DUIs of all kinds are serious in Georgia and across the United States, but being charged with one can be particularly bad for college students. Many may believe that being caught under the influence in a vehicle can be attributed to youthful indiscretion, but this could not be further from the case. Obtaining a DUI conviction in Georgia can lead to many lifelong consequences. According to BACtrack, having a DUI conviction can seriously hurt your professional relationships in addition to your chances to apply for scholarship programs, or even apply at all.
For instance, it is common for jobs to ask if you have ever been convicted of a crime. If you have been convicted of a DUI, you will need to answer truthfully. This could potentially cost you the job. Plus, it is possible that you receiving a DUI could end up in a local newspaper. This is going to be very difficult to erase from your past, given that modern newspapers are searchable through the internet. A DUI conviction in a newspaper is likely to be one of the very first search results attached to your name.
If you happen to be in college already, you may find that a DUI conviction could put your potential scholarships or other awards at risk. Many scholarships require that students are conviction-free to maintain. Additionally, some colleges will perform background checks on you if you so much as apply, meaning that they will not accept you at all with a DUI conviction on your record. Either this, or they may contact you for additional information about your conviction and this can be stressful and difficult.
A DUI conviction can put your college career and future professional career at risk.
