Forgot about being disciplined 15 years ago... Forum

[Rodchenko]

In December I was accepted to my top school and they even gave me some money. I was floored — I did not expect this happen (I was waitlisted last year) and a neurotic part of me still worries it's some kind of put on.

So I've paid my full deposit and now I'm going through the matriculation materials, which includes a Dean's Certification form due in August from my undergrad and graduate schools, which asks if the student had ever been subject to disciplinary sanctions, academic or otherwise. When I saw this, I nearly fell over because it jogged something in my memory that I'd completely overlooked:

When I was a freshman 15 years ago, I had a dumb party in my dorm room the last week of school — I was caught with open containers of alcohol and smoking cigarettes. I remember receiving a warning and being told to go to some kind of alcohol meeting, which I skipped because it was the end of the year and I was moving off campus anyway . . . and then I remember getting a University notice about not being able to live in the dorms anymore . . . or something like that. It was fifteen years ago and I can't remember the details, but I know I got some sort of official letter...

I disclosed everything else on my application (a ticket for graffiti and a ticket for alcohol that same year; I was 18, I was an idiot) — but unfortunately I ticked 'no' regarding university discipline stuff because at the time I wasn't even thinking about dorm issues. Now I'm having nightmares about showing up for law school in August and being told there's a problem. But I also worry that if I make a big deal out of it, it might cause undue attention and they'll retract my admission now that the applicant pool is tightening.

Any advice? Should I call my undergrad institution and, if there's indeed a problem, talk to the law school in person when I visit next month? Or should I just live with what I originally wrote on my application and, should a discrepancy emerge, address it in August, as (in my opinion) it really is a minor non-criminal thing that happened 15 years ago...

Ack. I'm losing sleep over this. Any insight would be much appreciated.

[Mr. Matlock]

In December I was accepted to my top school and they even gave me some money. I was floored — I did not expect this happen (I was waitlisted last year) and a neurotic part of me still worries it's some kind of put on.

So I've paid my full deposit and now I'm going through the matriculation materials, which includes a Dean's Certification form due in August from my undergrad and graduate schools, which asks if the student had ever been subject to disciplinary sanctions, academic or otherwise. When I saw this, I nearly fell over because it jogged something in my memory that I'd completely overlooked:

When I was a freshman 15 years ago, I had a dumb party in my dorm room the last week of school — I was caught with open containers of alcohol and smoking cigarettes. I remember receiving a warning and being told to go to some kind of alcohol meeting, which I skipped because it was the end of the year and I was moving off campus anyway . . . and then I remember getting a University notice about not being able to live in the dorms anymore . . . or something like that. It was fifteen years ago and I can't remember the details, but I know I got some sort of official letter...

I disclosed everything else on my application (a ticket for graffiti and a ticket for alcohol that same year; I was 18, I was an idiot) — but unfortunately I ticked 'no' regarding university discipline stuff because at the time I wasn't even thinking about dorm stuff. And now I'm having nightmares about showing up for law school in August and being told there's a problem. But I also worry if I make a big deal out of it now, it might cause undue attention and they'll retract my admission now that the applicant pool is tightening.

Any advice? Should I call my undergrad institution and, if there's indeed a problem, talk to the law school in person when I visit next month? Or should I just live with what I originally wrote on my application and, should a discrepancy emerge, address it in August, as (in my opinion) it really is a minor non-criminal thing that happened 15 years ago...

Ack. I'm losing sleep over this. Any insight would be much appreciated.

I think you'll be fine... but, do call and check with your university. Talk to records and see if anything shows up. If yes, you write a short, honest addendum. I wouldn't classify this as academic probation and seriously doubt you've technically lied to schools you've been admitted to. Regardless, read all of the fine print, and go from there. At least it looks like you're making an honest attempt to set the record straight.

[BruceBarr]

If you are super stressed, call the admissions office and just tell them that you left something off. I HIGHLY doubt that it will be an issue in ANY way.

No worries. Go get a glass of wine and take an ambien.

[forty-two]

I would just call the admissions office tomorrow morning and explain the situation. Tell them that you thought you disclosed everything when you sent in the application, but you forgot something minor that happened 15 years ago. I would apologize and then say that you are worried about whether or not this will affect your admission. I would imagine they'd tell you not to worry about it, but to please write an addendum with all the information you remember regarding the incident. I personally think it's best to tell them as soon as possible because 1) it really shouldn't be a big deal and 2) it might look like you were intentionally trying to hide something if it came up later. So good luck! I'm sure you'll be fine...admissions officers understand that people mistakes.

[Kohinoor]

In December I was accepted to my top school and they even gave me some money. I was floored — I did not expect this happen (I was waitlisted last year) and a neurotic part of me still worries it's some kind of put on.

So I've paid my full deposit and now I'm going through the matriculation materials, which includes a Dean's Certification form due in August from my undergrad and graduate schools, which asks if the student had ever been subject to disciplinary sanctions, academic or otherwise. When I saw this, I nearly fell over because it jogged something in my memory that I'd completely overlooked:

When I was a freshman 15 years ago, I had a dumb party in my dorm room the last week of school — I was caught with open containers of alcohol and smoking cigarettes. I remember receiving a warning and being told to go to some kind of alcohol meeting, which I skipped because it was the end of the year and I was moving off campus anyway . . . and then I remember getting a University notice about not being able to live in the dorms anymore . . . or something like that. It was fifteen years ago and I can't remember the details, but I know I got some sort of official letter...

I disclosed everything else on my application (a ticket for graffiti and a ticket for alcohol that same year; I was 18, I was an idiot) — but unfortunately I ticked 'no' regarding university discipline stuff because at the time I wasn't even thinking about dorm issues. Now I'm having nightmares about showing up for law school in August and being told there's a problem. But I also worry that if I make a big deal out of it, it might cause undue attention and they'll retract my admission now that the applicant pool is tightening.

Any advice? Should I call my undergrad institution and, if there's indeed a problem, talk to the law school in person when I visit next month? Or should I just live with what I originally wrote on my application and, should a discrepancy emerge, address it in August, as (in my opinion) it really is a minor non-criminal thing that happened 15 years ago...

Ack. I'm losing sleep over this. Any insight would be much appreciated.

this is how I lost my seat at Harvard.

[TTH]

In December I was accepted to my top school and they even gave me some money. I was floored — I did not expect this happen (I was waitlisted last year) and a neurotic part of me still worries it's some kind of put on.

So I've paid my full deposit and now I'm going through the matriculation materials, which includes a Dean's Certification form due in August from my undergrad and graduate schools, which asks if the student had ever been subject to disciplinary sanctions, academic or otherwise. When I saw this, I nearly fell over because it jogged something in my memory that I'd completely overlooked:

When I was a freshman 15 years ago, I had a dumb party in my dorm room the last week of school — I was caught with open containers of alcohol and smoking cigarettes. I remember receiving a warning and being told to go to some kind of alcohol meeting, which I skipped because it was the end of the year and I was moving off campus anyway . . . and then I remember getting a University notice about not being able to live in the dorms anymore . . . or something like that. It was fifteen years ago and I can't remember the details, but I know I got some sort of official letter...

I disclosed everything else on my application (a ticket for graffiti and a ticket for alcohol that same year; I was 18, I was an idiot) — but unfortunately I ticked 'no' regarding university discipline stuff because at the time I wasn't even thinking about dorm issues. Now I'm having nightmares about showing up for law school in August and being told there's a problem. But I also worry that if I make a big deal out of it, it might cause undue attention and they'll retract my admission now that the applicant pool is tightening.

Any advice? Should I call my undergrad institution and, if there's indeed a problem, talk to the law school in person when I visit next month? Or should I just live with what I originally wrote on my application and, should a discrepancy emerge, address it in August, as (in my opinion) it really is a minor non-criminal thing that happened 15 years ago...

Ack. I'm losing sleep over this. Any insight would be much appreciated.

this is how I lost my seat at Harvard.

I remember that and we all thought you were going to killself. That was a sucky couple of weeks.

[legalized]

In December I was accepted to my top school and they even gave me some money. I was floored — I did not expect this happen (I was waitlisted last year) and a neurotic part of me still worries it's some kind of put on.

So I've paid my full deposit and now I'm going through the matriculation materials, which includes a Dean's Certification form due in August from my undergrad and graduate schools, which asks if the student had ever been subject to disciplinary sanctions, academic or otherwise. When I saw this, I nearly fell over because it jogged something in my memory that I'd completely overlooked:

When I was a freshman 15 years ago, I had a dumb party in my dorm room the last week of school — I was caught with open containers of alcohol and smoking cigarettes. I remember receiving a warning and being told to go to some kind of alcohol meeting, which I skipped because it was the end of the year and I was moving off campus anyway . . . and then I remember getting a University notice about not being able to live in the dorms anymore . . . or something like that. It was fifteen years ago and I can't remember the details, but I know I got some sort of official letter...

I disclosed everything else on my application (a ticket for graffiti and a ticket for alcohol that same year; I was 18, I was an idiot) — but unfortunately I ticked 'no' regarding university discipline stuff because at the time I wasn't even thinking about dorm issues. Now I'm having nightmares about showing up for law school in August and being told there's a problem. But I also worry that if I make a big deal out of it, it might cause undue attention and they'll retract my admission now that the applicant pool is tightening.

Any advice? Should I call my undergrad institution and, if there's indeed a problem, talk to the law school in person when I visit next month? Or should I just live with what I originally wrote on my application and, should a discrepancy emerge, address it in August, as (in my opinion) it really is a minor non-criminal thing that happened 15 years ago...

Ack. I'm losing sleep over this. Any insight would be much appreciated.

this is how I lost my seat at Harvard.

So where did you end up attending?

[Kohinoor]

In December I was accepted to my top school and they even gave me some money. I was floored — I did not expect this happen (I was waitlisted last year) and a neurotic part of me still worries it's some kind of put on.

So I've paid my full deposit and now I'm going through the matriculation materials, which includes a Dean's Certification form due in August from my undergrad and graduate schools, which asks if the student had ever been subject to disciplinary sanctions, academic or otherwise. When I saw this, I nearly fell over because it jogged something in my memory that I'd completely overlooked:

When I was a freshman 15 years ago, I had a dumb party in my dorm room the last week of school — I was caught with open containers of alcohol and smoking cigarettes. I remember receiving a warning and being told to go to some kind of alcohol meeting, which I skipped because it was the end of the year and I was moving off campus anyway . . . and then I remember getting a University notice about not being able to live in the dorms anymore . . . or something like that. It was fifteen years ago and I can't remember the details, but I know I got some sort of official letter...

I disclosed everything else on my application (a ticket for graffiti and a ticket for alcohol that same year; I was 18, I was an idiot) — but unfortunately I ticked 'no' regarding university discipline stuff because at the time I wasn't even thinking about dorm issues. Now I'm having nightmares about showing up for law school in August and being told there's a problem. But I also worry that if I make a big deal out of it, it might cause undue attention and they'll retract my admission now that the applicant pool is tightening.

Any advice? Should I call my undergrad institution and, if there's indeed a problem, talk to the law school in person when I visit next month? Or should I just live with what I originally wrote on my application and, should a discrepancy emerge, address it in August, as (in my opinion) it really is a minor non-criminal thing that happened 15 years ago...

Ack. I'm losing sleep over this. Any insight would be much appreciated.

this is how I lost my seat at Harvard.

So where did you end up attending?

Florida Coastal.

[legalized]

In December I was accepted to my top school and they even gave me some money. I was floored — I did not expect this happen (I was waitlisted last year) and a neurotic part of me still worries it's some kind of put on.

So I've paid my full deposit and now I'm going through the matriculation materials, which includes a Dean's Certification form due in August from my undergrad and graduate schools, which asks if the student had ever been subject to disciplinary sanctions, academic or otherwise. When I saw this, I nearly fell over because it jogged something in my memory that I'd completely overlooked:

When I was a freshman 15 years ago, I had a dumb party in my dorm room the last week of school — I was caught with open containers of alcohol and smoking cigarettes. I remember receiving a warning and being told to go to some kind of alcohol meeting, which I skipped because it was the end of the year and I was moving off campus anyway . . . and then I remember getting a University notice about not being able to live in the dorms anymore . . . or something like that. It was fifteen years ago and I can't remember the details, but I know I got some sort of official letter...

I disclosed everything else on my application (a ticket for graffiti and a ticket for alcohol that same year; I was 18, I was an idiot) — but unfortunately I ticked 'no' regarding university discipline stuff because at the time I wasn't even thinking about dorm issues. Now I'm having nightmares about showing up for law school in August and being told there's a problem. But I also worry that if I make a big deal out of it, it might cause undue attention and they'll retract my admission now that the applicant pool is tightening.

Any advice? Should I call my undergrad institution and, if there's indeed a problem, talk to the law school in person when I visit next month? Or should I just live with what I originally wrote on my application and, should a discrepancy emerge, address it in August, as (in my opinion) it really is a minor non-criminal thing that happened 15 years ago...

Ack. I'm losing sleep over this. Any insight would be much appreciated.

this is how I lost my seat at Harvard.

So where did you end up attending?

Florida Coastal.

Wait how do you go from maybe Harvard to FC? Were there no other options you liked? (I missed the whole episode, sorry.)

[20121109]

In December I was accepted to my top school and they even gave me some money. I was floored — I did not expect this happen (I was waitlisted last year) and a neurotic part of me still worries it's some kind of put on.

So I've paid my full deposit and now I'm going through the matriculation materials, which includes a Dean's Certification form due in August from my undergrad and graduate schools, which asks if the student had ever been subject to disciplinary sanctions, academic or otherwise. When I saw this, I nearly fell over because it jogged something in my memory that I'd completely overlooked:

When I was a freshman 15 years ago, I had a dumb party in my dorm room the last week of school — I was caught with open containers of alcohol and smoking cigarettes. I remember receiving a warning and being told to go to some kind of alcohol meeting, which I skipped because it was the end of the year and I was moving off campus anyway . . . and then I remember getting a University notice about not being able to live in the dorms anymore . . . or something like that. It was fifteen years ago and I can't remember the details, but I know I got some sort of official letter...

I disclosed everything else on my application (a ticket for graffiti and a ticket for alcohol that same year; I was 18, I was an idiot) — but unfortunately I ticked 'no' regarding university discipline stuff because at the time I wasn't even thinking about dorm issues. Now I'm having nightmares about showing up for law school in August and being told there's a problem. But I also worry that if I make a big deal out of it, it might cause undue attention and they'll retract my admission now that the applicant pool is tightening.

Any advice? Should I call my undergrad institution and, if there's indeed a problem, talk to the law school in person when I visit next month? Or should I just live with what I originally wrote on my application and, should a discrepancy emerge, address it in August, as (in my opinion) it really is a minor non-criminal thing that happened 15 years ago...

Ack. I'm losing sleep over this. Any insight would be much appreciated.

this is how I lost my seat at Harvard.

So where did you end up attending?

Florida Coastal.

Kohinoor, I <3 U

[tomhobbes]

Wait how do you go from maybe Harvard to FC? Were there no other options you liked? (I missed the whole episode, sorry.)

Well FC is known as the Harvard of the Floridian Coast.

But to answer your question, you generally don't; he was joking about the whole thing. And to answer OP's question, disclose it. You'll be fine.

[legalized]

Wait how do you go from maybe Harvard to FC? Were there no other options you liked? (I missed the whole episode, sorry.)

Well FC is known as the Harvard of the Floridian Coast.

But to answer your question, you generally don't; he was joking about the whole thing. And to answer OP's question, disclose it. You'll be fine.

I see. Kohinoor the joke only works for people who have been here a long time. Not nice on newbies! lol

[Rodchenko]

Thanks for the perspective, everybody — much appreciated. I called my undergraduate institution and it turns out they purge their disciplinary records seven years after graduation (I've been out for nine) so no worries. Glad I called.