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<p>Ah, the tough lesson of life: a seemingly minor point in time, when one make’s the wrong decision, can have profound implications.</p>
<p>You’ve got to put some things in your mind now, IMO:</p>
<p>1) You are about to enter a “rehabilitation phase” in your life. You are very lucky in the sense that you can redeem your path in terms of getting to college at least, within a couple of years or so. But you need to view it as such a long-term project. Rome wasn’t built in a day. In your case, Rome won’t be rebuilt in a day.</p>
<p>2) You should adopt the Stoics’ stance: what happens to you (or in this case which you did to yourself in the past) doesn’t define you, but how you respond to it does. Rise to the challenge. Don’t pity yourself and don’t get wrapped up in what happened except as you should learn the right lessons, make amends as best you can, and move on.</p>
<p>hmm i heard a professor actually was pretty surprised one of his students was able to hack into his computer and he just told him to use that potential for good and suggested a alternative class for him.</p>
<p>Being a computer hacker takes a real genius. Even though it’s wrong.</p>
<p>dude you’re totally fine. If they rescind your offer, just go to CC for two years and study your ass off and transfer to a good four year college. It is not the end of the world or anything.</p>
<p>You’d be surprised how many people make it to college without an actual diploma. I definitely agree about getting a lawyer and exploring your options. I know in my school system, you could easily get enough credits to graduate as a junior but you needed to pass English as a senior (or pass it first semester of college). Even if you got some D’s, you still passed, right? (As they say, D is for diploma). You might still be able to get your diploma within the summer. Also, you definitely need to talk to your college. The hacking should be forgiven (as others said, it happens all the time at MIT). The cheating is more questionable. If it doesn’t invalidate your GPA (like you were busted changing the grade of an assignment and the teacher consequently gave you a zero for that), you’ve already begin to atone. If you can somehow demonstrate that you have learned from your mistake, you might be okay. I could see you starting college on probation, but starting nonetheless.</p>
<p>To all who have responded:</p>
<p>I can’t think of a better way to thank all of you. I highly value your advice. Indeed, this is a big lesson learned, one which will stick with me for the rest of my years. </p>
<p>It’s currently difficult for me to accept junior college as my future path. But I’ve already tried to atone.</p>
<p>I will contact UCI ASAP. I’ve already made an appointment with my CC academic counselor to discuss my current situation and an action plan.</p>
<p>Thank you all for such valuable advice!!!</p>
<p>Write an essay to your school explaining the situation and how much you have learned from it. Make sure you mention how it has made you a better person and how you can understand the expulsion committee’s decision, and how you will teach your lessons to your fellow freshman next year. </p>
<p>This will hopefully catch their attention and help your chances for attending in the fall. And possibly ask a close adult (mentor-type) to write a short letter for you, like a letter of rec. but describing the change they have seen in you since the incident. </p>
<p>I hope everything works out for you, and let us know where you end up. GOOD LUCK!!</p>
<p>You made one mistake. </p>
<p>It’s okay. You’ve paid/ are paying for your crimes.</p>
<p>All I can say is, work hard. Second chances to go to a top school (maybe even better than UC-Irvine) are not impossible and often happens. </p>
<p>GL.</p>