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[a93212]

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[Nebby]

Your past won't hinder admissions*. Congratulations on overcoming the darkness. That's really admirable. I'm pulling for you; hope you get 167+!

*School's look at the time elapsed (6 years in this case) and demonstrated rehabilitation. Both of which are on your side.

[yot11]

Even though your record is sealed, you will still have to disclose what happened in your law school applications. When you attempt to take the bar (after law school), they will be able to look into your sealed records, and if they find that you lied about the incidents in your law school application (they will have access to this as well), then you will not pass the bar.

That said, I think that even disclosing these will not hurt your chances too badly. They certainly aren't going to help your application, but they probably won't tank it either (given the time elapsed and demonstrated rehabilitation). However, before committing to law school, I would check with a C&F attorney to make sure that your past won't prevent you from passing the bar down the road. Your worst case scenario is that law schools take you, but you can't pass the bar, so you are out 3 years and 300k.

[swampman]

Even though your record is sealed, you will still have to disclose what happened in your law school applications.

Not true. Schools state very specifically what they want you to disclose, some require sealed records and some explicitly don't (e.g. Harvard). Read the requirements carefully for each school.

[yot11]

Even though your record is sealed, you will still have to disclose what happened in your law school applications.

Not true. Schools state very specifically what they want you to disclose, some require sealed records and some explicitly don't (e.g. Harvard). Read the requirements carefully for each school.

I was speaking generally. Yes, there are some schools where you are explicitly told that sealed records need not be disclosed. This is not the case with every school.

[XxSpyKEx]

Here's my situation:
I had a drug problem when I was a teenager and ended up stealing to support my habit. I was charged with Attempted Robbery in the 1st degree when I was 14, and the judge sealed my record. I was also charged with 3 armed robberies (with a gun. Yes, I know, it looks terrible) when I was 17, but the judge sealed my record and granted me Youthful Offender status, due to the fact that I rehabilitated myself.
I dropped out of high school due to the drug problem, but once I cleaned myself up, I got my GED, attended community college and graduated with a 3.97 gpa, am attending a four-year college and am currently maintaining a 4.00 gpa. It will be 6 and a half years since the incident by the time I apply to law school. I have been scoring in the mid 160s and anticipate an increase to at least the high 160s (167+). My question is as follows: Withstanding my situation and past, do I have a shot at a T14 school (NYU, PENN, Cornell, Columbia GTown) if my numbers are stellar and I write a really great personal statement about how I overcame obstacles? Or will my past hinder my chances at admission, even though my record is completely sealed? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Serious comments only, please.

You're really lucky the state you committed those offenses allowed you to be considered a juvenile and that the judge actually adjudicated you as a juvenile, rather than as an adult. In my state, the armed robberies would definitely have been prosecuted as an adult (even the attempted robbery at 14 might have been prosecuted as an adult). Here, you'd probably serve most of your life in prison for the 3 armed robberies with a gun alone. It'd be awesome if you manage to become a lawyer lol. You could be like this dude:

[youtube]5KfACTAOPa0[/youtube]

I'm pulling for you; best of luck!

[BigZuck]

I definitely would not write about this stuff in a personal statement.

And definitely talk to a character and fitness attorney.

[a93212]

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[tvu]

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[a93212]

just wanted to update this- I just got accepted to Georgetown. Hopefully this is the first of many acceptances.

Congrats! That's amazing, did you apply this cycle or last?

this cycle