Premed students are a special lot. As a starting point you need a commitment to helping people. You also need an ability to think critically and an enormous amount of discipline. The premed curriculum at Swarthmore College is no joke, and, of course, there's the MCAT to worry about.
While you're focused on academics, though, it's important you not forget that your personal behavior can have just as much of an impact on your medical school application as your GPA, if not more. We as a society expect a lot of doctors, not just professionally but personally. We hold physicians to the very highest standards. Those expectations begin in medical school, and you'll find it tough to get in if you have a history of misconduct.
Of course, we all make mistakes, even premed students. After all, you're under an enormous amount of stress. It's also not unusual, though, for undergraduates to find themselves accused of misconduct through no fault of their own. Misunderstandings happen, and colleges these days can be quick to assume the worst about students, quick to initiate investigations, and harsh in punishing those they find Responsible for (guilty of) offenses.
If you're facing a charge of misconduct—for whatever reason—we can help. The LLF Law Firm understands what's at stake for you as a premed student. Our Student Defense Team knows the law, and we know how Swarthmore College's administrative and judicial procedures work. More importantly, though, we're committed to doing whatever it takes to protect your reputation and your future.
To find out more, call 888-535-3686 or take a few minutes right now and tell us a little about your situation.
Misconduct at Swarthmore College
Swarthmore maintains a long list of rules and regulations, too long, in fact, to list them all here. Most, though, can be put into three basic categories.
- Academic Misconduct: As you might imagine, medical schools take even the hint of academic dishonesty extremely seriously. It's in your best interest, then, to avoid cheating, plagiarism, and anything else that might run counter to Swarthmore College's Academic Misconduct policy.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Again, premed students don't always realize that something completely unrelated to class can cost them a spot in medical school. Weapons possession, hazing, and drug use can all tank an application. Even a far less Student Conduct Code violation, like trespassing or underage drinking, can raise red flags for an admissions committee.
- Sexual Misconduct: Finally, Swarthmore College also maintains a strict sexual misconduct policy based on Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sexual discrimination and harassment. A sexual misconduct finding could cost you more than your spot in medical school. The minimum sanction in these cases is typically suspension. Dismissal is more likely.
Don't make the mistake of thinking you can handle a misconduct allegation on your own. You may think the charge is minor or that the potential sanction is light. The thing is, for a premed student, even a warning can have enormous repercussions. If it should show up on your transcript, any misconduct finding can keep you out of medical school. Make sure you have the best help you can find to deal with the charges. You need an LLF Law Firm attorney at your side.
Misconduct Procedures
The other reason you need a LLF Law Firm attorney? Judicial processes and procedures at Swarthmore can be complicated and difficult to navigate. Here's what you can expect.
- Your case will begin with an allegation, but that allegation could come from a number of different sources. Faculty, administration, staff, and other students can accuse you of misconduct. Depending on the specific nature of the accusation, you could be facing charges from a professor, the Senior Associate Dean of Student Life, or the Title IX Coordinator.
- You have a number of due process rights to help protect you as you go through the investigation and adjudication processes. For instance, you have the right to a presumption of “Not Responsible” (innocent). It's not always easy to know how to use these due process rights to your best advantage, though. A LLF Law Firm attorney can make sure you avoid missteps.
- Swarthmore will undertake some form of investigation no matter what the charges. That could be as simple as an instructor collecting your work from the semester to support plagiarism charges, or it could involve the collection of physical evidence and witness interviews. In any case, you should have the chance to give your side of the story.
- Once the investigation is complete, you'll be subject to some type of adjudication. Minor allegations could be addressed through an administrative review. In more serious cases, you are entitled to a full hearing before the College Judiciary Committee (CJC).
- Cases are decided using a legal standard known as "preponderance of the evidence." Far less strict than "beyond a reasonable doubt," this standard requires decision-makers to find you Responsible if they are just over fifty percent convinced of your guilt.
- You can appeal your case outcome, but only on certain very specific grounds.
- The discovery of new evidence
- Procedural errors that could have affected the outcome
- A disproportionate sanction
Unfortunately, Swarthmore does not allow attorneys to participate in the investigation and adjudication processes. That does not mean you should forego consulting with an LLF Law Firm attorney. Your attorney's role extends far beyond accompanying you to meetings and proceedings. They can help you map out a defense strategy, work with you to gather and organize evidence, suggest questions for witnesses, even coach you in how to answer questions and make presentations. The LLF Law Firm attorneys are familiar with all of Swarthmore College's various procedures and can help you understand the subtle differences between making your case to a single administrator, making your case to a judicial panel, and making your case to a Title IX official. More important than anything else, though, your attorney is there to protect your rights, to make sure you're treated fairly, and that you get the best possible resolution to your case.
Fighting for Your Future
Fighting a misconduct charge is never an easy proposition for anyone. As a pre-med student, though, you face special challenges. Beyond the complexities of the Swarthmore College judicial system, you have to worry about whether sanctions are recorded in your record. You have to worry about who might find out about the allegations and whether those allegations might interfere with recommendation letters, even if they're proven false. You have to keep a close watch on social media and make sure your reputation doesn't suffer online. It's an enormous amount of work to have to deal with on your own.
That's why the minute you suspect you might be in trouble, it's vital that you contact the LLF Law Firm's Student Defense Team. We can negotiate with faculty and administrators if that's what's called for, but we can also be fierce in defending our clients.
Let us help you fight for your academic future. To find out more, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.
