Nursing School Dismissal Issue

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Hello. I was dismissed May 2016 from my nursing school for failing 2 courses, each by one point. I was encouraged by one of my professors to appeal my dismissal and so I did. I waited about a month and a half for their decision and they denied my appeal. So I began looking into other options for school. Around September I learned that one of my friends, who had been dismissed along with me for the same reason and appealed his dismissal and his appeal was denied as well, was back in the program. I contacted him and he told me he had talked to the dean and assistant dean and they agreed to let him back in but he was told not to tell any of his peers about the situation. I immediately contacted the dean and requested a meeting. The dean told me that she couldn't discuss his case with me and that I needed to look into other majors.

I am aware that essentially I did not make satisfactory grades to stay in the program. My thing now is that they let him back in even after his appeal was denied. I also used federal aid to pay for school, so from what I have been looking at, they possibly broke some laws by letting him back in.

I emailed the provost of the university and she emailed me back stating that she set up an appointment with the dean and assistant dean of the nursing school and told me that she would get back to me after their meeting. Shortly after, the assistant to the dean contacted me and told me the dean would like to speak to me and set up a date and time to meet.

Does anyone have any suggestions or anything? They can't deny both of our appeals then turn around and let him back in can they? Thanks in advanced!

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

Who knows why they let him back in. There could be a number of reasons. They're probably not obligated to tell you why he was let back in to protect his confidentiality. You failed 2 courses and should be dismissed.

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My advice is to bring an attorney with you if it makes you feel any better but I would not hold my breath hoping for them to reverse their decision. Clearly the other student held some sort of sway over them that you don't. But you won't know until the meeting.

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I am sensing a huge storm coming your way. I am not trying to sound scary but by doing what you are doing you have involved a lot of people in this: the school administration, that very student and probably a few other people. I do not think that you will be let in because I am sure you have angered the "boss". But even if you do "win" and they will let you in, I wonder how your life and schooling will be knowing that you were once dismissed and the admin was not happy with you.

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My advice is to bring an attorney with you if it makes you feel any better but I would not hold my breath hoping for them to reverse their decision. Clearly the other student held some sort of sway over them that you don't. But you won't know until the meeting.

Only thing an attorney would do for that meeting would be to shut it down instantly. Can't think of a worse thing to bring to this meeting than an attorney! That just puts the school immediately on the defensive and will ensure they stick to the letter of the law regarding her dismissal. She failed two courses, she's out. On her own, maybe there is a chance of discussing it, although I honestly hold out no real hope for that. But the only time an attorney should be in the room is if you're planning on going to court and want to guarantee it.

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Specializes in Critical care.

I don't get what using federal aid has to do with him being let back in and the school breaking the law.

If you do get back in you'll have painted a target on your back. Cut your losses and see if you can get into another program if you want it bad enough. You also need to evaluate why you failed 2 courses and what you will change to make sure it doesn't happen again if you get into another program.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

You were dismissed for cause -- you failed two courses. By one point or by fifty points, you failed. Your appeal was denied. You were allowed to continue in nursing school because you failed two courses and your appeal was denied.

You don't know anything about this other guy's situation, and it's really none of your business. You're insisting that you should get the same treatment as he does -- but life isn't fair. You got what you got because them's the rules. It does't matter what some other guy got, because that doesn't pertain to you.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I wonder if he demonstrated an attitude of responsibility, and a solid improvement plan. Based on this post you sound entitled, and are more concerned about your appeal than about your failing grades.

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There are several points worthy of comment here:

1. " failing 2 courses, each by one point"- failing by one course equates to getting at least 10 questions wrong on tests,

2. You were dismissed for cause. You have no idea why your colleague was readmitted.

3. If you are fortunate enough to get another chance-what will you do to improve the next time? I heard nothing in your post about what you will change to succeed if you are readmitted OR in your next program if you are unsuccessful. You need to think about that

4. You are more than welcome to use the chain of command. You do need to realize you are antagonizing the leadership of the school and you are asking for another chance to live there. You'll need toto be courteous and respectful at all time.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I am so sorry you are going through this....I am sure it is difficult for you. ((HUGS))

I am concerned, however, that you are focusing on your friends dismissal and readmission instead of researching an action plan and developing your own plan on what you are going to do different as you go forward to improve your academic performance. I can see why the Dean refused to consider you for readmission if you called complaining about your friends readmission and you are being treated unfairly.

You know as well as I do that they are not going to discuss his meeting with them as that is private and none of your business. I am positive that you would be outraged if the circumstances were reversed. The university can do exactly as they wish and essentially you have very little control. I would however do some research about the schools academic dismissal/grievance procedure and follow it to the letter. I also strongly encourage you to develop your own performance improvement plan and present it at your meeting.

1. Appeal in Person

If you have the option of making a written or in-person appeal, choose the latter. The members of the appeals committee will think you are more committed to being readmitted if you take the trouble to travel back to college to make your case. Even if the thought of appearing in front of the committee terrifies you, it is usually a good idea. In fact, nervousness and tears can sometimes make the committee more sympathetic to you. These articles can help you prepare for an in-person appeal:

If you need to appeal in writing, check out these sample appeal letters. Both present the students' reasons for poor academic performance and their plans for improving their grades:

2. Don't let your parents appeal your case

The appeal committee members want to see that you, not your parents, are committed to your college success. If it looks like your parents are more interested in the dismissal appeal than you are, your chances for success are slim. Don't have your parents write a letter of appeal for you, and don't let them show up at your appeal with you. The committee wants to see you taking responsibility for your bad grades, and they want to see you advocating for yourself.

3. Be Painfully Honest

The underlying reasons for an academic dismissal vary widely and are often embarrassing. Some students suffer from depression; some tried to go off their meds; some got messed up with drugs or alcohol; some stayed up every night playing video games; some got overwhelmed pledging a Greek.

Whatever the reason for your bad grades, be honest with the appeals committee. Colleges believe in second chances -- it's why they allow you to appeal. If you don't own up to your mistakes, you're showing the committee that you lack the maturity, self-awareness, and integrity that you'll need to succeed in college. The committee will be happy to see you trying to overcome a personal failing; they will be unimpressed if you try to hide your problems.

4. Don't Blame Other People

It's easy to get embarrassed and defensive when you fail some classes. Still, no matter how tempting it is to point at others and blame them for your bad grades, the appeals committee will want to see you taking responsibility for your academic performance. The committee will not be impressed if you try to blame those bad professors, your psycho roommate, or your unsupportive parents. The grades are your own, and it will be up to you to improve your grades. See Brett's appeal letter for an example of what not to do.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't explain any extenuating circumstances that contributed to your poor academic performance. But in the end, you are the one who failed those exams and papers. You need to convince the appeals committee that you won't let external forces lead you astray.

5. Have a Plan

Identifying and owning up to the reasons for your poor academic performance are the first steps to a successful appeal. The equally important next step is presenting a plan for the future. If you were dismissed because of alcohol abuse, are you now seeking treatment for your problem? If you were suffering from depression, are you working with a counselor to try to address the issue? Going forward, are you planning to take advantage of the academic services offered by your college?

The most convincing appeals show that the student has identified the problem and come up with a strategy for addressing the problem. If you don't present a plan for the future, the appeals committee is likely to think you will end up repeating the same mistakes.

6. Show Humility and Be Polite

It's easy to be angry when you've been academically dismissed. It's easy to feel a sense of entitlement when you've given a college thousands and thousands of dollars. These feelings, however, shouldn't be part of your appeal.

An appeal is a second chance. It is a favor being offered to you. The staff and faculty members on the appeals committee spend a lot of time (often vacation time) to consider appeals. The committee members are not the enemy--they are your allies. As such, any appeal needs to be presented with the appropriate "thank yous" and apologies.

Even if your appeal is denied, send an appropriate note of thanks to the committee for considering your appeal. It's possible you'll be applying for readmission in the future.

How to Appeal an Academic Dismissal

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Not a good idea to bring an attorney to the meeting - but, if you can, you should consult one (or someone with experience with the law) and get practice with the type of questions that they may ask you (for instance - what will you differently if you were re-admitted?).

Still, be open to compromise (i.e. getting some of your financial aid back). Honestly, I think getting some money back is better than returning to that school; I soon as you make another mistake, they may use it to dismiss you, again.

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