Top Law Schools

My goals are UC Hastings and UC Davis, with Loyola (LA), Pepperdine, University of San Diego, and Santa Clara as backups.

I have pretty good softs: High Honors, Honors Program, a few academic/research awards, Research Assistant for 1.5 years, Senior Honors Thesis, clubs/red cross/community service, undergraduate representative on an administrative panel, good LORs, that sort of thing.

But I have some disclosures I need to make, and I'm wondering how much they will hurt my chances.

Freshmen year - dorm drinking violations & public intoxication charge, lowered to a disturbing the peace infraction
Sophomore - Minor in possession of alcohol
Very beginning of Senior year - public intox. lowered to disturbing the peace infraction; noise violation.

And I haven't gotten anything in 2011.

So do you think I still have a fair chance at Hastings/Davis or is my record going to bring me down a couple notches? Could you maybe estimate (or take a guess at) how much it'll hurt?

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it, I'm kinda lost as to how this will affect my chances of getting into law school.

Also, if I had a misdemeanor that was lowered to an infraction, what do I answer for this question:

2. Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony? As used herein, a conviction includes a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or a verdict or finding of guilt, regardless of whether sentence is imposed by a court.

Please help.

Milo42 wrote:Also, if I had a misdemeanor that was lowered to an infraction, what do I answer for this question:

2. Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony? As used herein, a conviction includes a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or a verdict or finding of guilt, regardless of whether sentence is imposed by a court.

Please help.

if you were underage when the charge occured then you do not have to say yes to THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION. only because as a juvenile you are adjudicated, not convicted. that being said, i recommend that you be very careful and make sure you read each word so that you do not lie on the app (it could come back to haunt you)

write an addendum for the charges you have and you'll probably be fine. i can't imagine they would take charges like those very seriously

gaud wrote:

Milo42 wrote:Also, if I had a misdemeanor that was lowered to an infraction, what do I answer for this question:

2. Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony? As used herein, a conviction includes a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or a verdict or finding of guilt, regardless of whether sentence is imposed by a court.

Please help.

if you were underage when the charge occured then you do not have to say yes to THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION. only because as a juvenile you are adjudicated, not convicted. that being said, i recommend that you be very careful and make sure you read each word so that you do not lie on the app (it could come back to haunt you)

write an addendum for the charges you have and you'll probably be fine. i can't imagine they would take charges like those very seriously

I was not under 18. But was I convicted if the charge was lowered?

Thank you!

If the charge was lowered, you were convicted of the lower charge, not the misdemeanor.

It may depend on your state. In some states, ordinance/municipal violations are not legally criminal convictions.