<p>I'm a freshman at University of Wisconsin-Madison. I've gotten an underage and a paraphernelia charge, resulting in Non Academic Probation. Does that harm my chances of getting into the Business school in any way?</p>
<p>Your best information source would be within UW-M; however, applications for most reputable postgraduate programs will ask if you were ever suspended as an undergraduate, and you MUST honestly answer that question. With this said, you have an advantage; the better Business/MBA programs essentially require three to five years of post-Bachelor’s work experience. Accordingly, you’ll probably be in you mid/late-twenties when you apply to professional school and, consequentially, you should be able to indicate: (1) that was (about) ten years ago; (2) I did well in undergraduate school and in my entry-level job(s); (3) I have had no other legal/behavioral problems; and therefore (4) this incident is inconsequential.</p>
<p>However – and this is vital – YOUR performance throughout the next decade MUST make 1 thorough 4 a reality . . . NO MORE DISCIPLINARY ISSUES! </p>
<p>“reputable postgraduate programs will ask if you were ever suspended as an undergraduate”</p>
<p>I’m not sure probation and suspension are the same thing.</p>
<p>I had friends who attended UW Madison (UW-M is Milwaukee) and they used to joke about getting into trouble in the dorms and being put on double secret probation (from Animal House). I don’t think you would need to report non-academic probation. </p>
<p>Thanks for the responses guys, but the business school isn’t post graduate. I’m supposed to apply end of freshman year. I think I’ll be fine.</p>
<p>@CheddarcheeseMN: You may well be correct. Without doubt, however, I can assure you that many top Business Schools will ask that question, although the application nuances between suspension and probation exceed my expertise. Moreover, the B Schools to which I refer (and where I have hands-on experience) really aren’t at many Big Ten “type” universities. What you can obviously do now is download applications from a few professional schools that may be of interest in seven to ten years, to ascertain what information they currently request. I’ll close by reiterating only one point: never lie on an application (I’m not suggesting YOU would, but some do and it’s a sure “death penalty” if they’re discovered, even after they have matriculated). </p>
<p>Also, FYI to many “business school” means postgraduate educational programs (principally MBAs), not undergraduate studies. To illustrate, were an individual to say, “I graduated from business school” many/most people would, I suspect, feel he wasn’t referring to any Bachelor’s-level major. </p>