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Awful Driving Record and previous arrest

DanielMacTavishDanielMacTavish Alum Member
edited November 2020 in Law School Admissions 161 karma

To be blunt, I have a pretty bad driving record and currently have some points on my license. I understand that I will have to disclose this when applying to law school, and I am worried that it will have a negative impact on me. Is this something that could preclude me from being admitted to most law schools, even if I have a pretty decent LSAT score? I understand that everyone's situation is unique and there are no hard and fast rules, but with the amount of citations I have, including a misdemeanor that I received just after turning 18, I would be lying if I said that I didn't have a knot in my stomach over it.

If anyone has been in a similar predicament, can you please let me know if this is an obstacle that can be surmounted? Thank you!

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Comments

  • SandwichelleSandwichelle Alum Member
    234 karma

    Hi! Since you’re asking, here’s what I think! Gather all of the current dispositions of all of your cases. Write a stellar addendum, in chronological order explaining each offense, follow the guidelines on 7sage admissions. Don’t make excuses or minimize, just be honest and factual. Apply to a broader range of schools, if your criminal history devalues your application a bit, you may not get into your top choice, but you may still get in to your 5th choice! Do everything you can to show you’ve changed and you regret the mistakes in your past, but emphasize that it makes you a more understanding and experienced person. I know someone personally who has a DUI causing death, and they’re currently attending law school. Your record pales in comparison to that. Go easy on yourself. No one is perfect! Put your best foot forward and press on!

  • Frenchy555Frenchy555 Live Member
    edited November 2020 393 karma

    I can confidently say you'll barely have any trouble, just write an effective addendum. A vast majority of applications will exclude parking/driving infractions unless they directly resulted in a misdemeanor or felony charge. As for the single misdemeanor, I heard a story about a successful applicant with 6 and it seems pretty common that felonies are what heavily impact decisions. The most important thing to consider is that it will slightly set you back from other students with the same numbers so make sure your application is the best you can do. Disclose the misdemeanor in every application as well, there have been attorneys kicked from the bar because they withheld infractions during their law school application process.

  • DanielMacTavishDanielMacTavish Alum Member
    161 karma

    Thank you very much for the clarification! Makes me feel a bit better :D

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