Really stressed about Institutional Action - Any advice appreciated

[lucyrose42]

Hi everyone,

I am incredibly worried about an incident I was involved with my sophomore year. I was found in possession of marijuana (NOT smoking - I was in a friend's dorm room where the campus police found marijuana after an RA caught a look when the door was open.) I was issued a warning, and had to complete 2 "Wellness" meetings.

I also had to pay a fine, issued by the campus police (it was just a fine, it is decriminalized where I am).

I emailed my Community Standards office at school and they said: "If a school or admissions committee reaches out to us and asks for specific information regarding your incident, they will be told that you were found responsible for violating the underage drug policy and were given a warning and completed an educational sanction and that you are in Good Standing."

I am now a senior and applying this cycle (taking a gap year). I have a strong application otherwise (3.97/523, good ECs).

My questions:
How severely will this hurt my application?
Will this ruin my chances at top schools? (On another thread, someone said applying to T10 would be a 'waste of money').
How should I address this on my application?
Should I go into specifics that it was marijuana I was caught with, or just say I was found in violation of the underage drug policy?

Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. I am so upset that I have worked so hard for years and now my chances are blown.

@Goro @LizzyM @Pathdocmd @gyngyn @Med Ed

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[Goro]

We were all young and stupid once . Just own this, and you'll be fine.

 

[lucyrose42]

We were all young and stupid once . Just own this, and you'll be fine.

Hi Goro, thank you so much for the reply. What is your advice on how to address this in my application - ie, should I go into specifics ("I was in a friend's dorm room where marijuana was also present and was found in violation of my school's underage drug policy. I was not participating in any drug usage.") or be more general ("I was found in violation of my school's underage drug policy and received a warning and am now in Good Standing.")?

 

[Dr. Foresight]

I'm not as knowledgeable as @Goro on these things, but I would go with the first one but add, "while I was not using the drugs I understand my presence contributed to this event/violation. It was a major error in judgement on my part. I have completed my University's educational sanction program and learned from this unfortunate event."

The second one just sounds too vague to me. Goro will have the best advice. Good luck with the app cycle!

 

[lucyrose42]

I'm not as knowledgeable as @Goro on these things, but I would go with the first one but add, "while I was not using the drugs I understand my presence contributed to this event/violation. It was a major error in judgement on my part. I have completed my University's educational sanction program and learned from this unfortunate event."

The second one just sounds too vague to me. Goro will have the best advice. Good luck with the app cycle!

Thank you! Super helpful.

 

[Faha]

If every physician and nurse who ever smoked marijuana all had their licenses revoked every hospital in the country would have to close down and our health care system would collapse.

 

[Goro]

I'm not as knowledgeable as @Goro on these things, but I would go with the first one but add, "while I was not using the drugs I understand my presence contributed to this event/violation. It was a major error in judgement on my part. I have completed my University's educational sanction program and learned from this unfortunate event."

The second one just sounds too vague to me. Goro will have the best advice. Good luck with the app cycle!

I agree with this. Whether you were using drugs or not is irrelevant; you were found guilty of violating a policy.

 

[yns123]

Hi everyone,

I am incredibly worried about an incident I was involved with my sophomore year. I was found in possession of marijuana (NOT smoking - I was in a friend's dorm room where the campus police found marijuana after an RA caught a look when the door was open.) I was issued a warning, and had to complete 2 "Wellness" meetings.

I also had to pay a fine, issued by the campus police (it was just a fine, it is decriminalized where I am).

I emailed my Community Standards office at school and they said: "If a school or admissions committee reaches out to us and asks for specific information regarding your incident, they will be told that you were found responsible for violating the underage drug policy and were given a warning and completed an educational sanction and that you are in Good Standing."

I am now a senior and applying this cycle (taking a gap year). I have a strong application otherwise (3.97/523, good ECs).

My questions:
How severely will this hurt my application?
Will this ruin my chances at top schools? (On another thread, someone said applying to T10 would be a 'waste of money').
How should I address this on my application?
Should I go into specifics that it was marijuana I was caught with, or just say I was found in violation of the underage drug policy?

Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. I am so upset that I have worked so hard for years and now my chances are blown.

@Goro @LizzyM @Pathdocmd @gyngyn @Med Ed

I know people who have been admitted into an MD program with a marijuana criminal CHARGE on their record, so this really isn't that big of a deal. If you just explain how and what you learned from the situation, you will be fine. With those types of stats, it makes up for your IA. I had an IA (failed a class senior year of college) and still got accepted this cycle with numerous interviews. Please, please do not take advice from someone telling you you shouldn't apply to T10 schools because of an IA, especially with those stats.

 

[chlorocruorin]

Don't apply to IU

 

[lucyrose42]

I know people who have been admitted into an MD program with a marijuana criminal CHARGE on their record, so this really isn't that big of a deal. If you just explain how and what you learned from the situation, you will be fine. With those types of stats, it makes up for your IA. I had an IA (failed a class senior year of college) and still got accepted this cycle with numerous interviews. Please, please do not take advice from someone telling you you shouldn't apply to T10 schools because of an IA, especially with those stats.

Thank you!

 

[pmcojm]

PM'ed you.

 

[yns123]

Thank you!

And I just wanted to add that I had way lower stats than you. Good luck on your cycle.