Misdemeanor AND Institutional Action... Am I screwed?

[Isomerism]

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So I thought my application was looking pretty average, until I realized that I'm going to have to send it in with 2 huge black eyes… a recent Misdemeanor and a Student Non-Academic Misconduct violation (Institutional Action) from my freshman year.

Other than the 2 screw-ups, here are my stats:
State University
GPA: 3.86 (taking 16-20 hrs/semester) *recalculated from OP (realized my transcript GPA differs from what med schools will calculate with original grades of course retakes considered)
SGPA: 3.99 *recalculated from OP (realized that my institution counts A+'s towards GPA but med schools only count them as A's)
MCAT: 34 (PS 11, BS 12, VR 11)
60 hours shadowing in primary care clinics
40 hours shadowing in hospitals
80 hours shadowing in physical therapy clinics
4 years active duty rifleman in the Marine Corps [2 Deployments: Afghanistan (infantry team leader and combat life saver), 7 months on aircraft carrier (took part in some humanitarian relief efforts and anti-piracy campaigns)]
Minimal Research experience (just started as assistant in lab 2 months ago)
Mediocre Volunteer hours
Member of Waterski Team
Officer position in health related school club

The misdemeanor is from about 2 months ago. I was ticketed for duck hunting on a "deer-hunting-only day" on public hunting land back in December (duck was in season, just really weird and inconspicuous hunting schedules on public land in my area). I tried to pay the fine over the phone multiple times during the weeks following but was told that the ticket wasn't in the computer system yet. When school started back up in January I completely forgot about the ticket until April (I was taking 20 hours so I forgot about anything that wasn't school related), which was wayyyy after my court date/deadline to pay the fine. Apparently they had sent out multiple notices and "second chances" for me to appear in court and pay the fine during that time, but my address in the state's computer system wasn't updated, so I never got any of the notices. When I finally remembered about it in April and contacted them I found out that there was a warrant out for my arrest for "failure to appear" in court. I immediately drove an hour to the courthouse where they "arrested" me (no handcuffs, just paperwork and a bond fee) and rescheduled my court date. I showed up for the next one an hour early, paid the $100 fine, and thought that everything was back to normal. Well I got to the misdemeanor question on AMCAS yesterday and thought that I had better check to make sure my failure to appear didn't constitute a misdemeanor. I called the courthouse and apparently it does… So now I'm freaking out. I already contacted an attorney and was told that my state doesn't grant expungements for misdemeanors anymore. So I'm stuck with this on my record indefinitely.

What makes it worse is that there is another red flag waving right next to it.

The Institutional Action violation is from almost 4 years ago now. The night before Halloween of my freshman year I was ticketed by Campus Police for "flipping my middle finger at them" as I was walking home around midnight. Honestly I don't remember any of it… All I remember about that night is deciding to leave a party, only a few blocks away from my apartment, by myself because I realized that I was way too intoxicated to stay any longer (I was 22 as a freshman so I'm not worried about owning up to drinking that night). The next think I remember is waking up in my bed. So between the party and my bed, I have no idea what happened. I didn't find out that I had even been stopped by the police or ticketed until 2 weeks later when I received an email informing me that my academic registration was put on hold for failing to set up an appointment with Student Judicial Affairs. Not until I went in for my hearing did I find out what had happened. I plead guilty because there was no way that I could prove my innocence or even know if I was. I received a SNAM (Student Non-Academic Misconduct), which constitutes Institutional Action. As my punishment I had to donate a new $20 toy to charity and attend a 3-hour long group discussion on character, integrity, and ethics.

Side-note: This same semester (my first one in college) I also made a D+ in Art History, probably the easiest class on campus, because I missed an exam. Came out with a 2.6 GPA, but have managed to pull that up to a 4.0 since then. So I guess I really have THREE black eyes to explain…

I knew that I was going to have to blemish my application with the IA from the beginning, but now that this second red flag has reared its ugly head I am officially panicking. I feel like I will at best be shoved to the bottom of the pile when the ADCOMs see this, at worst thrown out of the running altogether. I have worked so hard and now I feel like my dreams are crashing down around me because of these ridiculous mistakes.

So my questions are: How bad does this look? Do I have a shot at my dream school (UAB)?


Secondary Question: Should I include these experiences in my PS to explain them and what I have learned, use one of my 15 experience blocks in AMCAS to explain them and what I have learned, or just pray for an interview and explain them there?

 

[aspiring20]

non issues for both

 

[Isomerism]

non issues for both

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate your opinion.

However, I've heard that when ADCOMs see that the IA or misdemeanor questions have "YES" answers to them they just automatically shove your application to the bottom of the stack without reading further. You don't think that these potential red flags put me at a disadvantage compared to the hundreds of applicants who have no misdemeanors or IAs?

 

[aspiring20]

jesus...you were an active duty marine? and you have a 4.0/34?

aim for the top.

 

[Goro]

First, many thanks for your service to your country.

That duck hunting misdemeanor is a novel one...that certainly will make for an interesting interview. The intoxication one is more concerning to me. granted, you were young, but 22 isn't 18 or 19, and being so drunk you didn't remember, well, that concerns me.

But overall, You're just going tohave to take these on the chin and se how the interview cycle goes. I'll bet your excellent ECs and academics will handlily land you an interview, so you'd better explain things well. I think that being a Marine will end up making things right.

So, when explaining things, own them and explain how you grew from them.

Good luck, and Semper Fi.

So I thought my application was looking pretty good, until I realized that I'm going to have to send it in with 2 huge black eyes… a recent Misdemeanor and a Student Non-Academic Misconduct violation (Institutional Action) from my freshman year.

Other than the 2 screw-ups, here are my stats:
State University
GPA: 4.0 (taking 16-20 hrs/semester)
SGPA: 4.0
MCAT: 34 (PS 11, BS 12, VR 11)
60 hours shadowing in primary care clinics
40 hours shadowing in hospitals
80 hours shadowing in physical therapy clinics
4 years active duty rifleman in the Marine Corps [2 Deployments: Afghanistan (infantry team leader and combat life saver), 7 months on aircraft carrier (took part in some humanitarian relief efforts and anti-piracy campaigns)]
Minimal Research experience (just started as assistant in lab 2 months ago)
Mediocre Volunteer hours
Member of Waterski Team
Officer position in school club

The misdemeanor is from about 2 months ago. I was ticketed for duck hunting on a "deer-hunting-only day" on public hunting land back in December (duck was in season, just really weird and inconspicuous hunting schedules on public land in my area). I tried to pay the fine over the phone multiple times during the weeks following but was told that the ticket wasn't in the computer system yet. When school started back up in January I completely forgot about the ticket until April (I was taking 20 hours so I forgot about anything that wasn’t school related), which was wayyyy after my court date/deadline to pay the fine. Apparently they had sent out multiple notices and "second chances" for me to appear in court and pay the fine during that time, but my address in the state’s computer system wasn't updated, so I never got any of the notices. When I finally remembered about it in April and contacted them I found out that there was a warrant out for my arrest for "failure to appear" in court. I immediately drove an hour to the courthouse where they "arrested" me (no handcuffs, just paperwork and a bond fee) and rescheduled my court date. I showed up for the next one an hour early, paid the $100 fine, and thought that everything was back to normal. Well I got to the misdemeanor question on AMCAS yesterday and thought that I had better check to make sure my failure to appear didn’t constitute a misdemeanor. I called the courthouse and apparently it does… So now I’m freaking out. I already contacted an attorney and was told that my state doesn’t grant expungements for misdemeanors anymore. So I’m stuck with this on my record indefinitely.

What makes it worse is that there is another red flag waving right next to it.

The Institutional Action violation is from almost 4 years ago now. The night before Halloween of my freshman year I was ticketed by Campus Police for “flipping my middle finger at them” as I was walking home around midnight. Honestly I don’t remember any of it… All I remember about that night is deciding to leave a party, only a few blocks away from my apartment, by myself because I realized that I was way too intoxicated to stay any longer (I was 22 as a freshman so I’m not worried about owning up to drinking that night). The next think I remember is waking up in my bed. So between the party and my bed, I have no idea what happened. I didn’t find out that I had even been stopped by the police or ticketed until 2 weeks later when I received an email informing me that my academic registration was put on hold for failing to set up an appointment with Student Judicial Affairs. Not until I went in for my hearing did I find out what had happened. I plead guilty because there was no way that I could prove my innocence or even know if I was. I received a SNAM (Student Non-Academic Misconduct), which constitutes Institutional Action. As my punishment I had to donate a new $20 toy to charity and attend a 3-hour long group discussion on character, integrity, and ethics.

Side-note: This same semester (my first one in college) I also made a D+ in Art History, probably the easiest class on campus, because I missed an exam. Came out with a 2.6 GPA, but have managed to pull that up to a 4.0 since then. So I guess I really have THREE black eyes to explain…

I knew that I was going to have to blemish my application with the IA from the beginning, but now that this second red flag has reared its ugly head I am officially panicking. I feel like I will at best be shoved to the bottom of the pile when the ADCOMs see this, at worst thrown out of the running altogether. I have worked so hard and now I feel like my dreams are crashing down around me because of these ridiculous mistakes.

So my questions are: How bad does this look? Do I have a shot at my dream school (UAB)?

 

[Isomerism]

jesus...you were an active duty marine? and you have a 4.0/34?

aim for the top.

Thanks man, I appreciate the encouragement, I just feel like I'm really lacking in some important areas (research, shadowing, and volunteering primarily). Plus these two screw-ups are driving me crazy with paranoia. There are plenty of applicants with superb GPAs and MCATs who don’t have blemishes.

 

[Isomerism]

First, many thanks for your service to your country.

That duck hunting misdemeanor is a novel one...that certainly will make for an interesting interview. The intoxication one is more concerning to me. granted, you were young, but 22 isn't 18 or 19, and being so drunk you didn't remember, well, that concerns me.

But overall, You're just going tohave to take these on the chin and se how the interview cycle goes. I'll bet your excellent ECs and academics will handlily land you an interview, so you'd better explain things well. I think that being a Marine will end up making things right.

So, when explaining things, own them and explain how you grew from them.

Good luck, and Semper Fi.

Thank you for your reply and insight. I will definitely make sure to do everything that I can to own the interview.

Being 22 when I got the IA is part of what concerns me so much. I feel like that's too old to something so stupid. In regards to not remembering the events from after the party, that is by no means normal for me. I had never blacked-out before, and I haven't since. I feel that it had something to do with the enormous bowl of hunch-punch served, and my inexperience with how ridiculously strong drinks served at college parties can be. I've definitely learned though, as I haven't drank anything that I haven't prepared myself or at least watched someone else prepare since that night. In fact, I have rarely drank at all since that night. I've pretty much stuck to the libraries since that experience.


That brings up another question: Should I include this experience in my PS to explain it and what I learned, use one of my 15 experience blocks to explain it and what I learned, or just pray for an interview and explain it there?

 

[mitchlucker]

Thank you for your reply and insight. I will definitely make sure to do everything that I can to own the interview.

Being 22 when I got the IA is part of what concerns me so much. I feel like that’s too old to something so stupid. In regards to not remembering the events from after the party, that is by no means normal for me. I had never blacked-out before, and I haven’t since. I feel that it had something to do with the enormous bowl of hunch-punch served, and my inexperience with how ridiculously strong drinks served at college parties can be. I’ve definitely learned though, as I haven’t drank anything that I haven’t prepared myself or at least watched someone else prepare since that night. In fact, I have rarely drank at all since that night. I’ve pretty much stuck to the libraries since that experience.


That brings up another question: Should I include this experience in my PS to explain it and what I learned, use one of my 15 experience blocks to explain it and what I learned, or just pray for an interview and explain it there?

Don't bring it up. Don't draw more attention to it. Draw the attention to your strong points, because there are many. If they care they'll ask you about it. I had IA as a freshman and while I didn't get into schools (bad at interviewing maybe?) it never came up in any interviews.

 

[preMedDonut]

Thank you for your reply and insight. I will definitely make sure to do everything that I can to own the interview.

Being 22 when I got the IA is part of what concerns me so much. I feel like that’s too old to something so stupid. In regards to not remembering the events from after the party, that is by no means normal for me. I had never blacked-out before, and I haven’t since. I feel that it had something to do with the enormous bowl of hunch-punch served, and my inexperience with how ridiculously strong drinks served at college parties can be. I’ve definitely learned though, as I haven’t drank anything that I haven’t prepared myself or at least watched someone else prepare since that night. In fact, I have rarely drank at all since that night. I’ve pretty much stuck to the libraries since that experience.


That brings up another question: Should I include this experience in my PS to explain it and what I learned, use one of my 15 experience blocks to explain it and what I learned, or just pray for an interview and explain it there?

Aim for the freakin top man. You have all your bases covered and don't have zero hours in any area (shadowing,volunteering). Like someone said, a 4.0 and 34 will see you to top 10 considering your military status especially if you can spin the leadership part well which I was in the same position as you, so I know you can. Except you know, hazing boots and all. I would be completely shocked if the IA hurt you badly.

 

[Dermatome Man]

you're fine

 

[aspiring20]

Don't bring it up. Don't draw more attention to it. Draw the attention to your strong points, because there are many. If they care they'll ask you about it. I had IA as a freshman and while I didn't get into schools (bad at interviewing maybe?) it never came up in any interviews.

what was your IA for?

 

[mitchlucker]

what was your IA for?

alcohol in the dorms. got a bunch community service.

 

[PreMedRookie]

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate your opinion.

However, I've heard that when ADCOMs see that the IA or misdemeanor questions have "YES" answers to them they just automatically shove your application to the bottom of the stack without reading further. You don't think that these potential red flags put me at a disadvantage compared to the hundreds of applicants who have no misdemeanors or IAs?

Hey I also have an IA that, once you read into, isn't all that bad and this was also my main concern. However, after looking in to it, I think this only happens for schools that require you to get an incident report thing filled out by your university. These schools do not look at your application until you get this turned in to them. However, I have only come across one of these schools so I think at most schools this won't be an issue.

 

[Isomerism]

Aim for the freakin top man. You have all your bases covered and don't have zero hours in any area (shadowing,volunteering). Like someone said, a 4.0 and 34 will see you to top 10 considering your military status especially if you can spin the leadership part well which I was in the same position as you, so I know you can. Except you know, hazing boots and all. I would be completely shocked if the IA hurt you badly.

hahaha, that is awesome, I never thought I'd see the phrase "hazing boots" in this forum! Thanks man, I appreciate the encouragement, and will definitely make the most of the leadership aspect. By the way we were right down the road from each other, I was in 3/8

 

[Isomerism]

Hey I also have an IA that, once you read into, isn't all that bad and this was also my main concern. However, after looking in to it, I think this only happens for schools that require you to get an incident report thing filled out by your university. These schools do not look at your application until you get this turned in to them. However, I have only come across one of these schools so I think at most schools this won't be an issue.

Thanks for the information, that's comforting to hear. Do those types of schools have you submit the incident report with the secondary application or with AMCAS? If you don't mind me asking, what school was it that required that of you?

 

[Isomerism]

Don't bring it up. Don't draw more attention to it. Draw the attention to your strong points, because there are many. If they care they'll ask you about it. I had IA as a freshman and while I didn't get into schools (bad at interviewing maybe?) it never came up in any interviews.

Thanks for the advice, that's what I was leaning towards since I already have a pretty good PS almost polished and ready to go that I don't want to have to totally rework to fit these incidents into. If I have experience slots left over on AMCAS I'm still considering using one to explain what I learned from the IA, but I'm pretty sure I've already got all 15 covered with better options. Regardless, I really hope they do bring it up in the interview (if I get one) so that I have the opportunity to explain myself. I feel like that if I am given the chance in person I will be able to explain it well enough that it shouldn't hurt me too badly in the end.

 

[mcloaf]

Thanks for the information, that's comforting to hear. Do those types of schools have you submit the incident report with the secondary application or with AMCAS? If you don't mind me asking, what school was it that required that of you?

Since it's school-specific it won't be until after you've submitted AMCAS. It could be as part of the secondary or a separate email from the admissions department. Boston University and WashU St Louis both have requirements like this, there are probably others as well.


Getting back to your OP I don't think that these issues will keep you out of school because of your considerable other accomplishments. I'm a little bit confused though, if you had a 2.6 GPA at one point, how did you end up with a 4.0? MD schools don't do grade replacement.

 

[Isomerism]

Since it's school-specific it won't be until after you've submitted AMCAS. It could be as part of the secondary or a separate email from the admissions department. Boston University and WashU St Louis both have requirements like this, there are probably others as well.


Getting back to your OP I don't think that these issues will keep you out of school because of your considerable other accomplishments. I'm a little bit confused though, if you had a 2.6 GPA at one point, how did you end up with a 4.0? MD schools don't do grade replacement.

Good point, I didn't think about that... I was just going off of my transcript GPA. I haven't entered my course work into AMCAS yet, so I guess I'll have to recalculate it considering that D+ to see what it's going to come out to now. It was a 3 hour elective course that I retook and made over a 100 in the second time around. Do they average the two grades out, consider both individually, or just the lowest? My application is looking worse and worse the closer I get to submission. Luckily it won't affect my SGPA.

 

[Isomerism]

Since it's school-specific it won't be until after you've submitted AMCAS. It could be as part of the secondary or a separate email from the admissions department. Boston University and WashU St Louis both have requirements like this, there are probably others as well.


Getting back to your OP I don't think that these issues will keep you out of school because of your considerable other accomplishments. I'm a little bit confused though, if you had a 2.6 GPA at one point, how did you end up with a 4.0? MD schools don't do grade replacement.

I just recalculated my overall gpa using the calculator at this link (http://prehealth.cas.nyu.edu/object/cas.prehealth.gpacalculator), and got 3.86. This blows. I'm glad I figured this out sooner than later, but now I'm wondering what else I haven't considered....

Recalculated my SGPA too (the university I attend counts A+'s towards GPA, and I just realized med schools only count them as A's) and got 3.99. Not as pretty as a 4.0. I feel pretty stupid right now

 

[October88]

Those are still very competitive numbers.

 

[PreMedRookie]

I believe that, after they received your primary, they sent you the information and you needed to return it prior to them sending you secondaries. I feel like it was a Michigan school but I am not positive. I found the info when looking up LOR and secondary requirements on school websites.

 

[Isomerism]

Those are still very competitive numbers.

Thank you, I just hate that I've been misleading myself this whole time. It would have been really nice to have a perfect GPA to counterbalance those red flags

 

[Isomerism]

I believe that, after they received your primary, they sent you the information and you needed to return it prior to them sending you secondaries. I feel like it was a Michigan school but I am not positive. I found the info when looking up LOR and secondary requirements on school websites.

Thanks for getting back to me. That's good to hear, because I don't remember seeing anything about that on the school sites that I've checked so far

 

[forever21xo]

Honestly I think you made more people laugh with this story than made people think negatively about you/think you're a dangerous and untrustworthy criminal.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Man, this is an interesting one. On one hand they seem bs charges. On the other hand there is recency and the fact that you failed to go to court. "I forgot to pay my ticket" won't jive well with everyone. No opinion, but good luck, OP.

 

[Isomerism]

Honestly I think you made more people laugh with this story than made people think negatively about you/think you're a dangerous and untrustworthy criminal.

Thanks for the encourageming thought, I just hope the ADCOMs feel that way too..

 

[Isomerism]

Man, this is an interesting one. On one hand they seem bs charges. On the other hand there is recency and the fact that you failed to go to court. "I forgot to pay my ticket" won't jive well with everyone. No opinion, but good luck, OP.

Thanks for the input, I'm with you on forgetting to pay the ticket. That looks pretty irresponsible in my opinion, and I’m sure some ADCOMs will think so too