[Trigger Warning: Discussion of suicide attempt]

betterthandarkchocolate asked:

Last semester at university I had to sit a final exam for social psychology, I was able to delay the exam because I was physically unfit to sit it. 

Unfortunately the next week I was in hospital with severe liver issues after a suicide attempt. Since then have extreme difficulties concentrating,I have severe memory loss and not to mention severe panic attacks, flashbacks and dissociation. Thus I was unfit to sit the rescheduled exam.

Despite offering medical certificates from my doctor and psychiatrist saying I was physically and psychologically unfit to sit the exam (not to mention being registered as a disabled student- for depression, anxiety and PTSD) they refused to move the resit date under any circumstances. 

Unfortunately as I was unable to sit the exam at all and it was worth a large percentage, my subject grade went from a 5 (top grade 7) to a 2. Meaning I have to repeat the entire subject and it will negatively impacting on my GPA. 

I’ve never failed anything in my life before and do this simply because they refused to move the exam date to the last day of the resit period. I get why they have the policy not to delay resits but honestly considering I spent my entire holidays needing extensive medical treatment (I still have to see 3 doctors a week) it’s not like I got an advantage. 

I feel very discriminated against and I’m very upset about the whole thing. I honestly expected better of the psychology and counselling faculty. I just don’t know what to do.

First off: I’m sorry you’ve been treated so unfairly. Is there a college constitution you can refer to to perhaps back you up on this matter? They must have their rules on this issue written down somewhere and, if they’re the same rules that let you delay for physical reasons first time, I think the suicide attempt and physical consequences of that should be ample reason for them to delay again without contradiction. Even if you had no physical consequences of your attempt, you have medical professionals testifying that you were in no fit mental state to be sitting exams. It angers me that this is even a point to argue.

I assume because you referenced GPA, that you’re in North America. I’m less familiar with how discrimination laws operate where you live, but in the UK this would almost certainly fall as a violation of the Disability Discrimination Act. It might be worth checking this avenue too? Do you have a student union or student advisory / advocate service to call on for help with this kind of thing?

I’m really disappointed that the pastoral considerations at your university seem to be so poor: when I was in a similar situation in my second year as an undergrad, my college senior tutor basically told me to work on getting well, and not to worry about my studies until I felt comfortable to tackle them again: maybe the next term, maybe the next year. They were great in allowing me to skip two terms and go back to begin the term I left at the end of in the year before, supporting me brilliantly to go on to graduate successfully.

I’m evidently not much use here. Please: if anyone has a similar experience or advice to share, please get in touch?

Notes

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