the upcoming exam season. With the accommodations I believe I can maintain a higher GPA and also feel more confident in my work. I was unable for apply for an academic appeal 21 days within the end of the courses, because I was honestly completely unaware that the appeal process existed. If my appeal is granted I will be able to get off academic probation and continue my studies at Queens which has always been a dream of mine since I started high school. I really don¿¿t want my struggles with my disability to affect my future and my success at this school.