Host: Should a student provide negative information on their college application?
Jerome Cole: The colleges ask for that information on the transcript and students really have no option. They have to answer it honestly. Those same questions will be post to one of the school officials, probably your Counselor. So, if there has been an expulsion, the Counselor will have to answer that question. So, if you say No and he says Yes , there is a conflict there, there is a little bit of a problem. So, the first thing that I would advice families and a student is, be honest.
The second thing is, there are certain states in this country where they actually do background checks. So, if you have an arrest on your record that could show up in that background check. So, go ahead and put that negative information on there.
What is important to note is that, students make mistakes all the time. If there has been a suspension, if there has been an expulsion for whatever reason, go ahead and annotate that on the transcript, I mean on your application. At the same time, colleges will give you the opportunity to go and explain the circumstances behind what happened. They understand that young people make mistakes, they also understand that young people need to be given a second chance and colleges are going to do that. So, do not be hesitant about doing, about disclosing that negative information.
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