I am about to enter graduate school and the only thing that is against me within applying (since my gpa is above what they need, a professor and employer wrote a solid recommendation letter, and my personal essay was on point), was a petty theft first offense charge last year that will be cleared off my record coming spring. I am TERRIFIED that this is the one stupid mistake that is going to get me shooed away from the graduate program of my dreams and I need to know that maybe I will be okay. It wasn’t drugs, or alcohol, or anything INSANE, but it was definitely something stupid that destroyed me as a person. Thoughts?
Unless you are applying to a program that requires a background check (for example, working with children), they should not see the charge or likely care about it if they do.
Think about what happened, why, what you learned (NEVER associate the offense with getting caught), and so on. Be honest, brief without details of the incident, what you learned then and now. If more information is needed, let the person ask. I think that the incident will be removed on your record…not your resolve…could be an important. Contrition is good, defensiveness and self pity not so much.
Yeah, it’s doubtful that the programs you are applying to will even see it. Most programs will ask if you’re on academic probation or if you’ve ever been disciplined by the university. A few may ask if you have ever been convicted of a felony or a specific list of misdemeanors, mostly because you’re not eligible for certain types of federal aid if you have been, but most schools don’t do background checks and wouldn’t know unless you disclose voluntarily.