Institutional action and Secondaries

[Nalgene]

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[aamartin81]

I realize that both Amcas and Secondaries ask for institutional action. I've also heard that a few school ask for you to sign a release of your file from your undergrad. For those of you that have been through this process before: Do most schools have you sign a release of your file? or is it just a few of the top tier schools? Any specific ones you can remember?

I spoke with a dean of admissions and it seems that once you sign over access to academic records, institutional action is also fair game. Most will fax through a request to your Registrar's Office. Some undergraduate schools will send any disciplinary action along with your official transcript. I know this does not address you question completely, but it sounds like the best bet is to be open and honest - most schools just want to see that you don't have a pattern of problems.

Good luck,

Adam

 

[LizzyM]

Minor alcohol violations are, in my experience, the most common violations. An adcom won't blink if you report being caught at a party where alcohol was served, having someone bring alcohol into your suite, being found drinking in your dorm room. Just state that what happened, accept your share of the blame and report what you learned from the experience or just say, "it never happened again".

The bigger institutional actions such as being expelled, academic dishonesty, and criminal activity (drugs, theft, assault) get the adcoms attention. One time alcohol violations don't.