Dismissed from PhD for a 2.98 GPA....should I appeal?

[parab0l]

I was dismissed from a PhD program for dropping to a 2.98. I only finished my first year there. I did OK in my Masters (finished with a 3.5), and I did OK in my first quarter in my PhD (A,, A-, B-, so I know I can meet the demands) but I had some personal/family problems and fell ill and simply couldn't do it towards the end of the year. The course that really dropped my grades was a Business School class (I'm in Psychology), so I don't feel like it should be held against me if I had trouble with MBA level material. I have since changed a lot in my life, am better now (health-wise) and the circumstances that plagued me the year I started my PhD are different. The program director strongly encouraged me to appeal, but I guess I cannot argue with the numbers. Any suggestions?

Edited May 18, 2015 by parab0l

[orangeglacier]

There's really no reason not to appeal assuming you still want to continue the program.  If they turn you down, you're in the same situation you were before, and if they don't then you're golden.  Especially if the program director is on your side and you have out-of-class explanations for the spotty record you certainly stand a solid chance of succeeding in an appeal.

[Cheshire_Cat]

I agree with orange.  All they can say is no.  And if the program director thinks you have a chance, then that is in your favor.

[GeoDUDE!]

I think your only problem will be funding. if the program director wants you to appeal, you should be fine. Many places require above a 3.0 total gpa to retain RA/TA/GA 

[parab0l]

Thanks for the replies guys. I mainly asked this question to put my feelers out there and to see whether people have gone through similar situations. I may be biased but I think losing everything over a 2.98 is kind of harsh....I am pretty sure that people get admitted into PhD programs with a 2.98, even if just on probationary status. It's just so dang close to a 3.0!

 

I had a pretty debilitating drinking problem that just kept getting worse and worse but I have been 3 months sober now and I am confident I can raise my grade especially if they let me retake a class (which is not unheard of and have never had to do in my life). Plus alcoholism is considered a disability now and I never received any help from disability services through extended deadlines and counseling. In short, I am pretty confident that if I actually go to disability services and that I stay sober and retake a class that I can get A's. One of my arguments in my appeal is that I was never accommodated for my disability (which is unlawful), but I don't directly blame my professors because they may never have had to deal with my situation and because maybe I should have known that I have a disability and taken more action.

 

As far as funding - luckily I was awarded with a 50,000 dollar scholarship which essentially funds two years of my tuition even without doing any GRA/TA work. I have used up some of it but the remainder would cover the next year and I was told that the faculty would help me find something I can work on. I am sure that If I show improvement  I can find something within a year.

 

Thanks again for the replies. It's good to hear people's opinions about small discrepancies in grades...I mean, that 2.98 could easily be a 3.02 and maybe it was a single assignment that made all the difference.

Edited May 18, 2015 by parab0l

[GeoDUDE!]

That scholarship doesnt require a 3.0 standing?

[juilletmercredi]

I don't think it's particularly harsh. Grading in graduate school is very different - As are expected, Bs are okay but often a sign that your work isn't up to the expected standard, and very often Cs are a sign that you failed the class. A 2.98 indicates mostly Bs with some Cs, which is not an acceptable level of achievement in a PhD program.

Did you go to disability services? You have to actually go to disability services and disclose your disability in order to get the help. It's not illegal for universities to not accommodate you if they don't even know you have the disability; it's only illegal for them to refuse to accommodate you once they know about it.

 

With that said, I agree that you should try the appeal, particularly if your program director is on board - but I also think that your approach needs to be a bit different than evidenced here in your posts. It shouldn't be about how a 3.0 is an arbitrary dividing line (it isn't - it's pretty standard) or how you shouldn't be held accountable for MBA-level classes (why shouldn't you?) The focus should be on your personal health issues that made it difficult for you to achieve to your full potential, but those health issues are handled/you are seeking support with disability services to get accommodations for them, so now you can perform to expected levels.

 

Good luck.

[Eigen]

I agree that you should appeal, but I would be careful about how you word it. Your latest post here sounds like you're avoiding personal blame for the low GPA, and that won't win you any points on an appeal. 

 

Similarly, as Julliet mentioned, you have to actually have a disclosed and verified disability with disability services to receive accommodations. The way you word your post, it seems to me you didn't have a registered accommodation, which is on you not the school. 

 

Also, as mentioned, it's not the fact that you're 0.02 points below the GPA cutoff- it's that you're so close to the cutoff to begin with. It's also worth mentioning that some programs have both the GPA cutoff, and require no lower than certain standalone grades. Especially given that your average was 3.5 in the first semester, that would indicate some really low grades to pull you down to 2.98. At my school, and grade lower than a C+ is grounds for dismissal in addition to the overall GPA having to be above 3.0.

 

Also, you'll want to be careful about alcohol and the ADA requirements: Just to pull from one set of University FAQs:

 

 

Q. Is alcoholism a disability which is protected by the ADA?

Addiction to alcohol is considered a disability. Current alcoholics (even if they are still drinking), recovering alcoholics, relapsed alcoholics, individuals with a history of alcoholism, and individuals wrongly regarded as alcoholic are protected by the ADA if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. Alcohol and substance abuse are not protected by the ADA. Substandard performance is not protected (and should be well documented). Reasonable accommodations for an alcoholic may include a leave of absence to seek treatment. An alcoholic student who does not meet the performance standards of the university is also not considered qualified.

 

Addiction to alcohol is considered a
disability . . . but . . . alcohol and
substance abuse are not protected by the ADA.

 

A user of illegal drugs who is in a supervised rehabilitation program, or has completed such a program successfully is protected by the law against discrimination. The university has the right to require adherence to its substance abuse policies. See the CUA Drug and Alcohol Abuse Policy for faculty and staff and the Student Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Policy. These policies apply regardless of the presence or absence of a disability.

 

You have to be undergoing treatment for alcoholism, and not currently be "abusing" alcohol. Also, reasonable accommodations for alcoholism are usually a leave of absence/counseling to get the problem under control, not extra test time or extended deadlines. It's worth noting the last line of the second paragraph: "An alcoholic student who does not meet the performance standards of the university is also not considered qualified."

[kaykaykay]

If your program director says appeal then appeal. I am not sure how much you disclosed about your issues, depending on that you can ask him/her about the wording of the appeal. ASAP start with your psychological services. At least you have proof that you receive treatment now. I would not put a whole lot of emphasis on how your professors did not accommodate you (frankly what would have been the proper accomodation, even if you disclose your condition to them? ),  but I would try to say I had an untreated issue that is treated now- proof : psychological services. Maybe you could even discuss something with your business class teacher- a retake (with a retroactive incomplete grade) or changing your grading status retroactively to pass no pass (given that you passed).

Edited May 18, 2015 by kaykaykay

[parab0l]

The grading policy at this school focuses mainly on staying at or above 3.0. There are no specific guidelines as to what grades constitute failing, the only thing that the handbook says is that it is up to the faculty's discretion. Grades are also on a 80% = B-, 83% = B scale, which I didn't take into account at first. I've just never had problems with grades and I've never failed anything so I didn't pay much attention.

 

In my appeal I did not try to avoid blame for my GPA completely...I mainly blamed my personal problems. I did hint though that maybe I could have had more guidance. I felt like disclosing my problem may have hurt my relationship with the program more than staying quiet about it, and explained that it should not have been so. There is a certain stigma associated with this type of problem, you know? I feel like if I had a different type of disability I would be treated differently.

 

The scholarship is departmental and they give you a period of like 2 quarters to bring up your grade, so I would still be eligible for it. I guess the bottom line is that without being given the chance to attend for one more quarter I can't prove that my personal problems (which I feel like are under control now) were to blame. I completely agree that I needed some time off to get things under control, but time off has its own problems because I relied on staying a student to pay for my rent and bills. Had I gotten bad grades right off the bat, I would probably not be pushing this appeal, but I proved early on that I can handle the material.

 

Thanks for the advice.

[Eigen]

I understand where you're coming from, but in my experience you're better off completely taking the responsibility for your low grades, explaining that you had mitigating personal circumstances, and moving on from there. 

 

This is a graduate program, and as such people are generally expected to be responsible adults. Accommodations can be trickier at the graduate level (there is less latitude in what can constitute reasonable accommodations), and things like guidance on grading & seeking accommodations is much less visible. You're expected to have some experience with what you need, and how to get it. It's often one of the most difficult transitions of undergraduate to graduate education. 

 

With something like alcoholism, for which there are rarely in-class accommodations (it's usually just a leave of absence), I'm not sure what guidance you expected.

 

You keep alluding to different treatment- did you have an official disability waiver from the office of disability services? Or did you just disclose it to your professors?

 

There's no reason that you need to tell your program, ever, what your disability is. That's what the office of disability services is for. They will certify that you have a disability, and what accommodations are appropriate. They will not reveal, and faculty won't ask, what the disability is. 

[astaroth27]

Plus alcoholism is considered a disability now and I never received any help from disability services through extended deadlines and counseling. In short, I am pretty confident that if I actually go to disability services and that I stay sober and retake a class that I can get A's. One of my arguments in my appeal is that I was never accommodated for my disability (which is unlawful), but I don't directly blame my professors because they may never have had to deal with my situation and because maybe I should have known that I have a disability and taken more action.

 

Reading this made me angry and would likely piss off an appeals committee as well. Do not include anything like this in your appeal. Citing personal problems is a lot more honest than claiming you have a disability and accusing the school of not working hard enough to accommodate you.

Edited June 2, 2015 by astaroth27

[_kita]

You may also want to check with the department to find out what is considered a "reasonable" accommodation for substance dependency. Usually, something like that would offer extensions and possibly taking a semester off while you undergo intensive in-treatment services without recourse. However, grade allowances within the semester may not be covered.