College education requires a substantial investment of both money and time. Bachelor’s degrees typically take at least four years to acquire, although some people find that they graduate much more quickly or slowly than the average student.
It takes dedication and focus to prioritize classwork for years to complete a college degree. All of that could go to waste in a moment if a student gets arrested for certain types of criminal activity. Those who take their studies seriously may be less inclined than the average young adult to experiment with drugs and alcohol recreationally.
Still, they might try using study drugs as a way to optimize their performance in school. Study drugs include prescription medications typically provided to young adults with attention and hyperactivity issues. While study drugs may be legal for someone with a prescription, their abuse during college could end someone’s educational pursuits.
Drug offenses carry a host of consequences
Someone caught in possession of study drugs for which they do not have a prescription could end up arrested even if the incident occurs on campus. They may then face criminal charges and on-campus discipline.
Some students, worried about missing class or drawing attention, might plead guilty to expedite the criminal justice process. This approach is often a mistake, as the student then has a criminal record. That conviction could be the reason that the school takes disciplinary action, up to expulsion in some cases. A criminal record could also affect someone’s eligibility for different forms of financial aid, including private scholarships.
Additionally, if a judge sentences someone to incarceration, they may miss enough classes to fail courses that they can no longer stop taking. Even if a student avoids any direct educational consequences, the criminal record that they have could potentially affect their ability to secure an internship or a job after graduation.
Study drugs to help people focus and stay up for hours when they have a big test coming or a major project due. However, the risk of getting caught offsets any benefit derived from consuming those substances. Criminal charges related to prescription drugs can have a profound chilling effect on the education of a college student. Understanding how even prescription drugs could affect a college education can (hopefully) help students make better choices.