Getting behind the wheel while intoxicated can lead to disastrous consequences. Recently, an Auburn man drove drunk and took his vehicle off the road. The man survived the crash, but police arrested him for DWI.
In addition to fines and jail time, a DWI conviction can lead to consequences that follow individuals for the rest of their life. Students have the risk of losing academic scholarships. Each scholarship has its own rules, but students can lose the one way to pay for a college education due to one mistake.
Loss of scholarship
Many students around New York receive scholarships from private businesses, private individuals or nonprofit organizations. All of these entities are free to make whatever rules they want about the scholarships they provide. That means if they are not happy a recipient received DWI charges, then they can revoke the scholarship immediately.
The potential loss of federal aid
Scholarships are merely one way of paying for college. For many to attend, federal loans are a necessity. In the event a student receives any kind of federal student aid, he or she will need to state on the initial paperwork. From there, the loan agency will provide additional forms the student must fill out to determine if he or she still qualifies.
Loss of other student privileges
A student arrested or convicted of DWI has a lot more to worry about than the loss of financing. Each university is different, and some will not allow students to remain in the dorm rooms with a criminal background. Even if the student can still pay for classes, he or she will need to find a new place to live in the middle of the school year. It can also lead to the loss of library use or probation for the rest of the semester. College students have a lot to lose, so ultimately, it is not worth it to drink and drive.