• current student,  declaring absence,  petition

    petition petition petition! (unless you’re not eligible, in which case… don’t)

    November 18, 2022

    Okay so I missed a deadline for a homework because of an illness, and the syllabus tells me to file a petition on Quercus. Where is this petition on quercus?? I can’t find anything there, the only petition thing I can see on uoft is that petition thing for major events. Pls help

    hey there,

    so after a bit of searching around, i’m getting the impression that you’re not really supposed to file a petition in this case, as in, the official arts and sciences petition. these petitions are mostly for exams or late assignments/term work, but by late they mean really late, like after the term has ended.

    i have a feeling that rather than a petition, the syllabus is actually referring to declaring your absence on acorn, which you are supposed to do (just go to the “profiles and settings” tab on acorn).

    There Is A Distinction Theres A Difference GIFfrom There Is A Distinction GIFs

    you should also contact your instructor to confirm, and meet with your registrar, who might be able to help by suggesting other options, giving advice on any documentation you might need to gather, or writing a letter to explain your case to your instructor.

    if you do actually need to make a petition, that would be done using the artsci online form, not through acorn. you should also consult with your registrar first to see if you’re eligible and get details on how to apply. either way, i’ve heard lots of good things from people about petitions, so if you’re eligible to petition for this or other issues later on, it might come in handy.

    hope that helps!

    aska

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  • petition

    take care of yourself, bro

    September 17, 2020

    I failed a course this summer due to horrible health issues. I ended up writing the deferred final exam and I’m scared they won’t accept my petition to late withdrawal without academic penalty…. I’m thinking of taking a year off because of my heath so I can eventually get back to studies. And I was thinking if this WDR request gets denied could I CR/NCR Petition it? So it’s going to be NCR, however I do need this credit for my program requirement… so if it’s NCR would that create problems?

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    i’m so sorry you had to deal with those health issues! it’s been a minute since you asked this, so maybe you have the results of your petition already, but i’ll do my best to answer this anyway.

    i’m not really sure if you can petition to cr/ncr a course if a WDR petition has been denied. that would be a question to email or call your registrar’s office with. but if you do successfully petition to cr/ncr the course, that will throw a wrench in your plans whether or not the final designation is cr or ncr. that’s because the cr/ncr designation can’t be used towards program requirements.

    if this course fulfills a flexible requirement, ie. “take 2.0 FCEs from either list A, B, or C” you’ll need to choose a different course in order to fulfill that requirement. if this course is a rigid requirement, as in you need this specific course in order to complete your program, you’ll likely need to retake it. i know that you can retake failed classes, but i’m not 100% sure if you can take classes designated ncr. my gut says probably yes, but my brain says email your registrar and confirm since the rules and regulations don’t make that explicitly clear. but if you can retake passed courses (with restrictions), you shoulddddd be able to retake ncr-designated courses.

    (off topic, but did you see that video of that one professor who commissioned a video from snoop dogg to drive home the point that his students should read his syllabus? apparently he spent like $700ish on it? wild.)

    anyway, the arts and science students’ union (ASSU) is considering advocating for the cr/ncr deadline to be pushed until after final marks are released, so that people who are in your situation don’t need to jump through so many hoops. if you’re interested in seeing that go through, you can show them the support they need by filling out this google form. 

    best of luck with everything, and please take a year off if you need to! if i’ve learned anything from this year of absolute chaos, it’s that your health is really the most important thing and there are no substitutes for looking after it. wishing you a smooth recovery <3

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • petition,  suspension

    two thumbs down

    August 16, 2020

    Hi, I am a student at UTM. I recently got suspended due to academic probation. A mark for a course from winter 2020 was inputted late thus resulting in my suspension. The university has allowed me to continue with my summer semester and I was very motivated towards CCIT as I wanted to switch from commerce. My CGPA for my summer session has improved significantly, as it is above 1.50 and I was wondering how I can highlight this in my petition for early return/lift of suspension. Any Tips?

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    geez, if a mark was inputted late, doesn’t that mean you got suspended for something that literally… was not under your control? maybe i’m misunderstanding something. but if that’s the case, that’s dumb and we don’t like it.

    for this, i would actually reach out to your registrar for advice if you haven’t already. usually i get a wave of suspension questions in the spring right before the summer sem starts, so i can’t remember encountering a case like yours before. an academic advisor might be able to give you better guidance on how to make your petition as strong as possible.

    with that said, if your CGPA is above 1.50, that means you’re in good standing. personally, i would recommend emphasizing that in your petition statement, along with the efforts you’ve gone to in order to bring your CGPA back up. you don’t need to write a novel— something concise will do— but anything to show that you deserve an exception should help. maybe even throw in a little “this is how i plan to keep my GPA up moving forward,” i don’t know?

    best of luck!! i hope your suspension gets lifted early.

    be Boundless,

    aska

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  • petition,  withdrawal

    extenuating circumstances

    April 22, 2019

    Hi, I have a unique situation . In my first year my father just passed away which affected both my first and second year marks in university. I then had to take some time off and returned back to school after 1.5 years. Its been a couple of years, and due to academic stress. Because my GPA is so bad after failing 3 courses in both years ,I wanted to know if it was possible to petition to remove the marks I didn’t pass due to these extenuating circumstances.

    ——————————————

    hey there,

    i know it’s been a few years and you’ve probably heard this already, but i’m sorry for your loss. i can’t imagine what dealing with that must have been like, and it’s totally understandable that your GPA took a hit.

    i looked into this for ya, and i think your best option is to go after a withdrawal or WDR. it’s not gonna be a clear-cut process, because the official rule is that you can only request one until 6 months after the end of the term in question. there can be exceptions to this 6- month rule with extenuating circumstances, but i’m not sure you’ll be able to apply the exception to all your terms. apparently the faculty (artsci, although i’m not sure which one you’re with) argues that if you could register for more courses, any issues with past courses will have been resolved. i don’t know if that makes much sense, but the bottom line is you may only be able to fight for your last term of courses.

    i would recommend that you talk to your registrar’s office and make an appointment with an academic advisor. they’ll have access to your academic history and be better able to talk you through your options, as well as walk you through the petition process if they believe filing a petition would be in your best interests. there are fees associated with petitions, and if yours is successful you won’t get a refund for the courses you withdrew from either. but an academic advisor can give you specifics on that, as well.

    best of luck, my friend. i hope they’re able to work something out for you!

    over n out,

    aska

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  • deferral,  exams,  petition

    on internships and deferred exams

    April 16, 2018

    Hi! Many of the summer internships I have applied to are during the summer exam period (june). Since I am planning on taking summer courses and would like to intern (if i get an offer lol) is there any way i could reschedule my exams if there’s a scheduling conflict? would i be allowed to take my exams earlier than the scheduled dates? I’m assuming employers wouldn’t like an intern taking a day off during a short 10-week internship period. thanks!

    ——————————————

    hi!

    to the best of my knowledge, you can’t write an exam BEFORE the date, you can only defer an exam to a later date.

    to defer an exam, you will need to file a petition.  you will need to make an appointment with your registrar’s office, where they can walk you through the petition process as well as help you with any aspect of  your petition that you may be unsure about. they can also give you information on any other options you may have– just in case the advice i’ve given you isn’t the greatest.

    this is still super in advance, though. and while i commend you for thinking ahead, there isn’t much that you can do right now except for wait. once you know when your internship will be and when your exam(s) in june will be, then you can start looking into deferring your exam.

    i hope this helps! good luck with everything!

    jane krakowski good luck GIF by A Christmas Story Live

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • bad times,  failing,  health,  late withdrawal,  petition

    my bed is my safe place

    June 2, 2017

    Hey,

    My registrar has advised me to petition to have a quite a few of my credits designated as LWD instead of the F’s they currently have due to my documented illness (read: mental health struggles). I was just wondering if you could give a ball-park estimation of how successful these types of petitions are? The depth of consideration these petitions are given? Will I be taken seriously or will the petition-gods roll their eyes?

    I’m scared/embarrassed of submitting a petition with such a heavy request. I actually do pretty well in school when I’m not in bed all day (which has been the case for the past year and a half).*

    *FYI, I am currently receiving treatment and plan to resume with my studies – I just really need my academic record cleaned up if I want to have any future in my field or any future period.

    Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hey,

    while i personally haven’t seen people petition to designate failed courses as LWD, (that’s not to say it doesn’t happen) petitioning for most things at U of T is done through a case by case basis. there isn’t really a formula or way to predict what the outcome will be. since this petition is kind of a big deal, know that the petition committee will not handle it lightly and will only approve of it if there are serious extenuating circumstances.

    for now, i would just follow the advice of your registrar and try to petition it anyways. the fact that your registrar has advised you to do so means that they think there could be a chance of it getting approved. and hey, it doesn’t hurt to try!

    in my personal experience (meaning it might not be the same for everyone), mental health issues are dealt with pretty seriously at U of T. i’ve definitely late withdrawn from several courses over the years due to mental health issues with the help of my registrar and counsellors at health and wellness. being in bed all day made going to class and, well, pretty much everything very difficult. it was the greatest escape from reality. you’re not alone.

    the good thing is, you’ve taken the initiative to contact your registrar and ask for help. the fact that you reached out for help definitely helps your case! i don’t think they’d straight up roll their eyes if, like you said, you do pretty well in school when you aren’t in bed.

    i can totally understand why you’re scared; petitioning is always a little nerve-wracking. it may not be what you want to hear, but realistically, the only thing you can do is keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best! remember, health always comes first. stick with the treatment plan if it works, and always put yourself and your wellbeing before anything else. you can do this.

    ^me and you

    (i started typing ‘hug’ into giphy and then i saw ‘hugh jackman’ [my husband], so i thought i would get him to give you some encouragement as well)

    sending you our love, luck, and positive vibes all around,

    aska

     

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  • bad times,  gap year,  lost,  petition,  probation,  suspension,  UTM

    you need some good ‘ol r and r

    May 24, 2017

    hello aska,

    i read through a lot of your answers that were tagged with relevant terms, but I still hope I am not repeating someone’s question

    im a utm student about to be put on suspension… last school year i was negligent with my studies and so getting on probation was my fault entirely. this fall semester my marks have been abyssmal (i failed 3 courses) and I know it is my fault too, but there was also a  situation that happened during november (2016) that I could argue affected my marks.

    im not used to persisting to get exemptions or extensions (since ive never had problems that werent at least partially my fault) so I did not do anything about it at the time. now I am wondering if it is worth/possible pursuing or if it is too late. it was stressful and time consuming situation and unfortunately I do not have any official documents regarding the situation, maybe a few witnesses or pictures and onesided attempts to a file report…

    i am just grasping for any straws right now if you cant tell, just looking for a way to return to uni this september. ive read that students improved after a year off but i do not see how I will be able to cope with suspension and the burden of crushed expectations during the forced year off. needing to repay my school loans once im not full time also scares me.

    if my winter semester gpa is a great deal higher than my fall gpa this year is there a chance i could file a petition to return to school in september since I showed improvement?

    im probably hoping you could gauge my chances of returning in september and relay to me some good news ;; although I didnt mention it a lot, I do know how much of the blame for this situation is on me.

    im scared to reflect on it too much so i am trying to keep moving by looking at my options. the only hope I have right now is to ace every single one of my upcoming exams 100%..

    thank you for your time with these answers

    ———————————————

    hello,

    first of all, i’m really friggin’ sorry that i didn’t get to this question in time. sometimes it’s hard to get through everyone’s questions in time for the end of the semester, but we (yes we, i’m not alone in my efforts anymore!) are working our way through them as fast as we can.

    also, thank you for taking the time to see if this question has already been answered. we really appreciate it.

    when you emailed us, you mentioned that you were about to be suspended. i’m assuming that the suspension has now taken effect. again, i wish i could’ve offered you some advice earlier but it really wouldn’t have had much of an effect on your situation.

    so, how do we move forward from this? it sounds like you’ve had a tough year.

    first: i cannot stress this enough. go to your registrar’s office as soon as possible. even though it might seem too late, they may be able to help you file a petition to lift your suspension. please keep in mind that these kinds of petitions are reserved for very special circumstances will only be approved if the committee on standing believes that there were extenuating circumstances affecting your ability to meet the demands of school. your chances of continuing school in september will depend on whether or not your registrar believes there are sufficient grounds to file a petition. don’t lose faith, there is still hope!

    i’m not 100% sure about the timeline/deadlines on these types of petitions since they are very rare, but i would go the registrar’s office as soon as you can.

    regarding asking for extensions from profs: this is definitely hard. it took me a long time to get used to doing it, but you really need to think about it like this: you’ll never know until you ask. at least do the bare minimum and ask. if you don’t feel comfortable with asking for extensions from your profs, registrars are also capable of sending emails on your behalf.

    on the other hand, taking a year off might seem like the worst thing right now, but maybe it’s just what you need. you can get a job doing something you like and work towards paying off your student loans. the time off could be valuable for you in terms of re-evaluating your goals. a year without school might be good for your soul. think about it. a year of no readings, no essays, and no assignments sounds pretty nice tbh. relax and recuperate. it seems like what you went through was a little traumatic to say the least. don’t beat yourself up if you need some time to get back in the groove of things.

    wishing you all the best,

    aska

    *we are always here for you if you need us for (somewhat delayed) support* <3

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  • late withdrawal,  petition,  probation,  registration,  suspension

    chin up

    September 26, 2016

    Hello,

    I was wondering if there are any cases where a student who was refused further registration was allowed back through petitioning?

    In the Jan-Apr 2016 semester, I enrolled in a few courses that I had to eventually drop due to extenuating circumstances. Unfortunately, I had confused the course drop date with the late withdrawal date and ended up having the to late withdraw my courses instead. The problem is I went over the late withdrawal limit and was left with one course that I could not have passed by then. I was on my last academic suspension, thus was refused further registration after having this failed course on my record.

    I immediately filed a petition to have the course removed from by records, but was refused. This was in April. I have been working since then, but I really want to finish my degree. Since my second suspension, my grades have been slowly improving, though not enough to take me out of academic probation. I am eight courses short of completion and to fail now because of a careless mistake, not poor grades, is regrettable. I have been trying so hard to improve. I’ve been on suspension so many times, but I keep coming back because even though I am not a very good student, I am serious about getting my degree.

    I have been talking to an academic advisor since my first suspension way back when. She’d helped me with my latest petition too, but after it was refused, I emailed her several times, including one last week, but no response. Maybe she is on holiday. Or maybe she has no obligation to talk to someone who is not a student? Is that possible?

    Are there any stories of people actually coming back from a refusal? What do you think of my situation? Also, when I was suspended for 36 months, I actually made a petition for an early return and was approved. The approval message included a line that said that this would be the only time something like this will be approved; the same type of petition will not be approved a second time. If I appeal this time, would it be a different type of petition?

    Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

    ———————————————

    hello there!

    first of all, i want to commend you for your unrelenting determination in completing your degree. i would give anything to be as determined as you!

    that being said, i wish i had better news for you.

    given the fact that you have been suspended multiple times, it’s very unlikely that the university will let you re-register. due to the unique nature of your question, i actually consulted a registrar and was told that petitioning after being refused further registration was possible, but extremely rare.

    ‘refused further registration‘ is as clear as it gets.

    if you are dead set on trying to come back (again, good for you), my advice for you is to try contacting your college’s registrar’s office. i understand that your advisor may not be responding to your emails, but if you contact the office directly, they might be able to do something for you, whether it’s helping you pursue your petition, or looking for alternate options.

    since it is a busy time of year, some registrar’s offices get backed up with too many emails from incoming students, so it may help to go visit them in person. generally, offices tend to help those who come in person first over those on the phone or those who email.

    i’m assuming that petitioning refused further registration will be a different petition because it’s making an appeal for a different rule at the university, but again, your registrar will have a better idea of how the petition process works.

    if you aren’t able to come back to school, you might want to consider applying elsewhere. you never know, another university or college may have a different acceptance standards.

    have i ever heard of anyone coming back from being refused further registration? no, but that’s not because it’s never happened before, it’s only because that in my short time as aska, i’ve never met anyone who has been refused further registration.

    in terms of my own opinion, i think it’s great that you’ve been working during your suspension and being productive. i hope that you’ve found something that you enjoy doing! maybe further employment and pursuing your career is the way to go! it certainly is cheaper than completing a degree! don’t be discouraged, you said that your grades had been steadily improving. do not forget about that progress. your determination alone will get you very far.

    aska believes in you.

    and frankly, i’m excited to see how your life unfolds. drop us a line sometime and keep us updated on your situation!

    cheers,

    aska

     

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  • petition,  suspension

    suspension petition

    June 22, 2016

    Hey quick question…what is the likely hood of getting a suspension appealed/lifted because of violence at home? Thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    with petitions, compelling reasons go a long way, and certainly if you are facing a serious issue, the petitions committee will take it seriously. in this case, your divisional/college registrar’s office would be the best place to go not only to begin the process of filing the petition, but also to deal with the situation at hand. i’d highly recommend speaking with them as soon as you can.

    all the best,

    aska

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  • CR/NCR,  petition

    petition-ception

    June 20, 2016

    So basically I filed a petition at the end of my first year to remove a cr/ncr I had in a course, even though I got a terrible grade of 54 in it. The reason I chose to get the cr/ncr removed was because I had taken 3.5 credits with 0.5 as cr/ncr and I needed full 4.0 to apply for the Management program. I knew my cgpa would take a dip, but I was a naive first year who didn’t even know I could apply again at the end of my second year or I wouldn’t have taken this absurd decision. My petition got accepted my cgpa took a dip and I didn’t get into management.

    Now fast forward to the end of my 2nd year even though my cgpa has increased, it still doesn’t meet the cut off, however if that program which I had successfully petitioned to remove the cr/ncr of was still cr/ncr my cgpa would easily meet the cut off. Now my question is if I can successfully somehow petition to explain to the university that at the time I put in my first petition, I was unaware of the fact that I could apply at the end of my 2nd year and if they could reinstate the cr/ncr, as that really is my last hope of getting into the Management program.

    Thanks for your time, and awaiting your response.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    seeing as getting a credit/no-credit reversed is a pretty rare thing, putting back a credit/no-credit which you’ve previously removed probably has an even slimmer chance of happening. now, this assessment is based on my limited experience of petitions relating to CR/NCR’s, which in turn is based out of one college in the faculty of arts & science. the rules are not identical at UTM, and so my assessment may or may not match up to your experience. i can’t seem to find any information that’s relevant to your situation in the literature, so i think we’re on our own here.

    the only way to know for certain what your chances are on your campus is to talk to the UTM office of the registrar. they can tell you whether or not this is advisable.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • failing,  petition

    fake-out of a fail-out

    June 7, 2016

    hey aska, quick question for you. Im pretty sure I already know the answer to this but ill ask it anyway. So, Im a student at the utm campus and sadly recently failed a course which had a big impact on my cgpa. I do not need the course as a prerequiste for my program and was wondering if it were possible to get the failed mark removed from transcript or records? Thanks 🙂

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    unless there were really exceptional, extenuating circumstances surrounding this failed mark (in which case I would talk to your registrar’s office about petitioning for a WDR status in the course), then no, there wouldn’t be. if you do have exceptional circumstances surrounding your failure, i always encourage touching base with your registrar’s office. otherwise though, it tends not to be possible.

    i know that failing a course is a really, really crappy thing to experience. try though, if you can, to use your frustration about this mark to fuel your determination to do better next time. i know it sucks, but you can do it. i believe in you.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • petition

    the finer points of petitioning

    June 3, 2016

    Hey Aska,

    So I am a third year student (technically 4th) and I’ve recently been put on a one year suspension. I’ve been in utsc since 2012 and it has been a miserable experience. Anyways, I was wondering how long it takes for the papers to finally reach to the registrars? My marks don’t add up for atleast 3 courses and I think my finals have been marked really really poorly. The thing is, it’s been close to 10 days and I haven’t heard anything from the registrar. I also petitioned for a recheck of my final exam marks  and you are supposed to provide supporting documents within ten days of the petition, I am not sure if my petition would be cancelled if registrar fails to provide me papers on time? I’ve tried talking to the registrar but I was ignored and sent back promptly. I am concerned and would like to have atleast one chance to prove that I’ve been marked incorrectly so that things may be corrected and I can move forward.

    Any suggestions on who I can discuss this with? will my petition be cancelled?

    thanks

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    i’m not 100% sure i’m understanding this question correctly, but i’ll give it my best shot. since you didn’t clarify what you mean by the word ‘papers,’ i have to guess what I think you mean. i’m gonna assume that since you petitioned for a recheck, the papers you’re referring to are the documents (your statement and photocopy of the final exam) through the eService for your petition.

    if all documentation has been submitted on time, then there is no reason that your petition would not be considered. if there is some kind of documentation, like a copy of a final exam, that you need from the registrar’s office, that’s something you have to sort out with them.

    however, do keep in mind that petitions take a LOT of time to go through. while it is true that you have to submit all your supporting documentation within ten days, it can take much longer for you to receive the petition decision from UTSC. i don’t know about how UTSC’s process works in detail, but at the Faculty of Arts & Science, three weeks is a typical waiting time to hear back about a petition. there’re a lot of petitions and only one office, unfortunately. that’s just how it goes.

    also, i know you didn’t ask about this, but just as a side note: i don’t want you to be having a miserable time at school. i’m sure you don’t be wanting to have a miserable time. maybe this is a good oppoerunity to think about how worth it it is for you to stay at UTSC; and if you do want to stay, whether some changes might be in order. consider talking about it with an advisor at your registrar’s office, parent, or someone else you trust; it could be worth your while.

    cheers,

    aska

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  • failing,  petition

    changing an F to a WDR

    February 24, 2016

    Hi aska!

    I have somewhat of a sticky situation that I’m not sure how to handle. I’ve been talking with my college registrar, but still feel … well, stuck!

    Back in 2011, I started my first year at UofT in EngSci. I completed two full semesters, not doing extremely well, but passing/failing my courses at a pretty even ratio across the board. At that time, I had some err mental health issues, that really started to spiral out of control. I won’t go into details here. Essentially, at the end of my second semester in EngSci, I decided to transfer into LifeSci to try approaching my goals from a different perspective. I started my first semester in this new program September 2012…

    Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to even get passed a few months into the semester before being admitted into CAMH. To be honest, I was hospitalized for about 2 months there, and really don’t remember anything from the time (institutions seem to rely on solely pharmaceutical treatments, at least at the time –> highly medicated!) but there seems to be some records of contact between myself and my registrar in efforts to withdraw from my courses – it still would have been late withdrawal as it was past the drop date for the course. Because I didn’t complete the courses, my grades were extremely poor – all Fs.

    Having said that, my treatment went sour, things went terribly, and I never ended up following through. The past four years, I’ve been trying to recover and get back on my feet. Finally, this September I re-enrolled into LifeSci and am starting all over again. Looking at my transcript, my cGPA is shot, I’d say even 6 feet below. I’ve been trying to access health records from the hospital, to no avail just yet.

    What are the chances I’ll be granted a LWD if I petition at this point?

    Thank you!!

    Defeated Student.

    ———————————————

    hey there,

    if i’m understanding correctly, you want to petition to LWD courses that you took back in 2012. i’m going to answer your question assuming that’s what you’re asking, but if i misunderstood, just let me know so i can help out further.

    so, you wouldn’t be able to get an LWD. you are able to petition for a WDR (withdraw) which is essentially the same in every way as an LWD but it stands for ‘withdraw,’ and you would have ‘WDR’ designations on your transcript instead of ‘LWD.’

    i don’t have enough information to be able to advise you much further in this case. whether or not the petition is likely to be successful, i can’t say. the only thing i can recommend is continuing to talk with your college registrar’s office about it.

    perhaps you feel like your meeting with your registrar’s office was not particularly fruitful. that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the conversation. what i would recommend is writing down everything relevant to your story down on the piece of paper. write the points you wanted to make to your college registrar. then you can go in again and have another conversation, even with the same person, or somebody else if you’ll be more comfortable. i often find that writing things down helps to make sure you’ll cover all the points you want to cover.

    there’s never any harm in submitting a petition, but if your college registrar’s office thinks it’s not advisable, then it’s worth it to listen to them and avoid wasting your time.

    cheers,

    aska

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