Can someone read over my readmittance letter?

Applying to College
1

The Dean of Students,

I would like to thank you again for reviewing my application for re-entry. I understand, to you, I’m just another student who couldn’t figure out how to succeed academically. I would like to request that my dismissal be lifted and that I be readmitted.
I am a hard working student. I completed four years at a prestigious college preparatory high school. I know how to do well and I know how to work hard. I know that I can be successful at your University. All I need from you is the chance.

Being dismissed, was a little bit of a surprise, I knew that I wasn’t doing the best in my classes. I knew that I put other things above school. I struggled that second semester of my freshman year, my family had broken up, my childhood home was sold, there was a lot going on in my personal life. I was hurting, but the dismissal hurt me the most, I thought if anything I would have been put on academic probation. I didn’t understand why I was dismissed. I later learned that my one drinking ticket ending up putting me on probation. I must have missed an email or a letter saying that I was on probation because if I had known, I would have worked harder the next semester.

After being dismissed, I filed an appeal which was denied, so then I immediately applied to CVTC. Looking back, it was a mistake. I should have taken time to fully accept what had happened in my personal life. Either way I continued school and I even reapplied to UW-Stout where I was readmitted, I was back at the school I wanted to be at, except this time, I didn’t know what I wanted, I felt like Stout didn’t really truly want me, I felt like everyone knew my secret, I didn’t know what I wanted out of life. So I failed again.

This time I took a semester off of school, I did therapy and took time to really understand me, what happened. I also took time to understand what I wanted in life. I realized that I still wanted the exact same thing that brought me to Stout. I wanted to go into the fashion industry. That was the whole reason I chose the University of Wisconsin- Stout in the beginning. So to reach my goals I knew I would have to study somewhere else, so I chose CVTC. After taking classes there, I realized there wasn’t a whole lot of options for my specific major. So I struggled, really struggled, because I felt that Stout was the only place that had everything for me, in one area, and could do it in four years. That CVTC was not for me.

The question you are asking yourselves right now is, can she be successful at the University of Wisconsin -Stout?
The answer is yes because she’s been through a lot, she’s failed a couple times, but she is still here standing, ready to fight for her future.

I have gone through a lot in my past. If I could pinpoint the one spot that everything went south it was the first week of freshman year, when I received that underage drinking ticket. But I would never go back to change it, yes it was a mistake, but that mistake did lead me to be dismissed. The dismissal lead me to lean on the right people, people I could trust. That dismissal also lead me to a great job. It also made me want to change who I am today. I have changed who I am today, that new job, the best job any college kid could want, I am the head of the water-skiing department at an all-girls camp. And this job is where I realized I want a University education. I have new friends, friends that won’t ditch me in a situation for me to get in trouble, friends who have my back. For my future, I don’t know what’s in store for me but I do know that I want to do everything right now to make it the best future for myself, for my future children, husband, friends, family and even the environment.

I don’t accept your rejection of me. I am a fantastic student. And The University of Stout is the right choice for me. It allows me to experience so many more things in life, and do what I love: learning new things. I know that this college will without a doubt make me successful in any career I follow. Starting over is an opportunity to rebuild what you truly want! Please grant me this opportunity.

2

Your letter is, first of all, way too long. College administrators probably get dozens such letters every semester, and you need to be persuasively succinct.

But before I help you with it, I need to know what happened: you were dismissed from Stout, appealed, your appeal was denied, and then you went to CVTC where you did not do well. Is that correct? What’s Stout’s policy on re-admission – i.e., what kind of GPA do they require for readmission, and what was your GPA at CVTC?

If your GPA at CVTC wasn’t high enough to re-enter Stout, your odds aren’t very good. It doesn’t matter that you went to a prestigious high school or that you got a DUI ticket or that you now have a good job.

What matters are your grades. If they’re too low for Stout, the school has no choice but to deny you readmission once again. At some point, you need to prove to Stout that you can succeed in college. And if I understand you correctly, to date you have not done so.

3

I agree with the last paragraph of ^. It’s great that your learned from your mistakes but until you can prove to Stout that you can perform academically, it’s not going to change anything. Find some courses that you are interested and then work hard! Good luck in piecing things back together. Sounds like you are on the right path.

4

A successful appeal must do several things:

  1. show that you understand what went wrong
  2. show that you take responsibility for the academic failures
  3. show that you have a plan for future academic success
  4. in a broad sense, show that you are being honest with yourself and the committee

Here are some examples:

http://collegeapps.about.com/od/Academic-Dismissals/a/Sample-Appeal-Letter-For-An-Academic-Dismissal.htm

Some of this is general, and some specific to your situation.

  1. search this topic on CC and you will see many other posts on academic appeals
  2. Make sure your letter states what the issue was that caused you to have academic difficulties
  3. Did you talk to your professors/dean of students about the issue?
  4. Did you make use of the many resources your school has? if not, why not?
  5. Find out what those resources are…e.g. counseling center, talking to professors, talking to your adviser, withdrawing from class, talking to dean, maybe taking incompletes,
  6. State how you would use those in the future
  7. How are you addressing what caused the issue? Have you addressed family issues?
  8. Think about if you should continue at college, or take a break.
  9. How is your college funded? Will that continue?
  10. Why didn’t you know that you were doing poorly? Do you not look at your grades online?

In general, keep in mind what the college wants…they want students who can succeed. They need to know that you understand what the issue was, know now the resources that you can use, how the problems is resolved so you will not have academic issues in the future.

So in your case, put more examples into what happened your freshman year second semester. Your family broke up…I assume your parents got divorced. How did that effect you? Did you talk to anyone in the counseling center at college? why not? Did you talk to your professors? why not? did you get a tutor? Why not?

Then discuss all the specific tools your college has that you would use to do better…both for your emotional/mental health and your academics. here are example of the types of things …but find out what they are called at your college.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/1920853-college-is-a-step-up-from-hs-16-tips-on-doing-well-in-college.html

Revise your letter and repost and we will look at it again.