Drinking and driving is a serious crime and the consequences of a conviction are also enormous. Often, the impact is much larger than anyone expects, especially younger individuals or those facing a first-time offense.
College students face additional struggles, too. It is crucial for a college student facing a DUI charge to understand how a conviction could impact their future.
Losing job opportunities
As the College Investor discusses, DUIs on record can have a huge impact on your college career. Of course, a college may turn down an applicant for a criminal record, as many colleges are private institutions and do not have to follow anti-discriminatory laws against convicted criminals in the way jobs do.
Speaking of jobs, a student will find many career paths closing to them. Of course, any job involving commercial driving or driving other individuals will immediately get taken off the table. Other fields that do not hire individuals with DUIs on record include government agencies and jobs that involve children, such as teaching or childcare.
Expulsion or financial rebuke
Even if a student does not find their job path closed to them, they will have to deal with the possibility of expulsion. Though rare, a college may still do this if they feel the DUI crime caused grievous harm or damage to students or to the school’s reputation.
On top of that, many colleges will also financially punish a student for a DUI conviction. They will pull their financial support, such as awards or scholarships. They will often bar the student from staying on campus as well, forcing them to pay for regular apartment prices, which can often end up costing more than a student can afford and bumping them out of attendance.