How to beg a university to admit you?

[hinakiba777]

Alright, so I'm applying to return to university in May. I have made the decision to return to my original school, due to many issue I had at the second university I attended. I realize now transferring was a very stupid mistake. Sadly, due to the many issue I had a school two, my GPA is far from stellar.

So both my original university, and my back up school had insisted I include a letter with my application. This letter needs to explain why I allowed myself to flounder academically, why I would do better at their institution, and how I will attempt to better myself in the future. Basically I need to explain why I used to suck, but now will no longer suck.

Now I do have answers to most of these questions. My first few years of university when I was doing average I didn't know what I wanted to do so I just kind of floated around in mediocrity trying to figure out what was my passion. I thought transferring would give me focus, but a very long list of bad things happened to me. I will include this list in the letter, but not here. I always feel kind of pathetic when I write it out, like I can see now how I could have coped with it all, but I didn't see it then.

Then I just want to talk about how I am more mature how, how the year off school made me realize how much I missed academia, how I know what I want from life now, and how i am actually quite smart and capable when I apply myself, I just wasn't working to my potentional before. If they allow me to attend their university, then I WILL work toward my potential and my goal of graduating and getting into grad school.

My problem is I just don't know how to phrase all of this? and also, I don't know if there is anything else I should say?

I mean how do you convince someone to take such a gamble?!

[Mytical]

My advise, for what it is worth, is be honest. Just write what you feel, know, and have experienced. Let them see the real, amazing you, with any flaws..and write from your heart not your mind. Everybody has bad times in their life, and the place you are going to go to will know that. Start from what mistakes you have made, what you learned from those mistakes, and why it was a good life lesson. Be positive. I think you will do marvelous..and wow them.

[csquared]

I can sympathizes with you. I am lousy at writing that kind of stuff.

Mytical hit the nail on the head. You don't want a letter full of excuses. Show how this has been a learning experience.

Also, don't say anything negative about the second university. "Second University was good, but this is why you are better."

Good luck!

[42_42_42]

If you want, I'll proofread it for you.

[Seshat]

They're looking to see if you're the sort of person who learns from life, rather than the sort of person who lets life's problems be 'reasons' why they don't succeed.

Life always tosses you problems. The issue is whether you make lemonade (or in my case, lemon madeira cake*), or whine that you don't like citrus.


(* We have a lemon tree. I don't like lemonade. I DO like lemon madeira cake.)

[AccountingDrone]

They're looking to see if you're the sort of person who learns from life, rather than the sort of person who lets life's problems be 'reasons' why they don't succeed.

Life always tosses you problems. The issue is whether you make lemonade (or in my case, lemon madeira cake*), or whine that you don't like citrus.


(* We have a lemon tree. I don't like lemonade. I DO like lemon madeira cake.)

Good advice.

And is there a recipe for lemon madiera cake?

[Seshat]

It's a very simple cake.

Madeira Cake


SR - self-raising - flour is simply flour with baking powder already included.
Plain flour is flour without baking powder.