Please help! Nontrad applicant just found out traffic ticket is a misdemeanor

[GEDrtMD]

I received a ticket for speeding in Texas 8 years ago. I did not pay the ticket due to extreme financial hardships I had at the time. I saw the ticket on my credit report in 2013 and called in and paid it. Because I didn't pay it for so long, I was also charged with "failure to appear". I just found out that both the speeding ticket and failure to appear are misdemeanors in Texas. The problem is I indicated on Amcas that I did not have any misdemeanors because never in a million years did I think a minor traffic violation would result in something like this. In my state, all moving violations are just considered "traffic offenses." I work in a hospital and am a licensed healthcare professional and this has never been brought up in any background check before. Please help, how do I handle this? I've overcome so much to get to this point and now I'm terrified I've ruined my chance at my dream.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[futuremdforme]

This happened to me. I was asked about it and answered that I didn't know that it was a misdemeanor and that AMCAS said not to indicate traffic violations.

 

[GEDrtMD]

Does AMCAS say not to indicate traffic violations? Do you have any suggestions for how I should handle it considering that now I do know that it's a misdemeanor? I've only submitted to one school so far since I don't have my mcat score yet.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[futuremdforme]

Does AMCAS say not to indicate traffic violations? Do you have any suggestions for how I should handle it considering that now I do know that it's a misdemeanor? I've only submitted to one school so far since I don't have my mcat score yet.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

I think so? I think I read posts on SDN about traffic tickets and everyone said not to put them, so it never occurred to me. I can't give advice on what to do since you haven't submitted yet. Personally I would probably continue to submit normally and deal with the issue if it comes up after acceptance. I can't imagine losing an acceptance over a speeding ticket when most states don't consider it a misdemeanour. But wait for adcoms/more knowledgeable people for real advice.

 

[GEDrtMD]

Thank you! Can anyone else offer any suggestions? I would like to be as transparent as possible


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[GEDrtMD]

Bump. Any adcoms here have any suggestions?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[MSTPMotorcyclist]

This happened to me this year. I found out speeding tickets were a misdemeanor in SC when I got my background check back from Certiphi and almost had a cow.

I immediately called the admissions office at the school to which I'm matriculating and the conversation that followed was:

Me: "Hi, I think I've made a terrible mistake"
Admissions Secretary:"Uh oh, what's wrong?"
Me: "I didn't realize that speeding tickets were classified as misdemeanors in SC, so I did not report them in my primary or secondary application. I just received my background check to review, and they are all listed. What's the best course of action to fix this???"
AS: "(sighs and chuckles) You know you're the third person to call about this this week? (it was on a Wednesday if I remember correctly) It happens all the time, don't sweat it. Most people don't realize that traffic violations are 'criminal offenses' here, it's no problem at all."
Me: "THANK YOU SWEET BABY JESUS"
AS: "....huh?"
Me: "Nothing. Bye."

....OK, so the last three lines may not have actually happened, but they may as well have. Simply let them know you didn't realize that your ticket was a concern, and ask them if it's possible to amend your application. I'll bet they won't be worried about it either. Good luck!

 

[GEDrtMD]

Thank you so much for responding! My primary hasn't been verified yet and I still need to add most of my schools once I get my mcat score next week. Do you think I should explain it on the secondaries?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[MSTPMotorcyclist]

If they have a spot for it, then definitely. Some of them will actually tell you specifically NOT to list minor traffic offenses, regardless of the state in which they occurred. If you do explain it on any secondaries, maybe mention why it isn't listed on your primary application. Telling the truth accompanied by a good ol' fashioned "my bad fam" will most likely yield the same result as never having had a speeding ticket in the first place. I wouldn't let this bother me if I were you.

 

[GEDrtMD]

Ok great. Thank you so much for responding, you have no idea how much better you've made me feel! I've been just sick over this!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[MSTPMotorcyclist]

Any time

 

[DrMikeP]

I received a ticket for speeding in Texas 8 years ago. I did not pay the ticket due to extreme financial hardships I had at the time. I saw the ticket on my credit report in 2013 and called in and paid it. Because I didn't pay it for so long, I was also charged with "failure to appear". I just found out that both the speeding ticket and failure to appear are misdemeanors in Texas. The problem is I indicated on Amcas that I did not have any misdemeanors because never in a million years did I think a minor traffic violation would result in something like this. In my state, all moving violations are just considered "traffic offenses." I work in a hospital and am a licensed healthcare professional and this has never been brought up in any background check before. Please help, how do I handle this? I've overcome so much to get to this point and now I'm terrified I've ruined my chance at my dream.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

States vary in what they class as misdemeanors or not, so frustrating.

You should immediately contact AMCAS and update them and then I'd probably email the schools you've applied to and completed secondaries for and just let them know that you discovered such and didn't realize speeding was a misdemeanor and offer them proof that you paid it IF they even care.

Did you pay a fine for the failure to appear or was it dropped after you paid the ticket? It would really suck to get a residency in Texas and have an arrest warrant out for you. The failure to appear may cause more of a problem that the ticket.

Depends on how thorough of a background check people do as to whether they will find such. Often places just check federal and select (using prior addresses on your credit report) state databases.

Just don't come across as making excuses and this won't likely be the thing that would keep you out.

Good luck

 

[GEDrtMD]

States vary in what they class as misdemeanors or not, so frustrating.

You should immediately contact AMCAS and update them and then I'd probably email the schools you've applied to and completed secondaries for and just let them know that you discovered such and didn't realize speeding was a misdemeanor and offer them proof that you paid it IF they even care.

Did you pay a fine for the failure to appear or was it dropped after you paid the ticket? It would really suck to get a residency in Texas and have an arrest warrant out for you. The failure to appear may cause more of a problem that the ticket.

Depends on how thorough of a background check people do as to whether they will find such. Often places just check federal and select (using prior addresses on your credit report) state databases.

Just don't come across as making excuses and this won't likely be the thing that would keep you out.

Good luck

I did pay a fine for the failure to appear I believe when I called them to pay the ticket in 2013. I've only applied to one school so far and I haven't been verified yet and haven't done any secondaries. If I call amcas do you know if they will allow me to change my answer to the misdemeanor question?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[MSTPMotorcyclist]

The sooner you call, the higher the probability of them letting you. I say call them first thing tomorrow if you're trying to get your primary changed.

Sent from my SM-G930T using SDN mobile

 

[GEDrtMD]

The sooner you call, the higher the probability of them letting you. I say call them first thing tomorrow if you're trying to get your primary changed.

Sent from my SM-G930T using SDN mobile

Ok will do, thank you!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[DrMikeP]

I did pay a fine for the failure to appear I believe when I called them to pay the ticket in 2013. I've only applied to one school so far and I haven't been verified yet and haven't done any secondaries. If I call amcas do you know if they will allow me to change my answer to the misdemeanor question?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Let us know if they do.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[futuremdforme]

States vary in what they class as misdemeanors or not, so frustrating.

And they don't make it clear that paying a ticket is going to be a misdemeanour either! For mine, I was driving with out of state plates in a town that specializes in traffic tickets. Like their town website has 2 pages, and one is an FAQ on traffic tickets. It specifically says the cops have nothing better to do than to show up in court if you try to fight it. As an extra kick in the pants, the speed limit was increased a few months later.

 

[DrMikeP]

And they don't make it clear that paying a ticket is going to be a misdemeanour either! For mine, I was driving with out of state plates in a town that specializes in traffic tickets. Like their town website has 2 pages, and one is an FAQ on traffic tickets. It specifically says the cops have nothing better to do than to show up in court if you try to fight it. As an extra kick in the pants, the speed limit was increased a few months later.

Can understand! That's why many schools on secondaries have a traffic ticket exempt statement.

My university PD many years ago used to give parking tickets and they all were suddenly classed as misdemeanors. The law students didn't know and a dozen got messed up when they went for the bar exam. It led to quite a mess.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

And they don't make it clear that paying a ticket is going to be a misdemeanour either! For mine, I was driving with out of state plates in a town that specializes in traffic tickets. Like their town website has 2 pages, and one is an FAQ on traffic tickets. It specifically says the cops have nothing better to do than to show up in court if you try to fight it. As an extra kick in the pants, the speed limit was increased a few months later.

You can generally find the motor vehicle code for a given state online, which will tell you if your violation is a misdemeanor or not.

 

[GEDrtMD]

Let us know if they do.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

AMCAS would not let me amend my application, but I spoke with a contact I have who works in admissions at a medical school near me and I was told to explain the situation on secondaries that give a space to update information from AMCAS and to send an email update to the schools that do not have this type of question on the secondary


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[DrMikeP]

AMCAS would not let me amend my application, but I spoke with a contact I have who works in admissions at a medical school near me and I was told to explain the situation on secondaries that give a space to update information from AMCAS and to send an email update to the schools that do not have this type of question on the secondary


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Sounds good! If anyone asks at some point just briefly explain and accept responsibility for not realizing it was a misdemeanor and say you've learned a valuable lesson, such as as to how even the smallest of details that may seem irrelevant are important. Don't over do it on explaining though and let them ask for more explanation if needed.