My Academic Dissmissal Appeal Letter (You think they'll give me another chance?)

My condition is just fine...I do exercise but lately I haven't because the suspense of my appeals decision is killing me. I feel as if I can't do anything right now but wait and hear what they say.

I don't think it's been easy to get a job since the early 1960's. NY is no worse than most places and still better than many when it comes to finding employment. I agree with ehBeth that you should consider doing some volunteer work or look for an internship that will give you the type of experience that will make you more valuable for a prospective employer. A college degree can help get you interviews, but getting a good job will take much more than just a diploma.

While you wait you could be doing things that could make a future appeal look better.

I'm not suggesting it's easy to get moving/keep moving when you're depressed, but not being involved in volunteer/community/fitness activities will not help you move out of the depression spiral.

Do you have strong enough academic skills that you could be a volunteer tutor for more junior students?

have you applied to any other schools?

It is difficult to find a job, but it's not impossible. I don't know how you have been doing your job searching, but sometimes you have to do it on foot. Many little stores and businesses, even in NYC, put signs on their window looking for help. Try walking around different neighborhoods than the ones you usually frequent and see if you can find something. Take any kind of job you can get--this isn't a career move, it's a job just so you can earn some money.

If you can't find a job, then go do some volunteer work--and there are places of all sorts in need of volunteers. Try a soup kitchen--that would allow you to help people who are having an even more difficult time than you are. See if your public library can use some help. Since you were close to your grandfather, see if a senior citizens center, or even a nursing home or an assisted living facility, could use some help, so you can do something positive for someone else's grandparent as a way of honoring your grandfather's memory. When you do volunteer work, you meet people, you make connections. And one of those connections might lead you to a job. All life experience is valuable, and that includes volunteer work. And volunteer work can also provide you with a reference to help you get a job.

Work on some self improvement project. Try doing some regular exercise, on a schedule--that's also good to help a depression. Do some studying on your own. Go back and re-read the textbooks for the courses you did badly in, and see if you can master the material on your own going at your own pace. Start practicing those good study habits you promised to display in the future.

One of the problems you had at school may have been organizing your time well. Having free time will challenge you to organize your time--except now you are completely in control of how you want to organize it. Set aside periods of time each day to do something specific--make a schedule--i.e.when you will look for a job, when you will do exercise, when you will look for, or do, some volunteer work, when you will hang out with friends, when you will enjoy some interests (like music, video games, computer, TV, hobbies, etc.). Try to organize the use of your time. That's going to be very important to you in the future if you are going to school and working at the same time.



That's not true. It just means that coursework won't be part of your schedule for the next 7 months.

And, if you won't be in school for 7 months, then use the time to put something else into your life. Try to develop some new interests or hobbies--look for some things you really might enjoy doing or learning. Work at making your life more enjoyable and interesting for yourself. Set little goals for yourself and reward yourself when you achieve them.

Most of all, try to keep the academic dismissal in some sort of perspective. It will only interrupt your studies for 7 months--that's not the end of the world. 7 months is not that long. Try to use those 7 months in some meaningful way. You're getting some suggestions, and try thinking of more on your own. Your life is not coming to a "screeching halt"--keep moving forward, by how you use your time, for the next 7 months.

I know many people who have to keep taking time off from school, mainly because of financial problems and/or the need to work. They know the interruption is only temporary, and they remain very focused on getting their degrees. You can do that too.

Try to keep a positive attitude about the Academic Dismissal, Jonathanp219. You said it was a huge "wake-up call" for you--and wake-up calls are a positive thing. It made you aware of something you weren't aware of before--you learned something about yourself and what you need to change. That's a positive thing. And a 7 month break from college isn't all that long. It gives you 7 months to try doing some new things, and have some new kinds of experiences, so you can continue to learn and grow in ways besides sitting in a classroom. And that's also a positive thing. Try to keep that in mind.

So did you get reinstated?

Hi, I am in the same situation and I would like to know what happened? Are you ok?

ca you tell me the result of the appeal?

One can only hope it worked out five years after the original post.