Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,


I am writing this letter to explain the circumstances that led me to be put on academic probation.

In my past 3 years at Queen¿¿s, I have struggled to sustain an academic average that allowed me to continue my studies. I suffer from anxiety, which I believed was the root of my health issues. I sought help, and with much medical help was able to ease my anxiety. This past academic year, even though my anxiety was under control, I still found that I wasn¿¿t able to focus in class or complete the work that was assigned. This lead too poor attendance, which in turn made trying to keep up even more difficult. It was a vicious cycle that I somehow could not figure out how to break, until I spoke with a new doctor. I was referred to a someone that specializes in young adult mental health. After numerous tests and meetings, he diagnosed me with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He was amazed that I had gotten so far in life without a diagnosis, seeing as it was affecting my everyday life so significantly. It dawned on me that looking back, I never found school a struggle, but I also wasn¿¿t putting in much effort. As my academic years went on, I slowly started to find school more difficult as the content became harder and I had to focus and study more. This leads me to the reason I am writing this letter ¿¿ last year.

Last year, was emotionally one of the hardest years of my life. To say it in one word, I was overwhelmed. I started out in September excited for my third year, as I was finally not anxious and could focus all my attention on my school work. As the weeks went on, I constantly got more and more overwhelmed by what was going on in my lectures, my assignments, my tests, and all other academic responsibilities. The frustration of not being able to retain information I would spend hours reading, or not be able to study for a test overtook my life and I became anxious and depressed. Because of my poor grades and GPA, I was put on academic probation.

Being diagnosed with ADHD was a relief because there was finally an answer to why I wasn¿¿t able to succeed in school no matter how hard and how badly I wanted to. But at the same time, I was upset with the fact that it took so long to discover I had it, as it caused so many academic setbacks. Out of the eight courses that I attempted last year, I was only able to pass one. In my first and second year I was able to pass a few more, but overall it was a significant struggle.

During this year off, I have been working full time and have noticed a huge difference in my ability to focus and complete tasks in a timely manner, as my medication to manage both my ADHD and anxiety is finally at the correct dosage.


My request is that the seven courses I failed last year, be dropped from my transcript. My plan going forward, is to enroll in summer courses to start, and then return to Queen¿¿s in the Fall for the 2019/2020 academic school year. I am confident that my final semesters at Queen¿¿s will be successful, as my new medical regime has helped to stabilize all the ailments that made school so difficult in the past.


I have attached a letter from the doctor who is following my mental illness.

Thank you in advance and please let me know if you have any questions,

Yours sincerely,

Sage Mills