<p>I’m a Junior in my 2nd year at a University (U) because I transferred over from a community college (CC). For my first quarter at the U I attended only part-time because I had to repeat a course at the CC in order to raise my cumulative GPA for a 3 course sequence required to get into the Biology program. By the end of my first quarter I finally got into the Undergrad Bio. program. It was tough commuting between 2 schools but I managed to pull a 3.0 GPA for my 1st qtr. at the U. </p>
<p>Within the same qtr. I also met a nice man on a dating site & after 2 months of dating, we became a couple. He was my first boyfriend ever and I am 21 yrs old, he is 28. Heading into my 2nd qtr. at the U I had to take on the challenge of balancing being a full-time student for the 1st time at the U with 2 math courses (Note: Math is NOT my strongest suit), and being in a relationship. </p>
<p>I found being in a relationship while being a full-time student not only difficult, but distracting. The relationship did not work out for reasons beyond my control (Note: He is Indian, I am Asian & I liked him a lot but I saw no future for us because I was still in school & his parents are pressuring him to marry an Indian). </p>
<p>For his sake & mines, I broke up with him and agreed to only be friends. But this relationship has taken it’s toll on my grades this qtr. and I fear my cumulative GPA may have fallen below a satisfactory 2.0 GPA. It is 2 weeks before finals week. I am relying on Grants and Financial Aid to pay for college & I am now thinking ahead about what I should write for my Appeal for Fin. Aid Reinstatement. </p>
<p>I am certain things will change around next qtr. because I am no longer in a distracting relationship & I have been reminded now that my academic & future career is my main priority. I will now use the valuable time that I wasted thinking & worrying about my relationship to instead get help in Math by attending Math Study Centers and forming study groups w/classmates.</p>
<p>My question for everyone here is: Should I be honest with the Financial Aid committee w/my reasoning for failing this qtr.? Is the reasoning I have provided above a good enough reason for the committee to reinstate my eligibility? Have I provided good enough solutions to overturning my situation for next qtr.? </p>
<p>All tips, advice, and suggestions are much appreciated. Thank you.</p>
<p>Sorry, don’t mean to be harsh but the truth is that everybody had a first relationship and most of them don’t fail…You can’t promise not to get into another relationship. well, you can promise but it won’t help your cause…I think the things that might help you would be if you were very sick (hospitalized), were taking care of a very sick family member, death in the family, or even diagnosed with a psychiatric problem.</p>
<p>You should have dropped at least one of the courses that is dragging you down. I honestly don’t think ANY college office or Financial Aid will consider your being in a first time relationship a good excuse. Also, they would say you should have dropped the relationship if it was affecting your schoolwork. You are old enough to know that. </p>
<p>Of course, you should meet with your profs as suggested. Maybe you can retake something in summer school to get your grades up enough before FA is affected.</p>
<p>Actually, when my son had is first real girlfriend, his grades improved!</p>
<p>Your school may have a formal appeals process that asks you to submit specific reasons for your low grades and a plan to improve in the future. If so, be sure to follow the requested format. I would not refer to a romantic relationship–just speak more generally about an imbalance between academic and non-academic pursuits, how you recognized this imbalance once your grades started to slip, and how you plan to devote more time and effort to your studies (including specifics about the study center, study groups, etc.) Some schools are generous in the appeals process, willing to overlook one subpar semester; others are more stringent. I hope yours is the former!</p>
<p>MommaJ, sounds like you gave good advice, but I got the impression that the OP was making excuses. I was a little harsh because I don’t think the excuses really justified the lack of performance, not in Junior year, it’s not her first year taking college courses. Maybe the FA office will not want to see her previous FA wasted and will be lenient, hoping she can successfully finish.</p>
<p>If you have just slid below 2.0, you are usually put on SAP probation for a semester, retain your aid, and at the end of the probation period you must meet SAP again. If not, then you lose Fin.Aid. You may not have to do any story telling at this point. Save it.</p>