Many Penn State students are eager to enjoy a break at the end of the fall semester. Winter break gives students an opportunity to decompress after intensive coursework. They can go home to visit friends and family or may even plan small vacations.
During their time away from school, they may attend parties or go out to bars with old friends. Their socialization habits might potentially lead to driving under the influence (DUI) charges. College students arrested in between semesters for DUI offenses could be at risk of several challenges when they return to class.
How can pending DUI charges affect Penn State students?
Stress can disrupt studies
Having a pending DUI charge is a very stressful experience. Students may find themselves struggling to focus on class or sleep at night. Their anxiety levels may affect their performance in school or their ability to complete coursework on time.
Students may find that their academic performance slumps when they experience significant stress due to outside factors. They may also have to miss class to attend hearings, serve a sentence of incarceration or perform community service if they plead guilty or get convicted.
Convictions can affect enrollment
Penn State has high expectations for student behavior. Criminal convictions while enrolled in college can potentially result in disciplinary hearings. Students may be at risk of a variety of punishments implemented by the school in addition to any consequences handed down by the courts. In fact, their enrollment could potentially be at risk.
They could also struggle with financial aid matters after a conviction. Many school-based scholarship programs have standards for good behavior that may make a student ineligible for a scholarship after a DUI. Private scholarship organizations also tend to have rules related to behavior and criminal convictions. Students may struggle to obtain or maintain scholarships with a criminal conviction.
Their criminal record may make it more difficult to remain in student housing or rent an apartment near campus. It can also potentially limit their job opportunities after they graduate.
Fighting back against DUI charges can help protect students from criminal penalties and on-campus discipline. Students who feel concerned about pending DUI allegations may need help responding to protect themselves and maintain their enrollment.