Potential Character & Fitness addendum Forum

[boredtodeath]

I'm wondering if I should include a c&f addendum and indicate "yes" on that part of the app for a conduct violation that happened to me a couple years ago when I was a junior in college. Note that I applied to schools last cycle and did not indicate this or write an addendum and nobody seemed to notice or care.

But anyways, this is what happened: I was walking home drunk one night and ended up getting into a relatively harmless fight with some dude, but we were both stopped by the university police. The university cop ended up writing me a ticket and I had to meet with someone in the Judicial Administrator's office and take a "course" on alcohol safety. Once I completed the course I was done; no academic probation, no suspension, no holds on my grades or anything of that sort occurred. Does this fall under what most schools consider a conduct violation on their apps and should I write an addendum for this? I honestly don't even know if it's on my official record or anything, I don't really remember, but I believe the woman I met with in the JA office told me that it was essentially "sealed" or something to that effect, once I finished the alcohol course.

Even if I do write an addendum on this, would it negatively affect my app at all, or is this pretty mild stuff?

[dresden doll]

Completely mild stuff. Write a short, to-the-point addendum and don't worry about it.

[boredtodeath]

Anyone know how to deal with some of these Dean's Cert. forms? Duke doesn't even give you a form, they just say the school needs to send them a letter with all the details of the incident.

[BullShitWithBravado]

You should disclose it now because it could come up later when it's time to take the bar, even if it's been sealed. It shouldn't really affect your application too much, though. Make your addendum short and to the point and avoid including excuses (I've heard that some people have done this and had it backfire).

Literally all you have to write is something like: On X date, this happened. Following the incident, I did X, Y, and Z, as required by X College's code of conduct, to regain my good standing at X College. This was my first and only violation of my undergraduate institution's code of conduct and I am currently in good standing with X College.

Every school is different in terms of what they want. I would recommend contacting each law school first to see what forms/letters they need and then contacting your undergrad so you can tell them what they have to send to each school all at once.

Since this is just an alcohol violation, you really shouldn't sweat it. Admissions panels are well aware that almost all undergrads drink.