<p>I was suspended my sophomore year for abusing prescription pills on one occasion. Other than this my record is completely clean. I'm an honors student with over a 4.0 and have good extracurriculars. This incident was right after I moved to a new school in a new state. The common app asks to attach a document explaining any suspensions which I had to check yes on, but I don't know how to put it in a wording that will make it seem less bad. I also am wondering if this will keep me out of prestigious schools (boston u, george washington, etc.)? I just don't want this to look like as much of a big deal and a lot of it was getting in with the wrong crowd at my new school where I didn't know anyone.</p>
<p>It might hamper your chances, but its in your hands. Make sure you word the explanation well. Don’t sound too whiny, take responsibility for your actions, and make no excuses.</p>
<p>Colleges will consider what you did a big deal. They will be concerned about admitting a student who may have a drug problem and who may be vulnerable to abusing drugs as a way of coping with the stress of college. </p>
<p>To lower your chances that the incident will prevent your being admitted to some colleges, you need to take full responsibiiity for the seriousness of what happened, and also offer some specific things you’ll do so that you won’t succumb to such temptation when you move away to college.</p>
<p>any other ideas?</p>
<p>Talk about it as a learning experience(it was, right :)?). Explain what happened, how you got caught, reflect on how you grew from the experience and make it clear that you aren’t still abusing drugs. Everyone does a few things wrong during adolescence, if not in high school, than in college. Be mature about it and don’t forget that you’re an honor student behind that blemish.</p>