Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To whom it may concern,

This appeal letter is in regards to my desire to drop the summer course that I am currently enrolled in, CHEM 113. Initially, I believed that I would be able to handle the rigors outlined in the course syllabus, in addition to working a summer job. Unfortunately, there have been some unforeseen circumstances, particularly the separation of my parents, which have prevented me from performing at an academic level that I know I am capable of. These changes have caused me to take on more responsibilities than I initially thought I would have to take on for this summer. Additionally, these changes have proven to be a distraction to my focus on my academics.
These extenuating circumstances started to become a hindrance to my academics about halfway through the month of May (about 2 weeks into the course). Though the changes initially did not make a large impact on my academic pursuits, they are becoming increasingly more of a burden. I found that I did not have the time that I needed to prepare for the midterm, and thus did not perform as well anywhere near as well as I could have. Particularly around the time of the midterm, and now continuing into June I have found myself to be overwhelmed by my summer job, this course, and now additional familial responsibilities and distractions.
The reason I have decided to drop the course now, after the deadline has already passed, is because my mark on the midterm, which I just recently received, was an indication that I was not able to put my full effort into this class and get a grade that I am proud of.
In regards to my future academic pursuits, such as my studies during my 3rd and 4th years at Queen's, I am hoping to have my familial responsibilities under control and be less of a distraction and hindrance to my education. This summer, I am planning on working through any potential problems this may pose towards my continuing education over the next 2 years.
I believe that this family issue is something that can be solved with adjustments to my routine, and being flexible and open with my time.

I believe that dropping this course is the best decision for me at this time, for both academic and personal reasons.

Thank you for your understanding and for your time.

Sincerely,

Maya Raman