Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Committee,

I am writing to request an appeal to drop two courses from my transcript, GRMN 101 and GEOL 104, both of which were taken in the fall semester of 2016. There were two main factors that led to my current academic standing, the first being my major depression and the second being my ADHD, both of which were undiagnosed until a later time in the year.

In March 2017 a doctor from the Student Wellness Services diagnosed me with major depression after I had constructed a plan for a suicidal attempt and was close to taking action, late during the first semester. My depression caused me to become withdrawn from my family, friends, wellbeing, and academics, all of which are important facets of my life. During that time I felt that nothing mattered to me and my life would soon come to an end and ultimately my ability to continue on with daily activities and responsibilities had become precluded. After seeking out help and realizing I had neglected the primary part of my life, it is needless to say I was very disappointed and scared of what would happen.

In the summer of 2017, I was diagnosed with ADHD by a psychologist in Milton, Ontario, after I received recommendations from my family doctor, a doctor at the Student Wellness Services and my teachers. After the diagnosis, there was an indication that my condition affected my inability to focus, and required mental effort to succeed in an academic setting. Secondly, from the diagnosis, it was also found that my ADHD had a high potential of leading me to depression when triggered by external high-stress factors and a lack of self-restraint. These factors were triggered by high pressures and stressful situations, which caused me to become withdrawn and neglectful.

To combat my depression and ADHD, I have been taking medication, a reduced course load, implemented dietary changes, following a consistent exercise and academic routine as well as having quit the use of alcohol. Although I can have depressive episodes today, I have future appointments booked with a mental health counselor to help me navigate my mental health, effectively and stay clear of any negative feelings. More specifically to manage my ADHD, I see a doctor bi-weekly and am using a brain training system to help reduce symptoms. Mutually, I have reduced my course load and plan to complete a BAH in Economics in a five year period. I also consult with an academic counselor when needed to help me deal with academic pressures and any questions I have.

I am asking for both courses to be dropped due to the reasons outlined above and the corrective measures I am taking today in order to prevent this from happening again. It will give me chance to reach my current academic and postgraduate goals in the future. Thank you for taking your time to review my request, please contact me if you have any questions.


Sincerely,

Mehtaab Boparai
10195370