When your child faces charges for first-time DUI-related crimes, you might feel tempted to brush them off. After all, you may think that first-time offenses often end up treated more charitably. Or perhaps you believe that since your child is still in college, the court will be more lenient.
But this is not always the case. And even if the court is lenient, this does not mean your child will not face other consequences.
How colleges may act after notification
The College Investor takes a look at the impact of DUI convictions on college careers. They can have a much bigger effect than you anticipate. This is especially true as colleges can act on their own after getting informed of the charge and potential conviction from local law enforcement. This means that, yes, there is no way to “hide” this from your child’s college.
Once notified, a college may take a number of routes when choosing how to handle the offense. However, expelling your child may be unlikely unless the DUI incident involved the death or injury of another student or other extenuating circumstances.
Priced out of attendance
But this does not mean they will not take action. One of the most common things a college may do is revoke any financial support they previously gave. This can include scholarships, financial aid, gifts and awards. They can also ban your student from using on-campus housing. This forces you to go the sometimes more expensive route of off-campus housing, which prices some students out of attendance entirely.
In essence, even if the college does not expel your student, the end result might end up similar. Thus, you always want to take DUI charges seriously from the start.