Suspension hurts your chances of admission?

Applying to College
1

<p>I was suspended for a semester, freshman year, for possesion of straterra, which is prescription drug for ADD.
I am a junior now, who got 2340 on his sat, and was the class president, Student Government member, and bunch of other activities, and my gpa is 4.2, which is in the top 10 percent of my school.</p>

<p>i am wondering if my suspension will prevent me from getting to the schools which i would have been able to get into, without my suspension.</p>

<p>My guidance Counselor says she wont send colleges my disaplanary file, but i don't know what that means, as far as checking yes or no on the college application when they ask if i've been suspended. </p>

<p>please give me some great advices.</p>

2

<p>check no, that's the point of not sending your files.
interesting case of suspension.</p>

3

<p>Explain the situation.</p>

<p>If you can demonstrate that you have grown from it and aren't a threat or risk now, it could even(possibly) help you. Though it's hard to know how you are going to be viewed, it could be a minus, could be neutral, could be a positive as you have a more interesting story.</p>

4

<p>On the application, does it ask if you have ever been suspended from High School, or if you have been suspended ever (like including, elementary and middle school)?</p>

5

<p>I'm pretty sure it only includes high school. Princeton and Stanford discount freshman year academically and extracurricularly, yet I don't know if they care about suspensions during freshman year. Seriously though, ask your GC if she is going to say you have been suspended. If the answer is no, do <em>not</em> check the box. Also, whoever said it can possibly help you if you write an essay about the incident does not know what he or she is talking about. Adcoms are looking for ways to thin their piles, a suspension is an extremely easy way. I agree though with the above poster who said it's an interesting case of suspension.</p>

6

<p>Always tell the truth because you never know when something may come back and bite you (because it comes to light you risk losing everything. If you were suspended for a semester how are you going to explain the big hole in your transcript where you had no classes at that school? Even if you took classes at another school and your school gave you credit, people will still want to know the back story that led to this.</p>

<p>While your counselor is not allowed to send your disciplinary file, it does not mean that they won't answer the question truthfully. As DSC stated it is best to tell the truth and show how you have grown.</p>

7

<p>^^
Wait, he was suspended for a semsester? Holy Cow. I agree with Sybbie now. Unless your GC is really nice and checks <em>no</em> suspension, you should check yes and pray to God that things work out. You should really speak with your GC pronto.</p>

8

<p>you spelled "Disciplinary" wrong.....
sorry..I'm Meticulous..</p>

<p>&& YES check "yes" because I don't understand how you managed 2 get a 4.2 GPA when you missed a whole "semester".....not week...but semester...so im a little dubious...</p>

9

<p>well, about my gpa, i moved to another state to live with my aunt for a semester, soon as i was suspended and finished my semester there, so my guidance councilor said, they will just assume that i just moved and didn't like it so i moved back.</p>

<p>she also said something like if my grades are good they will not ask about moving of schools, so i am assuming that she is going to say no if they ask if i've been suspended</p>

10

<p>I would not think a school would omit a full semester suspension. They would be lying.</p>

11

<p>Stevie,</p>

<p>Keep in mind that the Common app and many school applications ask you straight forward:

[quote]

Have you ever been found responsible for a disciplinary violation at an educational institution you have attended from 9th grade (or the international equivalent) forward, whether related to academic misconduct or behavioral misconduct, that resulted in your probation, suspension, removal, dismissal, or expulsion from the institution?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>The common app and most school applications also state:</p>

<p>
[quote]
I certify that all information submitted in the admission process—including the application, the Personal Essay, any supplements, and any supporting materials— is my own work, factually true, and honestly presented. I understand that I may be subject to disciplinary action, including admission revocation or expulsion, should the information I’ve certified be false.

[/quote]
</p>

<p><a href="https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/DownloadForms.aspx%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/DownloadForms.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>In addition, your GC is also asked:

[quote]
Has the applicant ever been found responsible for a disciplinary violation at your school from 9th grade (or the international equivalent) forward, whether related to academic misconduct or behavioral misconduct, that resulted in the applicant’s probation, suspension, removal, dismissal, or expulsion from your institution?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>A student posted a similar question on the Parents forum, and this is the answer given by Carolyn (an admissions counselor with lot of experience)</p>

<p>
[quote]
Definitely talk to the counselor about this, and don't beat around the bush when you do so. Ask directly if he can look in your file and tell you if there is anything in your disciplinary file that will be mentioned in the school report. </p>

<p>Here's why you need to confront this directly: The Common Application now asks both the student and the school if there have been any disciplinary actions or violations while the student has been at the high school. Many non-CA users also have added similar questions.</p>

<p>You need to know upfront if this will be mentioned in any way in the school report, because if the school does mention it and you don't on your application, it will become more of an issue. </p>

<p>Just answer the question on the application truthfully, take responsibility for what happened, and explain what you learned from the circumstances. Most colleges will be forgiving if you are honest. They won't, however, be forgiving if you say something different than your school.

[/quote]
</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=367309%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=367309&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

12

<p>i don't know what to do with myself now, i have all the qualities to get into the ivies. but im just worried that i won't get in anywhere because of this.</p>

13

<p>I do not think it will hurt too much because:
1) Straterra is not a drug frequently abused.
2) You basically got suspended on a technicality.
3) It was your freshman year.</p>

14

<p>i think you must answer the questions truthfully. lying about a suspension is far worse than the actual suspension.</p>

15

<p>Ask straightforwardly. Make sure that you get a direct answer.</p>

16

<p>You need to be honest about this in your applications. Many schools will require you send them a disciplinary report, even if your counselor initially does not send it...some schools will not give you an admissions decision without it. Answer the question honestly...if anyone in the admissions offices of the schools you apply to finds out about this incident and you've indicated on the application that you have not been suspended, you're 1) lying and 2) not going to be looked at too positively, especially if you were in possession of the drug without having a prescription for it. </p>

<p>If you did have a prescription, then this is really not a big deal at all. If, however, you did not have a prescription for this drug, that's another story. Nevertheless, this is an issue about your honesty and your character, not necessarily about what you did that got you suspended...no one cannot fault you for being honest and I would bet most folks in admissions would respect you for being honest with them. This incident happened freshman year and I'll bet you've learned a lot since then. Ask yourself what you have learned from this incident and tell us about that in your Common Application or somewhere else if a particular school you are applying to does not use the Common. I have admitted students who have done far worse things - overlooking (though not forgetting!) discretions as late as senior year - because they were honest about what they did and they clearly learned from their mistakes. And, after all, colleges are about learning, right?!</p>

17

<p>my guidance counselor and principal said that it won't affect me going to the college of my dreams, but listening to ya'll makes me worry</p>

18

<p>Did you have a prescription for the Stratterra? That makes a world of difference.</p>

<p>My guess is that you did not, since you were suspended for a semester.</p>

<p>Despite AdOfficer's great perspective, I do think you will be discriminated against by some adcoms if you tell the truth. However, you have no other choice but to tell the truth. All you need is one good school to admit you - I am sure with your credentials that it will happen for you. If you are deceitful, you will risk everything, and will make a similiar mistake to the one which got you into this situation to begin with. </p>

<p>Freshman year was a lifetime ago for you. You have clearly learned from your mistake. You have nothing to be ashamed of or afraid of, so be honest. In admissions offices everywhere there are people who have experimented with drugs as teens, or who have made some other mistake. Some of those people are bound to look at your application file with an open mind.</p>

19

<p>I think Princeton, Stanford, and maybe Duke discount freshman year. Add these schools to your list, I don't think they will care about that suspension. However, your principal/gc are wrong. It most certainly can keep you from the school of your dreams. Or, you can lie, and hope for the best. This isn't some 1-day suspension for fighting which is really not much, but being suspended for a whole semester. I doubt colleges will be lenient, but I don't know.</p>

20

<p>My class president got a 5 day suspension for getting drunk during a school function, while she was president no less.</p>

<p>She got into Stanford.</p>

<p>Just dont kill anyone or deal drugs.</p>