I got accepted... but i have a problem.. help me!!

[smn16]

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[PashaJ]

Sorry to hear about your worries, but I wouldn't sweat it. It's just a speeding ticket. You could do two things that popped into my head:

1) Call a nonpartisan school and speak to them. See what advice they will give you since theirs would be as close as a reaction your own school would give you.

2) Call the school you were accepted to in a week or so without disclosing who you are and tell them your situation. I say after a week or so because by that time they should have accepted more than a few people and really can't tell if it was you.

Good Luck

 

[DesiDentist]

Hi smn16,

I'm sorry hear about your circumstance. However, you didn't kill someone or shop lift. You took the right step and discussed this with an attorney, but personally, I don't trust any attorney. If I were you I would contact several to see if they all have the same "diagnosis." If they unanimously state that this will go on your record then it is serious, but still no worries yet. You will not get this on your record until you are proven guilty. Hire the best attorney in your opinion and then take this to court Most likely they will drop the charges.

If the worst case situation happens and you are convicted. Then I would either in person (or via phone) discuss this with the admissions director. They will appreciate your honesty. If you try to hide this then you will be in more trouble and might have to face dismissal. I believe every dental school screens their patients criminal/background records prior to matriculation or prior to entry into patient clinics.

Don't panic. Everything will work out. like I said you didn't hurt anyone, or do this on purpose you were living it up. Like i would.

Best of luck,

DesiDentist

 

[DATMATT]

I know that there needs to be a standard set but a speeding ticket keeping you out of dental school seems out of hand. However, you did not get a speeding ticket. I guess it really depends on the story but I would be surprised if it kept you out. I doubt that this would come up now that you have been accepted. I think you should tell the school ASAP or not tell them at all. It will reflect poorly if you tell them 2 months later, it will look even worse if you do not tell them at all.

Your career, your decision....

Matt

 

[Brand]

I have to admit. Your post made me die laughing. I even brought people in to read it. I know your pain, but you are way over reacting. You know when a 3-year old gets a paper cut and proclaims they are on deaths door? Thats you. Don't sweat it, that is not what they mean. Thanks for the laugh! Congrats on getting in!
You better hope that the dental board never hears about that ticket when you try and get your license. 'Cause man you will have just wasted four years! Just kidding. I couldn't resist.
Don't pay attention to the people that say it will go on your record. Thats plain ridiculous. I can't even type I'm laughing so hard.

 

[Pre-Dent-David]

haha brand.... lol

 

[tinker bell]

Dental students do get speeding ticket and do not get expelled, right? I suggest that you talk to the judge and do community service or something to have that misdemeanor record erase it. I went to the traffic court once and I saw the judge offered that deal to many people. Good luck and don't worry. If you do so much, just talk to the school and see what's their reaction. I've seen dental student gets expelled out of one school and reapply at another school and still gets accepted. Don't sweat
T

 

[DesiDentist]

This is not a speeding ticket, but a reckless driving ticket which is waaaaaay different than a speeding ticket. Much more serious. This basically means that not only was a person speeding but also driving in such a way that it endangers other lives. This ain't no laughing matter whatsoever.

However, like DATMATT stated...you should tell the school immediately, but I don't agree with not telling them at all because if this does go on your criminal record you will have a lot of explaining to do. I can almost guarantee it will come up again.

I believe it is better for you to "fess up" but do it after you spoke to your attorney. YOu don't have to call tomorrow and say you are in trouble with the law. Fight this case, go to court, and if it does land on your record then fess up. You are innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

People need to realize that different states have different traffic laws. A person speeding might get a warning in one state, whereas in another state a person might get a criminal charge for the same reason.

Good luck,

DesiDentist

 

[PashaJ]

I'm curious, how fast were you going? Which state?

 

[smn16]

Thank you for all of your suggestions...
I already talked to my attorney and he told me that there's no way to erase the record... he told me that the judge is gonna jump out of his seat when he sees my case.... Also, he told me not to come to the court because they can arrest me...

Desi, you're right... this is really serious... that;s why i ta;lked to 3 different lawyers and that's why i'm panicking right now..

I was going 97 on 65... little bit too fast right?? it was in Virginia and i heard that virginia is very strict... it was on I-95 at 6:30 in the morning...

how sad... i've worked hard all 4 years to just go to to dental school and something like this happen... argh!!!

 

[deciduous]

Who is your attorney? the guy off of Seinfeld?

I got a ticket like that one time for doing next to 90 in a 55 zone. I went to court, but they didn't want to waste the judges time, I guess. An attorney came out where I was sitting and asked why I was appearing in court. I said the cruise control was broken and accelerated rather than maintaining speed. He said the judge was not going to dismiss the ticket. I said I just wanted the violation brought down to a level that would allow me to take defensive driving. I got it.

This is ridiculous. Don't worry about it. If I got in, you can get in--especially if you are the type that goes bonkers over something like this.

 

[jacksonheel]

I agree with deciduous -- and I am an attorney (who is soon to be a dental student). You were in a car driving and had not been drinking. In my mind, this is a routine traffic violation. And, unless you have a lot of prior traffic violations, an attorney should be able to get this reduced.

I do agree with one prior post, however, that advised you to let this play out, and see what you are eventually convicted of. There is no need to get on the horn and start telling all of your dental schools that you got a ticket. To put this in perspective, had this happened five years ago, it probably wouldn't even pop up in your mind to put on the application.

Has anybody on this forum received a ticket for going 15 miles over the posted speed limit? This is also a misdemeanor, but I bet nobody posted it on their application - - because it is a routine traffic violation, the type schools tell you not to include.

Just my two cents, but then again, I'm an attorney, you can't trust me.

jacksonheel

 

[jacksonheel]

I should have put this in my last post. Even if you do get convicted, and elect to tell your school, this isn't something they are going to care about. You are going to be a professional, and professional schools have an interest in making sure you are of high moral character, and have the ability and dedication to serve your clients/patients effectively. They don't care that you drove too fast to get home from vacation. That says nothing about you, other than you were in a hurry. If that kept people out of school, we would all have to find other lines of work. So, the bottom line is, don't worry about this, even if you elect to tell the school, this will make NO DIFFERENCE in your future.

jacksonheel

 

[PashaJ]

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it since jacksonheel says not to worry.
In a sense you came away with a great lesson: not to speed and not because it's dangerous but because you got caught. Now at least everytime you go 5-10 miles above the posted limit your heart will race.
I still haven't learned this lesson. I went about 120 on the 5 between SF and LA at 3 am. I did SF-LA in less than 3.5 hours. Maybe your case will be a lesson for me but I doubt it. Next time I get the chance I'll probably go for 130 or 140
Off topic: what's the fastest you've ever gone and were you caught?

 

[groundhog]

Not all states may be the same, but in the state of Washington, the designated prosecutor will often agree to reduce a reckless driving charge down to negligent driving (a traffic viloation) if you have a fairly clean record and no other issues are involved in the incident (such as road rage, DUI, at fault accident, property damage etc.) Before you hire an attorney, give the prosecutor a call and find out what he or she might be willing to do. On the other hand, if you are looking to beat the rap, a misdemeanor is a crimminal charge whcih entitles you to have a trial by jury and to be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. In the state of Washington, a traffic violation is a quasi civil charge which only requires the prosecutor to prove you guilty by the preponderance of the evidence. If you want to beat the rap, the hiring of an attorney might be advisable.