Sample Letter of Appeal for Graduate Admission

Letter of Appeal for Graduate Admissions, Graduate Public Health Program, University of XXXX, College of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health.

 Respected Graduate Admissions Committee:

My application for admission to your program was declined and I would like to appeal the decision based on significant new information. I am so very fond of your program and want so much to be accepted that I began with 4 classes, as a non-degree student, in order to establish my capacity to perform as a graduate student in your program. I am pleased to report that while I only received a B in Epidemiology, I received the grad of B+ in both Health Policy and Management and Environmental Health. And, of course, I am particularly pleased with the ‘A’ that I was awarded in Social and Behavioral Public Health. I have now been a member of UXX’s Public Health Association since August of 2008 and I look forward to studying most diligently in your program and humbly request that I now be accepted as a degree student.

 I do love America, Florida in particular, but it is my affection for my country and continent of origin that drives me forward, and forms the basis of my dedication to the field of Public Health. Having been born and raised in Nigeria, I have not only seen, but also lived firsthand, the realities of a country bereft of the necessary resources to adequately attend to the needs of its people. Of course, much of the misery of the Nigerian people results from the lack of adequate organization and administration of the resources that do exist, especially human resources (not only petroleum). And my homeland has enjoyed a measure of success since returning to democratic rule, with greater respect for human rights and somewhat less corruption and sectarian violence then was the case under military rule. Still, the need for public health professionals remains acute, especially in terms of environmental issues and the large numbers of doctors that leave Nigeria for higher salaries in other places.  Furthermore, the way in which Nigerian citizens suffer so profoundly from the effects of severe environmental degradation due to petroleum extraction is well known.  I ask that you help me by continuing to provide me with the critical thinking skills and body of knowledge that will empower me to make a difference. Nigeria remains my moral and spiritual cause in life and your program will help me to make the kinds of contributions that I feel strongly that I am capable of making. Of special importance to me are the multidisciplinary and trans-systemic approaches to the study of Public Health that your program embodies, especially the critical study of the serious health effects of environmental pollution; particularly the deadly impact of chemical mixtures and the interactions of chemical exposure with other biological and psychological risk factors.

 With the appropriate academic foundation and professional experience, I will be able to successfully bridge the gap between American and Africa on my own personal level, building ties of solidarity with my people that will help to transform Nigeria into a place where there is greater hope, based on concrete progress through systemic organizational restructuring. My annual travels to England have also helped to form my cosmopolitan character and international mindset. And it is most appropriate that I continue to learn how to celebrate and make the most of diversity, especially insofar as Nigeria is home to some 250 different ethnic groups. XXU is my sole choice for further education and I would be most proud to count myself amongst her alumni.  Your program stood out to me as unique from the very beginning, due to the vast scope of its curriculum and the way in which the program is especially well suited to addressing the challenges of the day that are faced by my people. I profoundly appreciate what I have learned so far at XXU and look forward with keen anticipation to having the privilege to continue my studies. I want to thank you for reconsidering my application to your program.