<p>Hello everyone,</p>
<p>I was just wondering that if one has a year-long disciplinary probation for a somewhat minor fault in their undergraduate record (discrepancy in application information provided to college), will that have a large influence on one's law school applications?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot. Any input is much appreciated.</p>
<p>You will have to explain the reasons for your disciplinary probation. If the discrepancy in your application information can be viewed as fraudulent or less than truthful in any way, it could pose a problem for you in both your application to law school and in your eventual application to be admitted to the bar. If your dean’s certification letter, which will form part of your application to law school, elaborates on your disciplinary probation (which it likely will, as part of the prompt for the dean’s certification asks about any kind of disciplinary or academic issues with the applicant), provides details that you fail to disclose to law school, you will be doubly burdened by your probation. </p>
<p>Be forthcoming in your law school applications, and hope for the best.</p>
<p>I agree with Sally’s advice. In addition, I would suggest you apply to many more schools, especially “safe” ones, than you ordinarily would have.</p>
<p>Also, you should be aware that even if you are admitted to law school, you will likely have to disclose your discipline during your undergraduate years to the character and fitness committee of the state bar to which you apply. It is unlikely but certainly not impossible for people to get all the way through law school and learn that a prior indiscretion keeps them from being admitted to the bar. You may have to take more bar exams and/or request “advisory opinions” from state bars before you find a place that will admit you, and this could limit where you are able to practice in the future. </p>
<p>I’m not telling this to you to say “you’ll never be a lawyer” but to make you aware that even a “minor” issue from many years ago may make your life more difficult and you should be prepared for it.</p>
<p>thanks. my dean, as I understand it, is sympathetic and would not be gratuitously incriminating in the dean’s report. However, it is still quite unfortunate that I will have to deal with this. Anyone got any experience/stories about this sort of thing?</p>