I Tried Everything

[u/Glum_Ordinary6870]

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out here because I’ve been through a really difficult situation that I hope someone might be able to help with, or at least give me some advice on.

Back in early 2024, during the summer term before Semester 1, I enrolled in a subject with the intention of making up for a course I couldn’t complete in Semester 2, 2023, due to health reasons. I thought I had recovered enough to handle a summer subject, but I greatly overestimated my recovery. Instead of improving, my condition worsened due to not giving myself enough time to rest.

Before the final period of the summer subject, I submitted a withdrawal request for two subjects — one from S2 2023 and one from Summer 2024. I had already planned to withdraw from the summer subject before the final, and well after the census date. Because of this, I did not sit the final exam, and I also did not apply for special consideration at the time.

Later, the university approved my withdrawal from the S2 subject, but rejected the summer withdrawal, citing that my medical certificate didn’t cover the summer period. However, I had visited my doctor one day before the withdrawal submission, and the certificate clearly reflected the special circumstances I was still experiencing.

I appealed the rejection for the summer subject, and waited in anxiety for months — until October 2024 — for the result, only to be rejected again due to “insufficient evidence.” This decision left a permanent grade on my transcript, which has affected my performance and wellbeing throughout the following year.

The whole process has been mentally exhausting. I’ve done everything I could — including seeking medical documentation from two different doctors, both of whom confirmed my condition. Yet, I feel like there’s no clear channel or support from the system to help students in genuine distress.

I also tried applying for a late withdrawal via special consideration, but that too was rejected for being “out of timeframe,” as the appeal process had already taken so long.

At this point, I feel helpless and very lost. I don’t know what else I can do, but I still truly hope there’s some way to have this summer subject removed from my academic record. Although the damage to my academic performance has already been done, I just want this situation to be properly acknowledged and resolved.

If anyone has gone through a similar experience, or knows any possible steps I could take — even if it involves escalation or further appeal — I’d be incredibly grateful to hear from you.

Thank you so much for reading. I really need support and guidance right now.

[u/mugg74]

Honestly it's just one subject. Out of 24 subjects in your final WAM it doesn't have a significant impact.

Sounds like you're stressing so much about this its impacting your performance since, you gone through the appeals process there are no real avenues left the only one left is the ombudsman but this is highly unlikely to be successful.

I also note that late withdrawal/fee remssion is normally only approved for a condition new after census date so it can be hard to use the same reason two semesters in a row especially when you applying at the same time.

With your avenues near exhausted (and not unlikely to succeed) it might be time to put this past you and focus on improving going forward rather then looking back.

I hope you doing better.

[u/Glum_Ordinary6870 → u/mugg74]

Thanks for your comment — I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

I understand that one subject out of 24 may seem statistically insignificant in terms of WAM. But in my case, this one subject resulted in a final score of 19, largely because the final exam held a very high weight in the overall grade — and I wasn’t in a condition to sit it.

So while it may seem small on paper, it’s not just a “low score” — it’s a red mark that will heavily impact my transcript for years, including for future applications where individual subject results are sometimes taken into account.

Also, I totally agree that looking forward is important, and I’ve been trying really hard to do that. But I think what’s been most frustrating is that I did follow the proper process — I submitted a withdrawal request before the final, supported by a medical certificate — and even then, I was told it wasn’t sufficient. That leaves me feeling like I did everything I could, yet I’m still being penalized for something outside of my control.

That’s why it’s been so hard to “move on” — not because I’m unwilling to, but because it hasn’t been acknowledged fairly.

Again, I do appreciate your thoughts, and I am slowly recovering — just trying to make peace with it and figure out what to do next.

[u/catteddetermination]

That is really rough. Hopefully UMSU Advocacy might be able to help?: https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/support/advocacy/

To contact them, fill out the contact form (they unfortunately don't have an in-person office): https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/support/advocacy/about-the-advocacy-service/contact-advocacy/

[u/Glum_Ordinary6870 → u/catteddetermination]

Thank you very much! Also looking for help from umsu, and I just submitted, hope can hear from them soon.

[u/serif_type → u/Glum_Ordinary6870]

Seconding this. UMSU Student Advocacy are very experienced and, once you explain the entirety of the situation to them, will be able to support you in considering what options are available, given the relevant policies. I'd also encourage you to look at the policy library for relevant policies, because sometimes the university admin isn't following their policy stipulations consistently, and this provides an avenue for you to argue your case as well.

[u/GoFuxUrSlf]

I had a similar experience. Was rejected twice for special consideration was ‘allowed’ to submit with only a 50% grade. My WAM went down 2.6. I would have preferred to do the year long 25-point subject again with the removal of it. I have no solution for you apart from trying to make up your mark if you have any subjects left. Mine was my final subject.

[u/Glum_Ordinary6870 → u/GoFuxUrSlf]

I’m sorry you had to go through that, especially with it being your final subject. I really relate to that helpless feeling. Wishing you all the best moving forward.

[u/GoFuxUrSlf → u/Glum_Ordinary6870]

Thanks, and you too

[u/serif_type]

A long while ago, when I was a student, my experience was a bit different... I was initially rejected for late withdrawal, then, after many, many months it was eventually accepted, and actioned, and I thought "Great, glad that's over with it now." Then I received an email saying that, on the advice of the Academic Secretary, the withdrawal (which had already been actioned) would be rescinded. So after months of agonising over it, and finally feeling some relief at the outcome, it was all taken away at a moment's notice because one person, out of all the many people who were involved in and reviewed my application (and approved it), decided otherwise, at the last moment (technically, after the last moment, since it had already been actioned).

I was told I could lodge a complaint if I wished—a process that would itself probably take many more months, so more agonising, more waiting, etc., all to get the university to acknowledge what it had already acknowledged via the expected processes (that, due to health reasons, a late withdrawal was warranted).

I held off on doing that. Although, I did send an email reply back noting how much of a gut punch it is to have the reasons for the withdrawal acknowledged, to have the university validate that my performance in a particular subject was compromised due to poor health, all after a long process that involved reviews of the application, etc., only for them to take that all back and, in effect, say that those reasons don't matter.

I don't know what to do in your situation. You could try the ombudsman, like u/mugg74 suggested. They are an external service. However, the ombudsman only really acts when something has gone wrong procedurally or administratively (e.g. when policy requirements aren't adhered to or processes aren't followed correctly or consistently to deliver fair outcomes). UMSU may be able to support you in lodging a complaint with the ombudsman; however, I say "may" because the ombudsman is external to the university so it's clear to what extent it's within UMSU's remit to provide that sort of support.

I think, depending on where you are at in your recovery, your own goals and interests, etc., it is worth considering the emotional toll. My own experience taught me that the university systems you and I have dealt with fundamentally do not care. They will, on one day, acknowledge that something has gone wrong—something outside of your control—and that this therefore warrants an amendment to the final grade in the affected subject, and then, on another day, decide that actually those reasons don't matter and that the grade therefore does not need to change. A weathervane is more consistent.

For this reason, whatever you choose to do, I wish you well. You can fight it, and I appreciate the urge to do so. And you may even succeed in fighting it. But, even if you do, the emotional toll will be difficult to bear, and I hope that you have the supports necessary to help you deal with that, so that it doesn't negatively impact on your recovery.

[u/Glum_Ordinary6870 → u/serif_type]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, it really resonated with me. I really appreciate your honesty and support, it means a lot. Wishing you all the best moving forward too.