Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Hello,

My name is Nahid Moradi and I am a fourth-year BHSc student. I am writing to respectfully request a waiver of the one-year deadline to petition for credit standing in PHYS 115, which I took in Fall 2023. I received a final grade of C-, which stands out as an outlier in my academic record as most of my other course grades from that term and beyond have been in a consistent range.

In September 2024, I was diagnosed with ADHD and formally registered with Queen's Student Accessibility Services. At that time, my QSAS advisor informed me that I might be eligible to petition for credit standing based on how my previously unrecognized symptoms may have affected my academic performance. While I was made aware of this option, I was not in a position to act on it at the time due to ongoing and overwhelming executive functioning challenges which included but were not limited to: disorganization, difficulty with task initiation, and fluctuating mental energy, all of which were only beginning to be understood in the beginning stages of my diagnosis.

Although I began seeking treatment after my diagnosis, I struggled for several months to access appropriate medication and find a consistent regimen. I only recently (within the past month) began taking my medication (Vyvanse) regularly and started experiencing a level of stability that allowed me to address outstanding academic matters, including this petition. Before this, I remained overwhelmed by tasks that required sustained focus and paperwork, and did not feel I had the clarity or cognitive bandwidth to navigate the petition process properly.

I believe that my difficulties during the Fall 2023 term and my inability to act on the petition option sooner are both directly related to ADHD symptoms that were unrecognized and untreated at the time. I have included medical documentation supporting the timing of my diagnosis and treatment plan, as well as confirmation of my registration with QSAS.

I hope this context clarifies the extenuating nature of my circumstances and why I am only now in a position to formally initiate this petition.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Nahid Moradi