<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>A while ago during April 2013, I made a grave judgment in error that has periodically come back to haunt me ever since.</p>
<p>I was caught shoplifting some school supplies (one eraser pen and a pack of erasers) from my university bookstore. Initially I had also considered to take a pair of headphones, but I decided in the end that overall none of the items were worth shoplifting. I was deeply contemplating whether or not to take them, and by the time I had decided not to, I wanted to quickly leave the bookstore as soon as possible, but guess what? I forgot to put back the erasers! A surveillance monitor caught me as I left the bookstore and thus apprehended me. I confessed to him how I come from a poor family that's so tight about money and why I partially did it; in addition he made me confess various petty things I stole over a past period from the bookstore (minor school supplies, once again). I felt sick over the entire situation, showed my sincere guilt and shame over it, and learned from it since then, but with my ambitions to go to grad school it's been eating me away. My question is, how badly will it ruin my chances to a graduate program?</p>
<p>For the sake of a brief background, that same day I was in a terrible mood and losing my eraser (I tend to be nitpicky about these things) put me over the edge. My judgment was clouded by my anger and I didn't think it worth to spend $3 for an eraser, but the entire fiasco cost me a $200 fine anyway.</p>
<p>The guard told me it stays only within the confines of the bookstore records, but I know for a fact that it is also on my student conduct record so any third-party to which I give consent to can ask to see it. I wasn't arrested or anything so I don't have to list it under felony and crimes. Of course, it's not on my official transcript either. First-time written warning, had to write a reflective essay and attend an ethics class.</p>
<p>I think my credentials have been moderate thus far for a competitive engineering Ph.D graduate program. I am a Mechanical Engineering major, 3.8 GPA with research experience, member of two honor societies and one professional engineering organization.</p>
<p>Any feedback would be appreciated, thank you!</p>
<p>Why don’t you just ask the Dean of Students for a copy of your record? If it’s on there, ask whether grad schools will see it. If so, see if you can get it removed, since you took the ethics class, and it was such a small thing. </p>
<p>Sounds like you could benefit from some counseling, which is free at many schools. You have some anger and self-control issues which will derail you in your personal and professional life unless you learn to manage them.</p>
<p>That sounds like a good idea. I will try to get it removed since I am pretty sure that a grad school constitutes to a third-party, and if they ask for a student conduct record or misdemeanor record it will be there.</p>
<p>Another thing I would like to ask, is how often will grad school applications inquire about incidents like this (not pertaining to felonies or crime convictions), and if they will be severely detrimental to one’s application, like a make or break deal? I hope I can explain myself when the time comes, I would be more than glad to discuss how I’ve reformed.</p>
<p>I definitely have been learning to control my temper, as well as trying to regain my virtue. Sometimes it’s difficult without having someone to keep you in check, but I just hope my willpower is strong enough to overcome these personal adversities. I would like to do some counseling, but honestly I just don’t have the time for it.</p>
<p>You don’t have time for an hour a week of counseling, but you have time to get in trouble for shoplifting and then post online asking for advice about it? Yes, you do have time. Make time. You will be glad you did.</p>
<p>nova2nola</p>
<p>Good point. I suppose I didn’t want to adhere to the notion of someone going to therapy as mentally disturbed or ill.</p>
<p>Getting help when you need it is the mature thing to do, and will open your eyes to new and healthier ways of navigating through life. No shame at all. I have known far too many people who place too much emphasis on how things look and neglect reality to their own detriment. Step up and take responsibility for yourself and the course of your life. That’s more important than grades, scores, and student records, and will pay off in the long run. You will be amazed what you can learn about yourself and your motivations, which can help you make better decisions going forward.</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice!</p>
<p>I can only hope that the guilt will come to pass and that my outlook on life will become a little more optimistic.</p>