College is usually a time of experimentation and personal growth. Most college students who begin their post-secondary education immediately after high school are still young enough that their brains have not finished developing. As such, they may struggle with impulse control and with understanding the consequences of the choices that they make. College students may get into fights with social acquaintances. They may drive home drunk after a party or try illegal drugs. They may then find themselves facing criminal charges.
College students face an outsized negative impact after a conviction for a criminal offense. How can a criminal conviction negatively affect a college student?
By endangering their enrollment
Every college and university has standards for the students enrolled there. Some have very strict policies related to criminal convictions and criminal records. Students may face on-campus discipline after a conviction. Some may end up on academic probation. Others may lose their enrollment entirely. Even if the school does not expel a student with a conviction, the student may not be able to participate in sports, honors programs or other extracurricular activities that could be critical for their career development or education.
By affecting financial aid
Not that long ago, certain types of criminal convictions, such as drug offenses, left students permanently ineligible for federal student aid. Currently, federal rules for student aid have become much more lenient toward those with criminal convictions. They no longer face permanent ineligibility in most cases. However, private financial aid options, including scholarship programs run by schools and nonprofit organizations, may have rules about criminal convictions. Students who rely on private sources of funding may find that they cannot qualify for new scholarships or renew existing ones if they plead guilty or get convicted of a criminal offense while attending college.
By limiting career opportunities
Employers typically perform background checks when people apply for jobs. Even unpaid internships and work-study programs have background check requirements in most cases. The more serious the criminal offense is, the more likely it is to limit a student’s long-term career development.
A criminal defense attorney can help college students explore their options, ranging from mounting a vigorous defense strategy to negotiating a plea bargain or pursuing pretrial diversion programs for certain types of offenses. Recognizing the potentially life-altering consequences of a recent conviction to help young adults respond appropriately to accusations of criminal activity.