Suspension in middle school.

Applying to College
1

I was suspended three times in middle school for being an idiot (e.g. fooling around in woodshop, gluing doors shut). Three questions:

  1. Need I indicate this on app forms? (b/c it was in middle school, and my high school record is pristine … I had a complete turnaround from class clown to very well-behaved, mild-mannered student)
  2. If no to 1, will this harm me in the college admissions process? (I have extenuating circumstances in that I have very harsh ADD and d/n start taking medication until grade 9)
  3. Is there any way I can have these expunged from my middle school record, and so avoid 1 & 2 entirely?
2

<p>Your high school record is pristine? Then don't worry about it. Colleges do not look at middle school. If for some reason they did (they won't), the turnaround you displayed would be all the convincing they'd need (but they won't look).</p>

3

<p>I'm not so sure that colleges even see middle school records. I could be wrong though. Since they only ask for achievements/ accomplishments/ awards/ activities/ etc from high school, I believe that's what they use to make their decisions.</p>

4

<p>Yea but they have a box which they ask be checked if one has been suspended/expelled/etc. from (the grammar and diction differs from here on--could be: "any school," "school," "the school," etc.) school.</p>

<p>Need I check this? Will it hurt? Can I avoid this?</p>

5

<p>A thought just occurred to me while re-reading your posts ... if they won't check my middle school disciplinary records, can I simply check "No," knowing that they will not verify that in my middle school records, because they only care about high school?</p>

6

<p>It only refers to high school. Ask you GC if you're really unsure, but I'm 99% postitive it only refers to high school.</p>

7

<p>Yeah, I wouldn't worry if I were you. Most high schools (even if you attended middle school there) will only put your 9-12 records on your transcript. I have a similar problem, but it happened when I was a sophomore (last year) for making a Flash video that some students found to be harassing. I would say "no" about being suspended though because the application is asking about high school, not middle school.</p>

8

<p>Check with your GC. I work in a junior high, and here none of the JH discipline goes on the high school transcript.</p>

9

<p>nope...middle school means **** to any college. i assaulted and battered my p.e teacher. i also had about 30 detentions and 2 suspensions. and no college i applied to cared or asked. i got accepted to 3/5 UC's i applied so i don't think it matters.</p>

10

<p>Honey, middle school doesn't mean anything. Focus your worries on keeping your GPA up and doing well on SATs, because that's what colleges really look at. I got suspended in junior year for alcohol and yet I still got into schools that asked about suspension. I checked yes, got a letter of reccomendation from my hall principal explaining that it was a one time thing and that I am a good kid who volunteers a lot and does well in school...and tadaa! I got into grat schools, not just state schools. (ooh it rhymes! lol) The only reason I got rejected from schools is because my stats weren't good enough, not because of the suspension. So if it happened to me due to a suspension in high school, than your middle school suspension means NOTHING.</p>

<p>A kid in my class who also got suspended junior year for the same reason is now chosing between great schools like RPI, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Rice (I think...) and Wake Forest. So don't worry, really...</p>

11

<p>yea middle school means nothin, you don't have to check anything</p>