Did I just make a huge mistake with expungement?

[gman6691]

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Hi all,

In high school, I pled no contest to a disorderly conduct charge. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time during a huge fight that broke out in my school parking lot. I wasn't fighting, but I was there. My record was expunged. I did a research on the matter and found a few guides on dealing with expunged records. They all said I did not need to disclose the arrest or conviction if my record was expunged except for state licencing. Did I make a huge mistake here? Here is the link to one of the guides I used. http://findlawimages.com/public/pdf/expungement_miniguide.pdf. See page 2, under expungement basics.

I already submitted my secondaries. What should I do? Email every school and let them know? I already ran a background check on myself and nothing comes up.

On AMCAS, it says I do not have to disclose expunged arrests or convictions (I am from IL). But I filled out the background check and it asks about expunged records.

 

[WedgeDawg]

It's probably a better idea to be honest up front about it anyway, but I sincerely doubt you reporting it is going to make any difference in your application.

 

[LizzyM]

You really need to go to the AMCAS instructions and find out the rules for applicants from your state as it does vary. If you were instructed by AMCAS to list expunged records, then it might be wise to send a message to each school you've applied to indicating that you make an error on theAMCAS appliation and that you should have disclosed the expunged record for a disorderly conduct charge that occurred in HS when you were swept up with other bystanders in a police response to a fight in the school parking lot.

 

[WedgeDawg]

You really need to go to the AMCAS instructions and find out the rules for applicants from your state as it does vary. If you were instructed by AMCAS to list expunged records, then it might be wise to send a message to each school you've applied to indicating that you make an error on theAMCAS appliation and that you should have disclosed the expunged record for a disorderly conduct charge that occurred in HS when you were swept up with other bystanders in a police response to a fight in the school parking lot.

I was under the impression that OP disclosed the record and now believes that it was a mistake to do so, but I may be wrong, as I found the wording of the post confusing.

OP did you or did you not already disclose this expunged record?

 

[NotASerialKiller]

I was under the impression that OP disclosed the record and now believes that it was a mistake to do so, but I may be wrong, as I found the wording of the post confusing.

OP did you or did you not already disclose this expunged record?

It sounds like he did include it and is now regretting that decision. Think he just forgot to state that at the beginning.

 

[Spector1]

run a background check on yourself and see what pops up. If it does come up, then you might be in trouble

 

[WedgeDawg]

run a background check on yourself and see what pops up. If it does come up, then you might be in trouble

OP did that and said nothing came up

 

[gman6691]

You really need to go to the AMCAS instructions and find out the rules for applicants from your state as it does vary. If you were instructed by AMCAS to list expunged records, then it might be wise to send a message to each school you've applied to indicating that you make an error on theAMCAS appliation and that you should have disclosed the expunged record for a disorderly conduct charge that occurred in HS when you were swept up with other bystanders in a police response to a fight in the school parking lot.

Thanks for your response. On AMCAS, it says I do not have to disclose expunged arrests or convictions (I am from IL). But I filled out the Certiphi background check and it asks about expunged records. I didn't include it because of the AMCAS statement in the instructions about not needing to disclose. Now I am super confused on whether I need to call every school or just call and tell Certiphi than I made a mistake. Or if I need to at all.

 

[gman6691]

OP did that and said nothing came up

Yeah I was clean. I checked with AMCAS and I don't need to disclose.

 

[candbgirl]

So you didn't include it on AMCAS because they said not to include expunged records? And then you ran a Certiphi background check and they specifically asked about expunged records and you didn't include it? Is this correct.?

 

[gman6691]

Yeah that's correct.

 

[gman6691]

Illinois says I don't have to disclose record that are expunged and so does AMCAS.

 

[gman6691]

Well I found my own answer. It says "states where applicable"

 

[LizzyM]

Often, the questions can be answered by reading the instruction manual.

 

[Oh_Gee]

Often, the questions can be answered by reading the instruction manual.

but then you could miss out on making a new friend who knows the thing you don't know!