To Academic Board.
My name is XXXX-XXXXX and I am an Aerospace Engineer currently in my junior year. I am writing to you in the hopes of an appeal to the decision of my academic suspension. This is the first time that I am in academic suspension.
I currently live with my mother and sister here in Daytona Beach, and when I started university at Embry-Riddle my freshman year my parents got a divorce. I have manage that divorce and have pushed thru it. This past year has difficult one, seeing how doctors have found cancer lumps in my father’s lungs, making it very difficult for him breath and to do heavy physical activities. My father currently lives in North Carolina and all of my father’s family lives in Ecuador so I as his only son drives to see every other weekend to make sure he is doing ok and help find free medical treatments as he has doesn’t make much. Unfortunately my every other weekend are as not productive as it should be for Embry-Riddle standards.
However that alone did not contribute to my lower GPA. What’s more, were my mistakes that was not taking full advantage to free help such as the tutor center, going to the office hours of my professors and feeling too embarrassed to ask questions during class, thinking that I can do everything by myself without help. Which I have come to realize my mistakes when it’s almost too late. However, there is a way to fix my mistakes.
If I were to be given this second chance and be reinstated for this summer semester. I am taking full advantage of the opportunities presented to me. That is why I will taking both summer A and B classes to show that I committed to succeed. Posted along with the plan of action, I have include the tutor center hours and my professor’s for the summer. I will be retaking Aerodynamics 1 and Solids, courses that I have failed in the spring. In the fall semester, I’ll work closely with my academic advisor, for guidance for my senior year courses.
My goal is to raise my GPA not to required 2.0 but higher. To make use of the professor’s office hours and to visit them with questions and concerns. I’ll be more aware and active of the resources available to me. I will spend time doing homework with tutors. I will put to good use of the all resources offered to and succeed as an Aerospace engineer from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University .
Perhaps just remove that sentence, or at least rewrite it and use “through” instead of thru. I would just omit that sentence.
Rewrite that sentence. “Unfortunately, I am not as productive as I could be given the time I spend away every other weekend.”
The second sentence in the last paragraph is fragmented. “I will make use of the professors’ office hours…”
Good luck!
I think you may want to get someone to proofread this in its entirety. It has many grammatical errors and missing words that will hinder the point you are trying to make.
To Academic Board.
My name is XXXX-XXXXX and I am an Aerospace Engineering student currently in my Junior year. I am writing to you to appeal my academic suspension.
I currently live with my mother and sister in Daytona Beach. During my Freshman year at Embry-Riddle my parents got divorced, which was stressful. This past year has been even more difficult as my father was diagnosed with cancer. My father currently lives in North Carolina but all of his other relatives live in Ecuador. I have been driving to North Carolina every other weekend to check on my father and help him find free medical treatments as he cannot afford care. Unfortunately my weekend responsibilities have been negatively affecting my schoolwork at Embry-Riddle.
I realize, however, that there are additional factors causing my poor academic performance. I didn’t take full advantage of the tutoring center, or office hours, as I was too embarrassed to ask for help. I realize that I will need to change my approach to my studies and be more proactive in seeking help.
If you give me a second chance I will make better use of the opportunities at Embry-Riddle. I will enroll in Summer A and B courses as a sign of my commitment. I will retake Aerodynamics 1 and Solids, courses which I failed in the Spring. In the Fall semester, I’ll work closely with my academic adviser, for guidance in my Senior year courses.
I have stumbled in my quest to become an Aerospace Engineer, but I believe I have the capacity to overcome the recent difficulties. Please give me the chance to prove that I can succeed.
I do worry, though, that you haven’t really addressed the time you’re spending with your Dad. Any way you can get him to move closer?
I might take out the “all his other relatives live in Ecuador.” It’s irrelevant. What’s relevant is that you have had to drive to NC every other weekend to take care of him. (I wouldn’t say “check on” him. “Check on” sounds like you poked your head in the door and it could have been handled with a phone call. It sounds like you did a lot more.
But yes, you still need to address - if your father still has ongoing health issues and you need to be with him, then just promising to take advantage of the tutoring center doesn’t change this. You either need to say (and I hope this is the case!) “my father is now recovered so I won’t have that issue” or come up with some other solution.
I don’t see how continued “every other week visits” to another state to be with your dad would make this school think that you’re going to pull up your grades. The coursework is going to get harder and harder.
Plus, I don’t think that the school is really going to believe that on WEEKENDS, you’re “finding him free medical treatments”. Maybe occasionally during the school week, you’re googling info or calling places, but it’s hard to believe that a college kid is spending his weekends finding free medical treatments.
The school is likely just going to believe that your dad is going thru a tough time (divorce, then cancer, and lowish paid job), and you’re spending time with him. That’s very nice, but not promising for better grades.
First of all, sorry that you are going through all of this. It seems like a run of bad events. However, before you send any letter, have you spoken to your advisor or appropriate dean/assistant dean about the possibility of reversing this decision? Do you have less than a 2.0 for all three years? Is it barely less than a 2.0 or quite a bit less. Did only this semester’s grades bring you below 2.0? I would be wondering about these things.
Do realize that the reason something like this happens is likely that a 2.0 is required to graduate, and they don’t want you to continue to fail and not graduate after spending time trying to do so? Many people take a semester off to work through issues such as you have discussed, and hopefully return ready to do the work. To me, as a non scientist, anything to do with physics, like aerodynamics, or advanced chemistry would appear to require a great deal of study, and not something you can fit in during your spare time.
I wish you the best of luck in getting your academic career back on track. Speak to advisors so that you get a good idea of a plan to recover.
From the school’s point of view:
Sometimes if you have things other than college to do, you need to go do them and put college on hold. It is great you are supporting your dad…are you still going to have to do that? If so, how will it be better next semester? Is there another way to get him support? Can someone else come and stay with him? Can he get home health aids/social worker?
Of course they are going want to know why you didn’t talk to the Dean of Students and tell them the situation…why not take a leave of absence?
Also if you are a junior…what was your GPA freshman and sophomore years? What was it junior year?