Outline for a Well Written Academic Appeal

When completing your appeal form, please include as much information as possible and address the circumstances for which you are requesting an appeal.

Use the following outline to prepare your answers to the appeal form questions.

1. Describe the extenuating circumstances involved or your reason for appealing. If possible, give dates and reference specific time periods and how these events affected your performance in the past semester(s). Extenuating circumstances deemed acceptable are:
   1. Personal illness or injury
   2. Death of a close family member
   3. Natural disaster
   4. Traumatic event
   5. National defense
      —or—
   6. Other extenuating circumstances for unsatisfactory progress.
2. Reference your documentation when answering the question on the appeals form. Describe what you have attached and why it applies to your appeal.  Criteria and Required Documentation for Filing a Waiver of Suspension contains information and examples of acceptable documentation.
3. Explain why the conditions no longer (or have a lesser chance to) pose a threat to satisfactory academic performance.
4. Provide a plan for academic success. Describe what you have done or plan to do in the future to improve your academic performance (give specific examples: go to tutoring, counseling, reduce work hours, reduce credit hours carried, etc.).
5. State your readiness to assume responsibility for improving your academic progress.
6. Explain how you plan to use university resources to help you improve your academic performance.  Choose one or two resources (tutoring, counseling, visiting your advisor) and explain how you will use them in the future.