Institutional action/misdemeanor AMCAS question please help!!!!

[rdrdrdrd]

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Hello,
Sorry for the long post, but I'm very worried. I'm currently applying for the 2015 cycle. I have no idea if I should include any info in the institutional action/misdemeanor sections. Freshman year at the University of Delaware I received an alcohol violation for having a bottle of liquor in my dorm room, after which I had to take an alcohol edu. class. Sophomore year I was ticketed by the police for underage consumption of alcohol (just walking on the street, cop asked me to take a breathalyzer test, boom), which APPARENTLY is a misdemeanor offense in the great state of Delaware. Received "probation before judgment" from the court, was put on a year probation period, during which I did not get in trouble and apparently the charges were cleared. In addition, my school found out about the ticket and again wrote me up for an alcohol violation, this time placing me on deferred suspension, where I could not get in trouble again, otherwise I would be suspended from school. Never got in trouble again, and recently called up my school to ask about my institutional action record. They said that all records after I graduated were cleared, but I am worried that if I omit this info in my app it'll come back to bite me. Secondly, I began a process with the state of Delaware six months ago for expungement of the underage consumption charge. Received a letter back from the Superior Court of Delaware saying that the state does not oppose the petition for expungement, but it also says that this is not the official ruling. Still waiting on paperwork back from the judge to end this nonsense, but my lawyer called and was told that the judge will sign it and send it out as soon as he can. I want to submit my AMCAS app as soon as possible....What should I do???

 

[snowflakes]

With regards to the school IA, AMCAS says if you are unsure to check with the appropriate person at your school (registrar, Conduct Dean, etc). Email your school conduct office an exact quote of the AMCAS question, and ask whether to respond "yes" or "no." Keep that email, and respond however they tell you to.

If you do have to report it, others will tell you here that an alcohol violation isn't the end of the world as long as you report it honestly and maturely, so chin up. I'm not really sure about the expungement. I'll defer to those more knowledgeable about this scenario for more advice.

 

[Jojokarade]

I would put it on your AMCAS to be safe. A lot of schools have institutional actions for alcohol related things. If you explain what happened and then say what you learned, most ADCOMs will ignore the institutional action. Also, never trust someone over the phone; only if the information is in writing (i.e. check your official transcript).

In terms of the misdemeanor, I would also include that. If it hasn't been expunged yet then plan on it not being expunged by the time you have to do a background check to get into school. The last thing you want to do is have to explain something to the ADCOMs that in on your record after you have been accepted.