Chances of getting into grad school with an unclean record

[coreycat]

Hi all

I will be applying to grad school for an MS in a natural resources program next year, and I was wondering what are the chances that a past arrest record will affect my chances of admission? To be clear, the charge was a misdemeanor, for which I completed all the requirements that the court requested. The charge will be expunged from my record in a few months. My lawyer has told me that due to the plea agreement that was made, I was never technically convicted of any crime. Does anyone have a similar experience or can lend advice on how to answer questions relating to this on an application?

[katemiddleton]

Hi all

I will be applying to grad school for an MS in a natural resources program next year, and I was wondering what are the chances that a past arrest record will affect my chances of admission? To be clear, the charge was a misdemeanor, for which I completed all the requirements that the court requested. The charge will be expunged from my record in a few months. My lawyer has told me that due to the plea agreement that was made, I was never technically convicted of any crime. Does anyone have a similar experience or can lend advice on how to answer questions relating to this on an application?

I don't know about the sciences, but in the humanities it does not affect you at all. I was never even asked a question about arrests/etc on any of my 8 applications.

Alex

[phusion]

sounds like you have absolutely nothing to worry about!

I've seen the question before, something along the lines of, "have you ever been convicted of a crime" and in most cases they only ask about felonies. But those questions are pretty rare, and you haven't been convicted of anything...

relax...

[communications13]

It sounds like the issue will be expunged before you're apps are complete?

If not there are schools that will over look it if they ask about it at all. If you do come accross questions about it on the application, talk to someone in Graduate admissions (not your department) about your situation to make sure you anwser the questions as accuretly as possible. If you do not mention it and it is asked about and they judge it belonged in that section school can revoke your acceptances. That said, I really do not believe something that small will hurt your chances.

[coreycat]

It sounds like the issue will be expunged before you're apps are complete?

If not there are schools that will over look it if they ask about it at all. If you do come accross questions about it on the application, talk to someone in Graduate admissions (not your department) about your situation to make sure you anwser the questions as accuretly as possible. If you do not mention it and it is asked about and they judge it belonged in that section school can revoke your acceptances. That said, I really do not believe something that small will hurt your chances.

Yes the charge should be expunged about six months before the apps are sent in. I have delayed applying to schools because I have been waiting to get it expunged.

So you don't think it will work against me if I ask someone in admissions about it?

I guess I'm just paranoid that I will ask about it and then they will put me on some sort of grad school black list... if such a thing even exists