Academic Suspensions from Previous Schools...HELP!

[carbonchemicals]

Okay, so to make a long story short, I am applying to graduate school for journalism, after graduating undergrad in 2011 and attending one year of law school. However, I was suspended from law school following an arrest for DUI. I'm obviously reporting that I've been in legal trouble on applications, but, is there any way journalism programs would find out I even ATTENDED law school if I don't mention it anywhere on my application? Can I get in trouble for withholding this information? Someone please help me out, I have applications due next week.

[aldoushuxley]

Basically, I think that they can do background checks on you (esp. since they have your SS#). They may do that primarily because of your DUI, and there may be information about your law school suspension there too. I'm not a legal expert, though. 

[Sigaba]

Read carefully the "fine print" on your application materials. When you sign the dotted line, are you consenting to background checks? Are you affirming that you're sending all of your transcripts for all the schools you've attended?

[TakeruK]

Yes, you can get in trouble. Most applications require you to report every school you have attended past high school and when you digitally sign the online forms, you usually have to agree that you have provided all the information requested etc. etc. 

 

I've found that most schools did not require me to agree to a "background check" (I'm in a more traditional academic research field). I can see how a background check may be necessary/included for some professional programs or if the background check is relevant to your field of study. I think I would trust most schools to do the ethical thing and not run background checks without your consent/knowledge (but you have to make sure to read all the things you are agreeing to carefully, as Sigaba suggests!)

 

In your case, I would recommend checking what your Law School transcript says (order a copy for yourself and open it) about your suspension. I would make sure that I report everything that is required by the application and that what you say is consistent with what will appear on transcripts or other documents the school will receive. Also, I'm not sure if you have looked at your applications yet, but if not, you might not even have to report past legal history. None of my programs did (and I just went through some old applications to check, out of curiosity). Of course, this requirement may vary based on the nature of the graduate program!

[carbonchemicals]

Yes, you can get in trouble. Most applications require you to report every school you have attended past high school and when you digitally sign the online forms, you usually have to agree that you have provided all the information requested etc. etc. 

 

I've found that most schools did not require me to agree to a "background check" (I'm in a more traditional academic research field). I can see how a background check may be necessary/included for some professional programs or if the background check is relevant to your field of study. I think I would trust most schools to do the ethical thing and not run background checks without your consent/knowledge (but you have to make sure to read all the things you are agreeing to carefully, as Sigaba suggests!)

 

In your case, I would recommend checking what your Law School transcript says (order a copy for yourself and open it) about your suspension. I would make sure that I report everything that is required by the application and that what you say is consistent with what will appear on transcripts or other documents the school will receive. Also, I'm not sure if you have looked at your applications yet, but if not, you might not even have to report past legal history. None of my programs did (and I just went through some old applications to check, out of curiosity). Of course, this requirement may vary based on the nature of the graduate program!

 

What kind of trouble? Just getting denied or anything more serious?

[misskira]

What kind of trouble? Just getting denied or anything more serious?

If you receive any type of funding based on a fraudulent application, they can require you to repay it.  You could also get to a point where you are a long ways into your program, they find out, and then they can kick you out without allowing you to finish the degree.  I'm in education so we are required to have complete background checks, including fingerprinting.  My application did require complete transcripts from all schools attended.

[socioholic]

Okay, so to make a long story short, I am applying to graduate school for journalism, after graduating undergrad in 2011 and attending one year of law school. However, I was suspended from law school following an arrest for DUI. I'm obviously reporting that I've been in legal trouble on applications, but, is there any way journalism programs would find out I even ATTENDED law school if I don't mention it anywhere on my application? Can I get in trouble for withholding this information? Someone please help me out, I have applications due next week.

 

My situation is slightly similar. I had no legal trouble, but I started a graduate program at the same college I went to for undergrad and left. On at least one application, it would not let me input both periods of time (grad and undergrad) on the application. I knew it would appear on my transcripts though and I didn't want it to look like I was trying to hide something. There was a textbox in the applications where I was able to comment on the fact that I couldn't add the graduate time period and I also referenced it in my SOP.

 

Most applications ask you to input all colleges attended; others like the one I mentioned above say to list all the ones from which you received a degree. I think it depends on what they are asking for in the application.