Texas residents like you often use your college years to expand your horizons and explore your options. You may plan to dabble in different fields to find your true passion, or you may already know what you want to do.
Unfortunately, these plans can end up derailed if you end up convicted of a DUI related crime. Even as a first-time offender, your life can change for the worst.
Financial damage brought on by DUIs
The College Investor talks about the egregious amount of damage a DUI can cause you in college. The first important thing to note is that it does not matter if it is a first offense. You can end up feeling the impact of that conviction for years to come.
Your financial situation is often affected by a DUI. First, you need to pay court fines and fees. If you need to take a rehabilitation course, this is often paid for out of pocket, too. On top of that, the college may decide to revoke any financial support it has personally provided to you. It can also bar you from using on-campus housing. The cost of housing off-campus is often prohibitive.
Changes to your career path
Your career path gets affected, too. Many job paths do not hire anyone with a DUI conviction on record. This includes positions that need a commercial driver’s license and childcare positions. Even your ability to find a new career path can end up jeopardized due to a new reliance on public transportation.
On a whole, you create a slew of new problems for yourself and close some previously open doors. You should thus treat any DUI charge like a potential threat, even if it is your first charge.
