740 GMAT but mistakes as a youth. PLEASE HELP!

Question

Hello All,

I recently took the GMAT and received a 740 (Q-50, V-40), 8 IR, and 5 AWA. Once i received my score I decided that I was going to apply this year ( I was initially going to wait until next year). But I figured my score put me in contention at most schools. I am hoping to apply to H/S/W, MIT, and potentially Columbia. However when I started researching schools I realized I would need to disclose a low point in my life.

In 2010 I was attending a house party and was underage. The cops arrived at the party and I ran from the party. I was eventually caught and was given a misdemeanor. I pleaded "No Contest" (nolo contendre) and was ordered to pay a fine (roughly $200) and the case was over. However it is still a misdemeanor on my record.

I know for example Harvard asks to list any misdemeanors and explain. I was wondering if any one has any insight on how much this will hurt my chances or if it's just a complete deal breaker. Also any advice on how to explain it that it was a mistake and not indicative of who I am. Would I include this in an essay or just include it when it asks me to explain the situation. I feel like if i just explain it and let it go it wont draw to much attention to it.

Any advice or past experience would be greatly appreciated, this has kept me up many nights :/

Thanks!

dtse86 · Answer

Hi thor5517,

I think you're still ok. I'm not sure about how the adcom will react to this, but I doubt that it's a dealbreaker as long as you explain the circumstances around the misdemeanor. You are applying to some hyper-competitive schools and so this could be an item that puts you below someone else with similar stats, however you can also use the experience to your advantage. It could be something in your essays that helps you stand out. If you describe how you dealt with it and handled the situation, it could be an opportunity for you highlight your self-awareness and maturity. It may also be a good story to keep in your back-pocket for interviews when asked about a difficult situation or an obstacle that you encountered in your life.

I'm applying to 2 of the schools you mentioned and I have a similar story (although I didn't get a misdemeanor). I don't think it will be a dealbreaker, however I think you do have to disclose it and how you own up to it will be a big part of your application.

Bottom line:

thor5517 · Answer

Thanks for the response!

Do you know where a good place to address this issue is.Should I address it right when it asks me to explain and then let it go after that. Basically say i made a mistake an move, I feel if I bring it up in the additional essay it will only bring more attention to the fact.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

dtse86 · Answer

It's up to you. If there's a section where it asks you specifically and gives you space to explain that should be fine. If you think it was a "crucial turning point" in your life, then feel free to incorporate it into your essays or elaborate it further in your optional essay.

For me it was just another "data point" that highlighted my immaturity at that time and I used my essays to highlight how I've changed since then and done well professionally.

I would suggest to first lay out your overall application to see what information and examples you'd like to use in the essays and other areas. If the event was significant enough that it would show a compelling side of you, then include it and elaborate more in an essay, but if you have other things that you'd like to show then just disclose it and move on. The essays are getting shorter and shorter and so my position has been to avoid replicating information that already appears in another aspect of my application.

Hope this helped!

DefyingGravity · Answer

Admissions committees analyze every single detail of your application, both positive and negative details. During my interviews last year, especially the HBS interview, I was asked about incredibly tiny details included in my app. It seems like one of your concerns is that by including your misdemeanor in the optional essay, you'll be drawing more attention to it. However, I think they are going to pay attention to it no matter what. By providing additional explanations showing your increased maturity, I think you would better be able to overcome the incident.

Also, I wouldn't wait for the interview. At Stanford, 88% of applicants won't even get an interview. You don't want to miss your chance to explain yourself.

All in all, however, I don't think this is a deal breaker. Just make sure that all other aspects of your app are strong, so that they understand this was a one-time thing that you did when you were young and you've since learned from your experience.

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740 GMAT but mistakes as a youth. PLEASE HELP!

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