<p>I agree that this could only help your application</p>
<p>ok obviously it wont help. im not a dumbass. but how badly will it hurt is what im asking.</p>
<p>so how badly will it hurt??</p>
<p>Think about it this way.</p>
<p>If you put it on your common app as No, then you are "certify[ing] that all information submitted in the admission process -- including the application, the personal essay, any supplements, and any supporting other materials -- is [your] own work, factually true, and honestly presented. [You] understand that [you] may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation or expulsion, should the information [you]’ve certified be false. In addition, [you] authorize the release of my admission decision to my secondary school."</p>
<p>Now, you may think that the worst possible case is that they find out during the admissions process and deny entry. It's not. The worst possible case is that they find out halfway through your senior year and expel you.</p>
<p>It's not worth the risk.</p>
<p>Lots of people on CC are mean, but then again most of the same users are completely fake internet personas (sure, it's perfectly plausible that most of this board got over 2300 on their SATs and have a 4.0/4.0 GPA or whatever....).</p>
<p>Anyway, I am a well-performing student who is applying to many prestigious/"hard" universities. I got suspended for 1 day out-of-school, 2 days in-school for a drinking incident. At first I was devastated that my plans for college were ruined; however, my college counselor (who is one of the best in the business) assured me that most don't care UNLESS:</p>
<p>-It is a felony.
-It is a repeat offense.
-You don't seem apologetic/humbled in your explanation
-MOST IMPORTANTLY: It is a case of academic dishonesty.</p>
<p>Both of our infractions are drinking, and I'm assuming yours was a one-time offense (as was mine). My explanation is very, very humble, apologetic, and describes how I understand the implications but have also grown from it. My counselor's letter and one of my rec letters (a 3rd, not one of my primary teacher recs), which is coincidentally from my Head of School who really liked me, both mention the incident but go on to frame me in a very positive light.</p>
<p>So in short, write a kickass explanation, take responsibility for it, and then make the rest of your app amazing. And don't send an explanation to colleges that don't ask for this info.</p>
<p>******Another kid who was caught with me is at a HYP school. And to be frank, most of the other comments in this thread are absurd. Please do PM or reply for more info/advice.</p>
<p>^So you would check yes and then wait for the school to ask for an explanation?</p>
<p>most schools ask you to send an explanation if you checked yes.</p>
<p>That is much better, you get a chance to redeem yourself.</p>
<p>So, the same thing happened to me.
I was suspended for 5 days after having shared a shot on a school exchange trip in Hungary (where I was legal).
It goes on my attendance record, but not my transcript, which means colleges won't see it.
When I mentioned it to my GC, she said "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." (it was the vice principal who dealt with it). So she's clearly not going to mention it in her rec for me.
But I can't NOT mention it.. that'd be lying.
What to do?</p>
<p>if i was you, i'd try to cover it up as much as possible.</p>
<p>Just Say No. Do you honestly think each college calls every single applicant's counselor. Come on, they take your word for it. If you say yes, there is a bigger chance of it lowering your chances than if you say no. I talked to my counselor and so far no college has called my school. He also said they dig deep sometimes in scholarship finals . I told him not to say anything and he agreed.</p>