Getting a DUI on record can cause you a lot of problems whether or not it is your first offense, no matter how old you are, and no matter what the offense itself was.
As a college student, you face even bigger potential penalties. You may even face the possibility of expulsion.
Chances of expulsion
The College Investor looks into the potential consequences of a DUI conviction. Expulsion is often the biggest concern, but just how likely is it? In reality, not many colleges will directly expel a student for a DUI conviction. Those who get expelled often caused notable amounts of property damage or injury or death to another student or individual.
Financial consequences
But just because you are not at risk of expulsion, it does not mean you have no risks to watch out for at all. Many colleges will almost immediately remove the financial support they provided for you after a DUI conviction. This includes prizes, gifts, awards, and scholarships.
On top of that, a college will likely bar you from campus, too. They often do this in an attempt to protect the other students by not giving you the ability to drink or drive on school grounds again. This also forces you to pay off-campus rates for housing, which are often enormous, especially in bigger cities.
An end to career paths
Of course, you will also find certain career paths closed to you. For example, government positions and jobs that work with kids often do not hire those with DUI convictions. Thus, you may not even be able to continue your studies with your current major, depending on what it was. In general, all of this can upset your college trajectory in major ways.
