Trying to go back to school
SO I'm trying to go back to school. Here's what I'm sending to Admissions.
To Admissions,
An explanation is in order regarding my dismissal from DeVry University in XXXXXXX and my subsequent readmission to DeVry. I realize that an expulsion is very serious and I regret having such a mark on my educational record. DeVry states the reason for my expulsion as poor academic performance. Throughout 2005 and 2006 I cannot argue that my focus was outside my college courses. I’d like to explain something about myself, the source of my distraction, what happened and what I have done to remedy the situation and explain my confidence in my ability to be a good student at the University of Phoenix.
Throughout high school I was an honor student. I was a member of the National Honor Society and I was acknowledged in “Who’s Who among American High School Students” for my academics. I was recognized by The National Dean’s List when I attended both Mary Washington College and Northern Virginia Community College. In addition, in the short time I attended NOVA I was privileged to become a member of their Honor Society, Phi Theta Kappa. If needed I will be happy to explain the reasons for my withdrawal from MWC and NOVA in a separate letter. It was at NOVA that I took my first Business course and was surprised to find I enjoyed it. After a few more courses I decided I wanted to eventually start my own business using my artistic abilities in a currently ignored market niche. I still want to start this business but I strongly believe that a Bachelors degree in Business will give me an advantage in the business world. Thus I will not start the business without the degree.
My academic success was hindered but not wholly obstructed by an abusive relationship I had been in since high school. For the majority of my relationship I did not realize it was abusive and I became emotionally dependent on my now ex-fiancé. In late 2004 and throughout 2005 the abuse escalated and I realized something was wrong; I sought help for both depression and General Anxiety Disorder. At the time I held two jobs, one full time one part time, managed my household finances and basically babysat my ex-fiancé while he stayed home, unemployed. Between these distractions and my attempts to seek guidance I neglected my studies. An incredibly brave friend came to my aid when my ex threatened physical violence in November 2005; he was held for observation at a mental institution over a period of three days and after his release my ex moved out. For a little under a year I continued to flounder with multiple online and accelerated courses at DeVry. I wanted to just snap back to being an “A -B” student now that my obstacle was gone. Unfortunately, despite my efforts to recover mentally and my desire to succeed academically, I could not bring myself to focus. In retrospect I realize that I was expecting too much of myself. I either didn’t realize or didn’t want to acknowledge the degree of personal damage that had been done and that it would not be as simple as “snapping back”. I suffered several breakdowns and what is commonly referred to as “Burn Out”. I failed to participate in my online courses and allowed my grades to slide into Failure. Subsequently I was expelled from DeVry for my unacceptable academic performance.
DeVry University provided little if any assistance to me in any capacity. Prior to any clear emotional or academic concerns I sought both academic and financial counseling which was inadequately provided by students working on campus. Any advice I was given usually contradicted advice given on previous visits. Also any notices sent to me often arrived well after they would be of any use. Thus I suppose it should have been no surprise to me when I received a letter in the mail stating that I was expelled before I received any notice that I was even on academic probation. The day I received this letter I was in the middle of moving out of the townhouse I had shared with my ex-fiancé--an emotionally difficult day to say the least. On this day I also received a phone call from the Academic department of DeVry to let me know the letter was on its way. I immediately went in and spoke with the new Dean of Business. I attempted to explain the cause for my academic breakdown but was told not to bring up that I had suffered from abuse. While the dean would and did recommend me for readmission, he insisted I quote the reason as due to something along the lines of “Family Drama”. Under pressure from the dean I also returned to classes immediately instead of taking the remainder of the summer to prepare mentally and take the next steps toward my recovery. I did well enough on the courses I took after that. I especially enjoyed the Ethics courses I took in my final semesters.
It was while attending DeVry’s “Career Development” course that I realized I could not continue at DeVry. The professor was discussing corporate ladders and determining whether “the ladder we are on is the one we want to be on; and if it is, are the rungs the right ones to get us there”. With this in mind I took a hard look at what my goals had been when I began my college career and how they had changed. I then looked very hard at what DeVry had “promised” me academically and financially. I knew DeVry had no care for what I had suffered from or whether or not I would recover; after all a college is not necessarily responsible for the mental welfare of the students. So I took the perspective of a customer and I determined that DeVry had not provided the curricular support it had promised, had misled me about what courses were needed for me to complete my major, and had created serious discrepancies in my student loan history which I had to correct at a loss. As a business student, I decided it was unwise to continue in a college that could not run its own business.
I have taken the last year and a half to mentally recover from my abuse. While I still have a long way to go, I do not intend to let the trauma prevent me from getting my degree any longer. I am in a positive relationship now, with someone who fully supports me in earning my degree. I have worked to separate my college experience from my past relationship so that a relapse does not occur. I want to earn the money I need to get proper treatment which I can only do with a degree. I want to be the excellent student I was less than a decade ago. I want to start my business while that market niche is still untouched and see if I can be successful with it. I want to attend my 10 year high school reunion and not be ashamed. So I ask you to please consider me for acceptance into the University of Phoenix. I can say I won’t let you down, because I won’t let myself down again.
I'm a touch bummed after writing all that out.
To Admissions,
An explanation is in order regarding my dismissal from DeVry University in XXXXXXX and my subsequent readmission to DeVry. I realize that an expulsion is very serious and I regret having such a mark on my educational record. DeVry states the reason for my expulsion as poor academic performance. Throughout 2005 and 2006 I cannot argue that my focus was outside my college courses. I’d like to explain something about myself, the source of my distraction, what happened and what I have done to remedy the situation and explain my confidence in my ability to be a good student at the University of Phoenix.
Throughout high school I was an honor student. I was a member of the National Honor Society and I was acknowledged in “Who’s Who among American High School Students” for my academics. I was recognized by The National Dean’s List when I attended both Mary Washington College and Northern Virginia Community College. In addition, in the short time I attended NOVA I was privileged to become a member of their Honor Society, Phi Theta Kappa. If needed I will be happy to explain the reasons for my withdrawal from MWC and NOVA in a separate letter. It was at NOVA that I took my first Business course and was surprised to find I enjoyed it. After a few more courses I decided I wanted to eventually start my own business using my artistic abilities in a currently ignored market niche. I still want to start this business but I strongly believe that a Bachelors degree in Business will give me an advantage in the business world. Thus I will not start the business without the degree.
My academic success was hindered but not wholly obstructed by an abusive relationship I had been in since high school. For the majority of my relationship I did not realize it was abusive and I became emotionally dependent on my now ex-fiancé. In late 2004 and throughout 2005 the abuse escalated and I realized something was wrong; I sought help for both depression and General Anxiety Disorder. At the time I held two jobs, one full time one part time, managed my household finances and basically babysat my ex-fiancé while he stayed home, unemployed. Between these distractions and my attempts to seek guidance I neglected my studies. An incredibly brave friend came to my aid when my ex threatened physical violence in November 2005; he was held for observation at a mental institution over a period of three days and after his release my ex moved out. For a little under a year I continued to flounder with multiple online and accelerated courses at DeVry. I wanted to just snap back to being an “A -B” student now that my obstacle was gone. Unfortunately, despite my efforts to recover mentally and my desire to succeed academically, I could not bring myself to focus. In retrospect I realize that I was expecting too much of myself. I either didn’t realize or didn’t want to acknowledge the degree of personal damage that had been done and that it would not be as simple as “snapping back”. I suffered several breakdowns and what is commonly referred to as “Burn Out”. I failed to participate in my online courses and allowed my grades to slide into Failure. Subsequently I was expelled from DeVry for my unacceptable academic performance.
DeVry University provided little if any assistance to me in any capacity. Prior to any clear emotional or academic concerns I sought both academic and financial counseling which was inadequately provided by students working on campus. Any advice I was given usually contradicted advice given on previous visits. Also any notices sent to me often arrived well after they would be of any use. Thus I suppose it should have been no surprise to me when I received a letter in the mail stating that I was expelled before I received any notice that I was even on academic probation. The day I received this letter I was in the middle of moving out of the townhouse I had shared with my ex-fiancé--an emotionally difficult day to say the least. On this day I also received a phone call from the Academic department of DeVry to let me know the letter was on its way. I immediately went in and spoke with the new Dean of Business. I attempted to explain the cause for my academic breakdown but was told not to bring up that I had suffered from abuse. While the dean would and did recommend me for readmission, he insisted I quote the reason as due to something along the lines of “Family Drama”. Under pressure from the dean I also returned to classes immediately instead of taking the remainder of the summer to prepare mentally and take the next steps toward my recovery. I did well enough on the courses I took after that. I especially enjoyed the Ethics courses I took in my final semesters.
It was while attending DeVry’s “Career Development” course that I realized I could not continue at DeVry. The professor was discussing corporate ladders and determining whether “the ladder we are on is the one we want to be on; and if it is, are the rungs the right ones to get us there”. With this in mind I took a hard look at what my goals had been when I began my college career and how they had changed. I then looked very hard at what DeVry had “promised” me academically and financially. I knew DeVry had no care for what I had suffered from or whether or not I would recover; after all a college is not necessarily responsible for the mental welfare of the students. So I took the perspective of a customer and I determined that DeVry had not provided the curricular support it had promised, had misled me about what courses were needed for me to complete my major, and had created serious discrepancies in my student loan history which I had to correct at a loss. As a business student, I decided it was unwise to continue in a college that could not run its own business.
I have taken the last year and a half to mentally recover from my abuse. While I still have a long way to go, I do not intend to let the trauma prevent me from getting my degree any longer. I am in a positive relationship now, with someone who fully supports me in earning my degree. I have worked to separate my college experience from my past relationship so that a relapse does not occur. I want to earn the money I need to get proper treatment which I can only do with a degree. I want to be the excellent student I was less than a decade ago. I want to start my business while that market niche is still untouched and see if I can be successful with it. I want to attend my 10 year high school reunion and not be ashamed. So I ask you to please consider me for acceptance into the University of Phoenix. I can say I won’t let you down, because I won’t let myself down again.
I'm a touch bummed after writing all that out.