It’s graduation month! Many high school students are graduating and planning to head off to college. During this time of celebration, some recent graduates may find themselves in legal trouble after being stopped for underage DUI. How can this affect college acceptances?
The Legal Limit For Underage Drivers
First, it’s important to know DUI laws for underage drivers. Drivers under 21 may be charged with underage DUI if they have any amount of alcohol in their system. The legal limit for underage drivers is .02%, which is reachable after just one or two standard alcoholic drinks.
First-Offense DUI
A standard, first-offense DUI will likely not cause the school to revoke your acceptance. However, each school has its own policy. More likely, though, a DUI will affect your scholarship eligibility. If you are a student-athlete, you may also face sports-related consequences, such as a multi-game suspension.
Multiple DUIs
If you have multiple underage DUIs on your record, this will cause concern to the school. If they see a repeating pattern, they may revoke your acceptance as they believe you could be a liability to the school or nearby community.
Colleges and universities can generally revoke a student’s acceptance for underage DUI, though it is relatively unlikely to happen.
Lying on Application
What may lead to even bigger trouble than getting an underage DUI is lying about your criminal record on your application. If the college application asks about prior criminal charges, be honest about your underage DUI. If the school becomes aware that you lied, they may revoke your acceptance for this reason instead of the initial DUI.
Underage DUI Defense
If you have recently been charged with underage DUI, contact our attorneys at Tillotson & Martin, LLC. We understand this unique charge and want to fight to ensure it does not become a part of your criminal record. Click here to request a case consultation, or give our firm a call at (757) 568-7978.