Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean,
I am writing this appeal letter to request that a failing grade in ASTR 101 be changed to a credit (CR) grade. I was advised by an academic advisor to also request a dropped (DR) grade if the credit grade isn't decided on. I have only recently received the course grade, this is why my request is delayed.
To provide a bit of background for this course, the final was worth 35%. However, the professor made a rule in his syllabus that no matter what grade you have going into the exam, you must pass it to pass the class. I was doing fine prior to this exam.
Context:
I was struggling immensely over the past semester, driving back and forth between Kingston and Toronto to visit my grandmother who was ill with cancer in the hospital. My family and I had hopes for her pulling through, and there were even talks of rehabilitation starting for her as her body was able to slowly regain strength. Unfortunately, things abruptly took a turn for the worse as the exam period was approaching, and I had to make quick decisions about my academics.
Given that I was much more comfortable with the familiar content of my economics courses (I'm an econ major), I wished to give this sole elective course additional time by deferring the exam while pushing on with the others. Total defeat has never been an option for me. I enjoy the smoothness of continuing through my degree without having to worry about delaying it through any extenuating circumstances, and honestly, I was just trying to put that semester behind me for many reasons. I believe my competitive nature prides itself on trying to never feel sorry for myself, but I realize now that this isn't always healthy. I now realize that not being okay, is okay.
In January, I had been preparing for the ASTR 101 examination as best as I could, although I found myself constantly isolating and wishing I could be in my grandmother's presence again. My sleep patterns also changed and I found myself routinely staying up beyond 3am in quite a depressed state of mind. I had not anticipated how hard it would be to come back home and spend my first Christmas without her. My grandmother was an integral piece in my life, and honestly, a best friend. During many difficult times in my life, she was the go-to third party away from my parents to help bring balance back into my life; her selflessness and support will forever be missed. In addition, she was my final surviving grandparent, and processing this permanent change to my family's structure has also been weighing heavily on my mind too.
Future plan:
In the event that I should experience a significant loss in the future, I will reach out to a counselor immediately in order to have a safe outlet to express myself to and get the support I need to recover. I find I can be very stubborn about reaching out for help, often believing I can handle anything on my own. I'm usually not overly expressive of my emotions, instead choosing to bottle things up and take my own time to reflect.
It's imperative that I allow myself to be more open and vulnerable around those who wish to help me achieve academic success in turbulent times. As someone who has consistently been on the Dean's List, and an Academic All-Canadian award recipient, I value my time and education at Queen's. Academic success has always been important to me, and I've thus far been on track to graduate with distinction if I hadn't gone through this recent event.
As it currently stands, I am motivated to make a comeback this semester. I know that my grandmother would hate to see me dwell on this for too long, and would want me to bounce back strong. In the event that a CR grade is granted, I will continue with my long-cherished goal of graduating with distinction. The same mindset certainly applies for a DR grade as well. I will take on another course in the summer to compensate for the missed credit.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jaden Bailey
I am writing this appeal letter to request that a failing grade in ASTR 101 be changed to a credit (CR) grade. I was advised by an academic advisor to also request a dropped (DR) grade if the credit grade isn't decided on. I have only recently received the course grade, this is why my request is delayed.
To provide a bit of background for this course, the final was worth 35%. However, the professor made a rule in his syllabus that no matter what grade you have going into the exam, you must pass it to pass the class. I was doing fine prior to this exam.
Context:
I was struggling immensely over the past semester, driving back and forth between Kingston and Toronto to visit my grandmother who was ill with cancer in the hospital. My family and I had hopes for her pulling through, and there were even talks of rehabilitation starting for her as her body was able to slowly regain strength. Unfortunately, things abruptly took a turn for the worse as the exam period was approaching, and I had to make quick decisions about my academics.
Given that I was much more comfortable with the familiar content of my economics courses (I'm an econ major), I wished to give this sole elective course additional time by deferring the exam while pushing on with the others. Total defeat has never been an option for me. I enjoy the smoothness of continuing through my degree without having to worry about delaying it through any extenuating circumstances, and honestly, I was just trying to put that semester behind me for many reasons. I believe my competitive nature prides itself on trying to never feel sorry for myself, but I realize now that this isn't always healthy. I now realize that not being okay, is okay.
In January, I had been preparing for the ASTR 101 examination as best as I could, although I found myself constantly isolating and wishing I could be in my grandmother's presence again. My sleep patterns also changed and I found myself routinely staying up beyond 3am in quite a depressed state of mind. I had not anticipated how hard it would be to come back home and spend my first Christmas without her. My grandmother was an integral piece in my life, and honestly, a best friend. During many difficult times in my life, she was the go-to third party away from my parents to help bring balance back into my life; her selflessness and support will forever be missed. In addition, she was my final surviving grandparent, and processing this permanent change to my family's structure has also been weighing heavily on my mind too.
Future plan:
In the event that I should experience a significant loss in the future, I will reach out to a counselor immediately in order to have a safe outlet to express myself to and get the support I need to recover. I find I can be very stubborn about reaching out for help, often believing I can handle anything on my own. I'm usually not overly expressive of my emotions, instead choosing to bottle things up and take my own time to reflect.
It's imperative that I allow myself to be more open and vulnerable around those who wish to help me achieve academic success in turbulent times. As someone who has consistently been on the Dean's List, and an Academic All-Canadian award recipient, I value my time and education at Queen's. Academic success has always been important to me, and I've thus far been on track to graduate with distinction if I hadn't gone through this recent event.
As it currently stands, I am motivated to make a comeback this semester. I know that my grandmother would hate to see me dwell on this for too long, and would want me to bounce back strong. In the event that a CR grade is granted, I will continue with my long-cherished goal of graduating with distinction. The same mindset certainly applies for a DR grade as well. I will take on another course in the summer to compensate for the missed credit.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jaden Bailey