College students in Georgia may think that due to your age, you do not have to worry about harsh legal penalties. Or you may believe that being a “first-time offended” is enough to offer you protection.
But Georgia has low tolerance for drinking and driving. Its tolerance for underage DUI is especially low. If you end up with a conviction for DUI related crimes, you may face great consequences.
Financial support may get cut
The College Investor says a DUI conviction may upset your future plans. It can harm you financially, and it can also alter your career path. First, colleges often cut financial support to students convicted of DUI related crimes. This is often because they do not wish to tarnish their image by associating with a controversy. Unfortunately, you become a controversial figure by having a DUI conviction.
Most colleges do not dispel students for a DUI conviction. But they may still bar you from using on-campus housing. If this happens, you risk having to rent a place at market value in the surrounding area. This is often prohibitively expensive. You also have to worry about how to commute to and from school. This is tricky if the court orders your license suspended.
A change to your career plans
Finally, your career path may end up altered. There are some types of careers that do not allow for convicted persons to apply. It does not matter what your convictions are. In other cases, a DUI may prevent you from applying or even training. You cannot go through any training for commercial driver’s licenses, as an example. This blocks some paths for you.