Should I apply with an arrest record?

[Dulika]

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So basically, little over a year ago, I was arrested for a class B misdemeanor. I won't get into too much detail because its private but it was racial profiling (I'm Asian). My lawyer knew it, the judge knew it, and the prosecutor knew it as well so it got dismissed. But the problem is I still have an arrest record in the government database. I'm trying to get it expunged but if I can't, what should I do? Some people have told me to turn it into a unique personal statement. I was actually traumatized for few months (with how the arrest went down) and had to go to school counseling center. My GPA also went down a bit that semester because of this.
ADCOMs please give me some advice? I'm not a competitive candidate with my stats so I don't know if I should just give up...

 

[Dulika]

You were arrested BUT the charges were dismissed (were they dismissed by the judge or dropped by prosecutor). Therefore, there is no crime or conviction, and it does not need to be reported. Apply

The case was dismissed by the prosecutor which means the charge and the arrest record are still there. Do I not need to report these? My lawyer told me that expungement will get rid of the state court's record of the charge and the arrest but FBI database may still have my data.

 

[chaim123]

Last year, at an AMCAS event, I actually sat with a prehealth advisor, and Ctrl+F all questions in the applicant guide. Guess what percent were answered there? It starts with a 1 and ends with 2 0s.

 

[gyngyn]

Some secondaries ask about the disposition of an arrest.
This should not be a deterrent for you, though.

 

[Rowlander]

that will make things a bit tricky

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Did you even bother to look up the instructions for applying to medical school?
Did your lawyer explain, you dont have any charges against you only the record of an arrest?
A prosecutor only drops charges; a judge dismisses charges, which of these two things happened 'cause prosecutor cant dismiss charges?

https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...1bf6e3/2019-amcas-applicant-guide.pdf#page=28
Misdemeanor
You must indicate if you have ever been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, a misdemeanor
crime, excluding (1) any offense for which you were adjudicated as a juvenile, (2) any convictions that
have been expunged or sealed by a court, or (3) any misdemeanor convictions for which you completed
any probation and for which the court dismissed the case (in states where applicable). You need
not disclose any instance in which you:
• Were arrested but not charged
• Were arrested and charged, with the charges dropped
• Were arrested and charged, but found not guilty by a judge or jury
• Were arrested and found guilty by a judge or jury, with the conviction overturned on appeal
• Were arrested and found guilty but received an executive pardon

But wouldn't those things show up on a background check?

 

[mistafab]

I’ve been arrested - does not matter at all. If you were not charged for anything it is no big deal.

Why? You can literally walk down a street and be arrested if you match a profie or something. Doesn’t mean you did anything at all. Arrest literally does not mean anything. You looked like someone, or someone was afraid of you. Maybe you DID do something - hopefully the system catches you.

I’ve had to cope, being dark and big...

 

[Durty-Trixxx]

Arrests don't mean anything unless you were convicted of something. That's all med schools care about. ADCOMs realize cops are dumb government workers making up stupid reasons to arrest people every day. You will have much sympathy on this.

In fact, any med school turning you down for simply knowing you were arrested would be grounds for a tasty lawsuit !!

 

[FLORIDIN]

can you get it expunged?

 

[atomi]

So basically, little over a year ago, I was arrested for a class B misdemeanor. I won't get into too much detail because its private but it was racial profiling (I'm Asian). My lawyer knew it, the judge knew it, and the prosecutor knew it as well so it got dismissed.

So did you actually commit the crime or not? Or did you get off on a technicality?

 

[Tenk]

Wow people really need to go google some legal terms before they come on these forums and spout a bunch of nonsense. Seconding Gonnif here. Nobody cares if you were arrested but had no charges. Apply away.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Arrests don't mean anything unless you were convicted of something. That's all med schools care about. ADCOMs realize cops are dumb government workers making up stupid reasons to arrest people every day. You will have much sympathy on this.

In fact, any med school turning you down for simply knowing you were arrested would be grounds for a tasty lawsuit !!

It must be exhausting trying to come up with something stupid and inflammatory to put in every one of your posts.

 

[Goro]

Arrests don't mean anything unless you were convicted of something. That's all med schools care about. ADCOMs realize cops are dumb government workers making up stupid reasons to arrest people every day. You will have much sympathy on this.

In fact, any med school turning you down for simply knowing you were arrested would be grounds for a tasty lawsuit !!

These comments are so ignorant of the Admissions process that they rise to the level of malevolence. Knock it off.

 

[Durty-Trixxx]

Getting an arrest record expunged is actually much harder than getting a court record expunged

That probably depends on the state.

In Pennsylvania there are statutes that require arrests that don't lead to a conviction be removed within a year from someone's record. There are now statutes that allow minor convictions like petty shoplifting and public intoxication/urination to be expunged rather easily in front of a district magistrate judge.