Explaining a residential disciplinary for having weed in dorm

[Perseverance13]

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Hello everyone,
So recently, I've been worried as I have been filling out my application. Last year, I received a disciplinary for having a small amount of weed in my dorm. However, the thing is that it was my roommates and it was on his desk. However, because it was in our room, I also got the writeup for it. Now, I'm aware that I am responsible for this matter because I kept the mindset of just staying quiet as long as it's out of my sight. I realized how immature and unprofessional for me to let something like this slide when it can impact my future. However, since then, I've taken absolute measures to ensure that something like this doesn't happen. I should've talked to my roommate about it rather than staying quiet about this situation. I just didn't want him to get in trouble, but I see how we both ended up getting in trouble.

Is this something that's gonna place a red flag on my application? I have strong LORs, experiences both clinical and non-clinical, grades, etc. How can I explain this matter on the application? Thank you!

 

[Starbuxian]

I feel you MUST explain this on your application! Sometimes bad things happen through no fault (ok, small fault) of our own. The trick is how convincing you can be in your explanation.

 

[LizzyM]

Explain it. Most adcoms had college roommates and they know how hard it can be to police what your roommate has, does, etc in the shared space. I would not vote to toss your application over something like this.

 

[Catalystik]

Last year, I received a disciplinary for having a small amount of weed in my dorm. However, the thing is that it was my roommates and it was on his desk. However, because it was in our room, I also got the writeup for it. Now, I'm aware that I am responsible for this matter because I kept the mindset of just staying quiet as long as it's out of my sight. I realized how immature and unprofessional for me to let something like this slide when it can impact my future. However, since then, I've taken absolute measures to ensure that something like this doesn't happen. I should've talked to my roommate about it rather than staying quiet about this situation. I just didn't want him to get in trouble, but I see how we both ended up getting in trouble.

Is this something that's gonna place a red flag on my application?

Your application will be sorted so that a higher-level screener reviews your IA, which may delay processing a bit at each school, but in the end, it is not a "red flag" and won't negatively affect your chances (assuming you have nothing serious on your record).

 

[Perseverance13]

Got it! Thank you all for your replies!

 

[Goro]

Explain it. Most adcoms had college roommates and they know how hard it can be to police what your roommate has, does, etc in the shared space. I would not vote to toss your application over something like this.

Ditto.

 

[LizzyM]

How does a marijuana IA look in general cf. an alcohol IA? I received one my freshman year (literally 2 days into orientation week) with a group of students. Assuming I have good stats/ECs, will it keep me out of top schools?

Some of us were in college when the drinking age was 18. In my experience, adcoms tend to be merciful toward applicants who have IAs related to possessing or consuming alcohol.

 

[Goro]

Some of us were in college when the drinking age was 18. In my experience, adcoms tend to be merciful toward applicants who have IAs related to possessing or consuming alcohol.

We were young and stupid once too.

 

[swiftimpetuous]

Hello everyone,
So recently, I've been worried as I have been filling out my application. Last year, I received a disciplinary for having a small amount of weed in my dorm. However, the thing is that it was my roommates and it was on his desk. However, because it was in our room, I also got the writeup for it. Now, I'm aware that I am responsible for this matter because I kept the mindset of just staying quiet as long as it's out of my sight. I realized how immature and unprofessional for me to let something like this slide when it can impact my future. However, since then, I've taken absolute measures to ensure that something like this doesn't happen. I should've talked to my roommate about it rather than staying quiet about this situation. I just didn't want him to get in trouble, but I see how we both ended up getting in trouble.

Is this something that's gonna place a red flag on my application? I have strong LORs, experiences both clinical and non-clinical, grades, etc. How can I explain this matter on the application? Thank you!

Don't internalize this. You're not a bad person, you didn't do anything wrong. There are plenty of people who have done worse than you and got away without an IA. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Write about what you learned from it. Move on.

 

[Robin-jay]

However, the thing is that it was my roommates and it was on his desk. However, because it was in our room, I also got the writeup for it.

Wait, you can get in trouble for your roommates possessions in the dorm room?

So if your roommate had cocaine stashed in the closet that you never knew about, and was found out by police, would both roommates be liable?

Hopefully that's not true.

 

[Catalystik]

Wait, you can get in trouble for your roommates possessions in the dorm room?

So if your roommate had cocaine stashed in the closet that you never knew about, and was found out by police, would both roommates be liable?

Hopefully that's not true.

Time to clean out the closet?

 

[theKingLT]

Wait, you can get in trouble for your roommates possessions in the dorm room?

So if your roommate had cocaine stashed in the closet that you never knew about, and was found out by police, would both roommates be liable?

Hopefully that's not true.

I think this would vary by university policy. Additionally OP said that the weed was sitting out on his friend's desk. Kind of hard to deny knowing about it in that case

 

[Goro]

I'm sorry if I worded the question in a confusing manner, but I was asking whether a marijuana IA early on in my college career would be significantly worse than an alcohol IA and whether it would tank my app at more competitive schools?

Nope

 

[LizzyM]

Wait, you can get in trouble for your roommates possessions in the dorm room?

So if your roommate had cocaine stashed in the closet that you never knew about, and was found out by police, would both roommates be liable?

Hopefully that's not true.

Heck, I saw an IA reported by someone who had guests who brought alcohol to a party in her suite, WHILE SHE WAS ON A SEMESTER ABROAD! Her school gave her an IA although she was not on the premises for the entire semester! You can imagine what we did about it when we saw the IA.

 

[Catalystik]

So if your roommate had cocaine stashed in the closet that you never knew about, and was found out by police, would both roommates be liable?

An investigation would be done. The dean would get involved. Police would be brought in even if RAs discovered it or an anonymous report was called in. Charges would be filed. Even if innocent, it would take a long time to get this sort of situation unsnarled.

 

[Robin-jay]

Heck, I saw an IA reported by someone who had guests who brought alcohol to a party in her suite, WHILE SHE WAS ON A SEMESTER ABROAD! Her school gave her an IA although she was not on the premises for the entire semester! You can imagine what we did about it when we saw the IA.

That's insane, did she try to convince the university otherwise? The university didn't budge?

 

[LizzyM]

That's insane, did she try to convince the university otherwise? The university didn't budge?

I have no idea what she did but she did report it as an IA on her application. We had mercy on her, as I'm sure every other med school did too.

 

[fantasticman221]

Heck, I saw an IA reported by someone who had guests who brought alcohol to a party in her suite, WHILE SHE WAS ON A SEMESTER ABROAD! Her school gave her an IA although she was not on the premises for the entire semester! You can imagine what we did about it when we saw the IA.

Former RA here. There are many things in that story that just don't add up. Makes believe if this was really the case, but I digress.

I think this would vary by university policy. Additionally OP said that the weed was sitting out on his friend's desk. Kind of hard to deny knowing about it in that case

At my school, we document all parties present in the room at the time of the incident. If someone is not there, we don't documemt unless it magically was found on their side of the room. We've had cases where someone the room was found not responsible, while their roommate was.Depending on the severity of the violation, it might be dealt with housing, police or both

 

[LizzyM]

Former RA here. There are many things in that story that just don't add up. Makes believe if this was really the case, but I digress.

At my school, we document all parties present in the room at the time of the incident. If someone is not there, we don't documemt unless it magically was found on their side of the room. We've had cases where someone the room was found not responsible, while their roommate was.Depending on the severity of the violation, it might be dealt with housing, police or both

I imagine that schools are different in how they apportion blame for guests misconduct in a dormatory suite. At the school in question, the blame was assessed to everyone whose name was on the student housing agreement, whether they were present or not. We had verification that she was on a semester abroad and we don't doubt the date of the IA although I suppose she could have falsely reported that. In any case, it did not hurt her chances of being admitted to medical school.

 

[fantasticman221]

I imagine that schools are different in how they apportion blame for guests misconduct in a dormatory suite. At the school in question, the blame was assessed to everyone whose name was on the student housing agreement, whether they were present or not. We had verification that she was on a semester abroad and we don't doubt the date of the IA although I suppose she could have falsely reported that. In any case, it did not hurt her chances of being admitted to medical school.

That seems much more probable. Maybe I'm just rather cynical after all the things I've dealt with, though I wish IAs were more well defined. There's been so many incidents where someone gets aggressive and tries to start a fight with us, in which the police have to get called, only for that incident to go down as a simple alcohol violation. So in other words, yes I'm cynical on these 🙂[/QUOTE]

 

[Perseverance13]

Hey, so I wanted to add on. There's also another disciplinary I received that I had forgotten to account for. And I know it seems crazy, but I really do feel I'm unlucky in these situations. I dormed in a suite with 5 other people in college, 3 separate rooms. One of my suitemates used an E-cig in his room and set the fire alarm off. Because of that, everyone in the suite was charged for it. I'm significantly worried that that in conjunction with the weed IA is going to bar me from these schools. It's also a confusing situation because I want to take full responsibility for things like this, but it's hard writing it because I'm not exactly sure how I played a role in someone doing something in his room while I was busy in my own room. Any help please?
@LizzyM @Goro

 

[Perseverance13]

I also wanted to note that as soon as that fire alarm disciplinary happened, I moved out of the suite into another suite with other people. But as soon as I moved into this suite, that's when the weed one happened with my roommate. I made sure to take measures to ensure something like that doesn't happen, but I still ended up getting screwed..

 

[LizzyM]

What are you going to do?? You have to live somewhere and if just seems like many of the other people at your school are d----'s. (fill in your own word there)

Tell your story and hope that adcoms have mercy on you having had their own "horrible roommate" stories from college.

 

[Goro]

What are you going to do?? You have to live somewhere and if just seems like many of the other people at your school are d----'s. (fill in your own word there)

Tell your story and hope that adcoms have mercy on you having had their own "horrible roommate" stories from college.

This.

 

[THEBACKANDFORTH]

Hey, so I wanted to add on. There's also another disciplinary I received that I had forgotten to account for. And I know it seems crazy, but I really do feel I'm unlucky in these situations. I dormed in a suite with 5 other people in college, 3 separate rooms. One of my suitemates used an E-cig in his room and set the fire alarm off. Because of that, everyone in the suite was charged for it. I'm significantly worried that that in conjunction with the weed IA is going to bar me from these schools. It's also a confusing situation because I want to take full responsibility for things like this, but it's hard writing it because I'm not exactly sure how I played a role in someone doing something in his room while I was busy in my own room. Any help please?

I had a roommate in the same style 3 room 5 people suite who made our fire alarms go off because he bought a hookah and thought the shared bathroom space was a smart place to use it. The difference, of course, nobody at my school would have ever written me up for something I didn’t do.