<p>The conclusion from various college counselors on here is pretty basic: be honest and they <em>might</em> be understanding of any disciplinary issues. But don't be naive - these people will use this and compare you against the 99% of people who check "no" on their common app applications. From the least serious of cases, expect to be bumped down a tier from your match schools. Your low-reaches, are now high reaches - your high reaches, probably not even worth reaching at all. If you're a good student, you'll still get into college, but your chances of going where you want to go are severely reduced. </p>
<p>College admission officers take suspensions more seriously than most of you can ever imagine. Even transfer applicants must answer the question... you'll be dragging this dirty baggage wherever you go. Most of all, given the very small pool of applicants who do have suspensions on record, it becomes less relevant how serious the offense actually is - you'll most likely be segregated from the pool of students with "golden" records. And guess what, when picking between you, and another student with similar stats without a suspension, who are they going to pick?</p>
<p>When it comes down to being honest however, this is the most important decision you will ever make. Whereas people lie and exaggerate certain aspects of their application all the time, your guidance counselor DOES have to answer the same question about suspensions as you do. Getting caught is a legitimate reason to rescind an application. Moreover, getting suspended AFTER acceptance (regardless of honesty), can crush the hopes of even the ED applicants. You should probably be straightforward with your guidance counselor and ask for a sympathetic recommendation. Just don't expect your chances to get much better.</p>
<p>Conclusion? Don't get suspended. Oh, and you can always try the UC's - they don't ask the question.</p>
<p>It really is not this black and white. Depends on what you were suspended for, how long, and most importantly, what you learned from it. Some schools do not even report suspensions (you, however, are obligated to report any disciplinary action on your common app). A good explanation for what you did can go a long ways…</p>
<p>Of course it depends on the details of suspension. A one day suspension for fighting is not going to weigh as heavily as a two week suspension for hiding pot next to your water bottle full of vodka. </p>
<p>But at the same time, the people who say that the suspension won’t matter if you can explain it away well are only being nice. Any disciplinary action, serious or not, justified or not, will have a significant affect on admissions.</p>
<p>If you do explain, try to sound as whiny and self-justifying as possible. Blame everything on your friends, the Internet, your parents, the school administration, Professor Snape, the media, the state and federal authorities, and possibly God Himself. In fact, try to compare your suspension to the martyrdom of Christ. There is nothing more attractive to top schools than someone who can present cunning arguments in their own defense; they’ll be throwing money at you to recruit you for their Model UN or debate clubs.</p>
<p>I’m just a grade 11 student in Canada who happens to get suspended two months ago for taking a school property, scanner, from the library without the school’s authorization. Though I tried to explain and justify that I was in a hurry to get my math assignment scanned, the school said it is equivalent to stealing a school property. For 5 days, I spent 4 hours a day doing community service. </p>
<p>From the rumors I’ve heard from my peers, first suspension won’t be submitted to the university admissions. There are, however, chances that universities might do some background checks on me or ask the counselors for any cases of my suspension. </p>
<p>So, if my school end up submitting the case of my suspension to my university, how much will it affect? I mean, I have about 94% average, won a provincial mock trial, and won a magic competition in Canadian Association of Magicians. Is it feasible to “cover” up such flaw by saying no to the suspension part of the application and listing all the of my merits? </p>
<p>if my suspension do go to the admission and if it does hurt my chane of acceptance,
what’s the best strategy?</p>
<p>Relevance’s post is 95% nonsense. Disregard his post.</p>
<p>Suspensions will not damage your application in the way he suggests. AdComs are aware that the crimes students are suspended for are in fact committed by many applicants who were just never incriminated. In fact, they realize that many student on their own campus commit these crimes on a weekly basis. The application process is not shallow. They do not knock students down a notch because of a measly suspension. Your chances certainly WILL NOT be “severely reduced” as Relevance would like to think.</p>
<p>Contrary to what he says, the nature of the suspension is very important. Checking “yes” doesn’t put you in a pool of wrong-doers. Petty suspensions are practically dismissed where a questionable offense can hurt you.</p>
<p>UC’s probably don’t ask about suspensions because they couldn’t care less if you were caught possessing marijuana.</p>
<p>Honestly, Relevance, it sounds like YOU didn’t get into your top schools and have decided to blame it on a suspension when it reality it was just shortcomings in your application. Don’t make such sweeping generalizations on one little case story. Rather, talk to AdComs, or the students at top schools who have been suspended in HS. There are many.</p>
<p>@Pancaked: Gonna have to agree with you 100% here. A minor suspension will most likely be dismissed in light of the other good aspects of the students application (if the student is outstanding). It will NOT be a rejection factor. IF the college would admit the student w/o the suspension, they would admit the student with the suspension, assuming the suspension is minor.</p>
<p>The degree of the suspension is a big factor and whether you sent the colleges a statement about it. Ditching, getting into fights, copying homework or even a test for that matter, basically anything getting you a 1 day suspension is minor.</p>
<p>Well as someone who’s been suspended in March of this year and its pained me everyday since, I want everyone’s on opinion on whether I would get into UNC Chapel Hill or not. I cut someone’s tires. My best friend was moving away, so I illogically cut his rides tires. I was suspended for 3 days out of school.
I am a top 10% student in the top 30 of my class with a 4.2 GPA weighted and 3.4 unweighted. I have taken 4 IBs my senior year and next year I will be taking 8. I am in numerous EC’s even co-founding my schools first student court, being a Class Officer every year and being in National Honor Society. I also have about 200 hours worth of volunteer hours. UNC has always been a dream choice for me. I have had counseling and she said she is willing to write a LOR for me to help me in any way possible. My brother as well as 2 cousins are Alumni there and 1 a current student. Could you also chance me for USC-Columbia, NC State, Wake Forest, Clemson, Appalachian, East Carolina and UNC Charlotte</p>
<p>I’m always very suspicious when someone with no credentials posts a message stating categorically what college admissions committees do and do not consider.</p>
<p>Hello! I actually got suspended my junior year. After my biggest complaint was getting into college, the vice-P told me [in a pretty mean way] they only count as unexcused absences [no difference between unex and ex on transcript]. The chief of discipline told me it is actually ILLEGAL for the counselors to acknowledge or check “yes” for any discipline problems on applications. </p>
<p>In the end, even teachers couldn’t take it against me because suspensions aren’t allowed to be penalized in any ways [Example: Math teacher takes off 6 points [%] of attendance when you have an EXCUSED absence and 30 for unexcused. Since it was a suspension, he couldn’t take any off].</p>
<p>In the end? I got 4 days off, made up tests, had teachers back me up in the issue, and the ONE con:</p>
<p>I couldn’t join NHS even though I was accepted [still nice to know]. Lol BIG DEAL!</p>
<p>EDIT: So I don’t know where on earth you’re getting this BS from. I know a student who got suspended and got into ivies. People also get suspended for taking one extra day off of school than allowed. </p>
<p>HM, trust guidance counselors, chief of discipline, vice-p’s… or you?</p>
<p>Just my two cents, the #6 student in our class was suspended out of school for a week for fighting with his friend. it was stupid and he knew it. yet, he got into dartmouth, his dream school, as well as many top colleges in the south. goes to show you never know til you try.</p>
<p>^ If your school does inform colleges about it, be upfront and say exactly that: “I defended myself and got 2 hours”. Seriously, colleges are aware that teenagers make mistakes and like the previous poster has said “knows most do it too but don’t get caught”. BTW: Isn’t 2 hours… like a detention? Trust me there are kids who have done worse things and got in [like me].</p>
<p>lol I almost got in school suspension for a day for not signing out to use the bathroom (I had a pass that he signed), the teacher was a big jerk but fortunately he made a deal with me and I didn’t get the write-up. That would have been a fun thing to explain</p>
<p>The original post is simply not true. It’s not black and white.</p>
<p>I was suspended for a day due to a minor alcohol-related offense (drinking before a school dance) during my junior year. My school has very experienced college counselors, and they have confirmed that it will not be an issue in my applications. I am currently applying to MIT and UChicago, and I have relatively high chances of being accepted (my private school sends 33% of each senior class to Ivies/Stanford/MIT, and my application is at a similar level to those of accepted students on record). Out of the graduating senior class last year, students who had been suspended were accepted to Columbia and Princeton (one was a major alcohol-related offense involving sale of it on campus, and the other was related to sexual assault).</p>
<p>The bottom line is that schools don’t really care about what punishment your school decides to give you - they look at the actual offense itself. They determine whether it was a one time thing, what you may have learned from it, and whether it will be an issue in college.</p>
<p>Silly mistakes (ex. drinking, pranks) are likely to be overlooked if you can prove that you have matured from the experience and that it was a one time offense that will not be repeated. On the other hand, offenses related to malicious behavior and academic dishonesty are considered a much bigger issue and can severely hinder your application.</p>