Drinking and driving can have a serious impact on anyone’s future. But for underage drivers, the impact is often underestimated. Many convicted of underage DUI crimes do not realize how it affects everything from employability to their college career.
In particular, when your college career ends up impacted, it influences all other aspects of your future, too. This is why you should always treat threats to your college career in a serious way.
Financial roadblocks after DUI
The College Investor discusses how a DUI has the potential to ruin your child’s college career. First, note that it is unusual for a college to expel a student over a DUI conviction alone. It happens, but it is rare. In most expulsion cases, the recipient faced other convictions alongside driving while intoxicated. For example, they may have put a minor passenger at risk or injured someone.
A college can and will target your financial support, though. If they provided a scholarship or financial award, you can expect to see those revoked. They may also refuse to allow you room and board with on campus housing. Thus, you must spend the money to find housing off campus, which often costs hundreds of dollars more. This hike in price is enough to knock some students out of attendance.
Career options narrow
On top of that, career options also suffer. Many doors will close. For example, people with DUI convictions on record cannot apply for government positions. They also struggle to get hired in jobs that involve children. Jobs that involve driving are also entirely off limits. This can limit the classes your child can take while in college. Overall, the college experience ends up muddied by the conviction.
