C&F Addendum... How to handle this situation? Forum

[jk2011]

Hey everyone,

I had two arrests in the summer of 2009, one for marijuana possession and the other for public intoxication. Both charges were dropped (due to completion of pre-trial diversions). I have since stopped using drugs and alcohol. I have been sober for almost two years. How should I approach this in a C&F addendum. Strictly put the dates of arrest and the dates the charges were dropped? Or should I discuss how I have been in support groups (AA obviously) and group counseling and have not used drugs or alcohol since?

Any help would be appreciated! I'm not sure if I put this in the right forum, sorry.

[NomNom]

All of the above.

[jk2011]

All of the above.

Thank you. Does this make me an automatic out at t1 schools, or how does this work?

[NomNom]

I don't know personally - I wouldn't say it makes you an automatic out anywhere - I would just make sure you divulge everything and explain as best you can. It sounds like you are on the right track. Sorry I don't know more about that specific situation - someone else may have a better answer.

[Blessedassurance]

Thank you. Does this make me an automatic out at t1 schools, or how does this work?

Depends on your numbers

[ryemanhattan]

this wouldn't be an automatic rejection at any particular tier... you just never know who is reading your file. Some people will be less receptive to such arrests as others. But if your numbers, app is strong enough you could still get into elite schools. But you need a great explanation. It might get you a couple extra rejections... or not. But it shouldn't derail your whole application process.

[flcath]

Keep the "I've turned my life around" part to like one sentence--basically the same (small) amount of detail you put in your OP. The rest should be very factual and minimalist (but fully disclose, obviously). Far from being an auto-reject, it will probably not affect your cycle at all.

I had a couple of C+F issues that sound way worse than yours, and it really didn't impact my cycle at all. Shoot for 250 words, tops: you can describe your situation in that amount of space. Do not try to cram every possible extenuating circumstance / sob story you can think of into your addendum. Just give them the information they demand.

[jk2011]

Thanks for the help everyone.

[jk2011]

Keep the "I've turned my life around" part to like one sentence--basically the same (small) amount of detail you put in your OP. The rest should be very factual and minimalist (but fully disclose, obviously). Far from being an auto-reject, it will probably not affect your cycle at all.

I had a couple of C+F issues that sound way worse than yours, and it really didn't impact my cycle at all. Shoot for 250 words, tops: you can describe your situation in that amount of space. Do not try to cram every possible extenuating circumstance / sob story you can think of into your addendum. Just give them the information they demand.

Alright cool, this sounds like a good idea. Any idea where i can find a sample addendum or something to know how to format and such?

[JamMasterJ]

All of the above.

Thank you. Does this make me an automatic out at t1 schools, or how does this work?

no, provided that your numbers are strong, your acceptances versus denials are going to be based on how schools see this and how changed/repentant you seem in your addendum. It's definitely not defined by tiers

[flcath]

Keep the "I've turned my life around" part to like one sentence--basically the same (small) amount of detail you put in your OP. The rest should be very factual and minimalist (but fully disclose, obviously). Far from being an auto-reject, it will probably not affect your cycle at all.

I had a couple of C+F issues that sound way worse than yours, and it really didn't impact my cycle at all. Shoot for 250 words, tops: you can describe your situation in that amount of space. Do not try to cram every possible extenuating circumstance / sob story you can think of into your addendum. Just give them the information they demand.

Alright cool, this sounds like a good idea. Any idea where i can find a sample addendum or something to know how to format and such?

From the school's perspective, your C+F problems aren't that serious. Since your charges aren't remotely close to being a bar denial threat, and you didn't serve prison time or do something that could bring the school bad press (e.g., murder, rape, bestiality), the school's only concern *might* be that you have substance problems that will cause you to do something stupid again.

I personally don't think the two arrests in question even raise a strong suspicion of relapse (the example the adcomms I talked to kept using was DUIs, which are different from your situation), but a quick statement about how you spent time in counseling and haven't used drugs/alcohol since should rebut it roundly. They will generally believe what you tell them on this front, so there's no need to lay it on thick.

"On May 12, 2009, I was arrested in Maricopa County, AZ for [charge name(s), verbatim], when I was pulled over for a routine traffic stop and the officer saw a bag of marijuana in my car. I entered a pre-trial diversion program, and the charges were dropped without conviction or the entering of any plea; record of the arrest is now expunged. [if this is true]

On July 30, 2009, I was arrested in Maricopa County for [charge name], after an officer observed me stumbling on the sidewalk outside of a bar in downtown Phoenix. This charge was consolidated with the aforementioned, and disposed of via the same pre-trial diversion program. I was not convicted of any offense, and all records of the arrest have been expunged.

I sought professional help--in the form of regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as well as private counseling--for my chemical dependency issues at the time [if you had them], I continue to use these programs regularly, and I have not used drugs or alcohol at all over the past two years."

[jk2011]

Keep the "I've turned my life around" part to like one sentence--basically the same (small) amount of detail you put in your OP. The rest should be very factual and minimalist (but fully disclose, obviously). Far from being an auto-reject, it will probably not affect your cycle at all.

I had a couple of C+F issues that sound way worse than yours, and it really didn't impact my cycle at all. Shoot for 250 words, tops: you can describe your situation in that amount of space. Do not try to cram every possible extenuating circumstance / sob story you can think of into your addendum. Just give them the information they demand.

Alright cool, this sounds like a good idea. Any idea where i can find a sample addendum or something to know how to format and such?

From the school's perspective, your C+F problems aren't that serious. Since your charges aren't remotely close to being a bar denial threat, and you didn't serve prison time or do something that could bring the school bad press (e.g., murder, rape, bestiality), the school's only concern *might* be that you have substance problems that will cause you to do something stupid again.

I personally don't think the two arrests in question even raise a strong suspicion of relapse (the example the adcomms I talked to kept using was DUIs, which are different from your situation), but a quick statement about how you spent time in counseling and haven't used drugs/alcohol since should rebut it roundly. They will generally believe what you tell them on this front, so there's no need to lay it on thick.

"On May 12, 2009, I was arrested in Maricopa County, AZ for [charge name(s), verbatim], when I was pulled over for a routine traffic stop and the officer saw a bag of marijuana in my car. I entered a pre-trial diversion program, and the charges were dropped without conviction or the entering of any plea; record of the arrest is now expunged. [if this is true]

On July 30, 2009, I was arrested in Maricopa County for [charge name], after an officer observed me stumbling on the sidewalk outside of a bar in downtown Phoenix. This charge was consolidated with the aforementioned, and disposed of via the same pre-trial diversion program. I was not convicted of any offense, and all records of the arrest have been expunged.

I sought professional help--in the form of regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as well as private counseling--for my chemical dependency issues at the time [if you had them], I continue to use these programs regularly, and I have not used drugs or alcohol at all over the past two years."

Hey, thanks a lot. I appreciate you taking the time to help me out with that. Looks straightforward enough.