Debunking the most common misconceptions students and families have about academic misconduct, Title IX, conduct hearings, and appeals.
Once a school dismisses you, the decision is permanent and you have to start over somewhere else.
Nearly every school has an appeal process, and many dismissals get overturned or reduced to suspension when appealed well. The appeal window is short, often 5 to 10 business days, so acting fast matters more than accepting the outcome.
If an AI detector flags your paper, it proves you used ChatGPT.
AI detectors have high false-positive rates, especially on non-native English writing and technical prose. Studies have shown them flagging the U.S. Constitution and original human work as AI-generated. A detector score alone is not proof of misconduct.
Every student facing a conduct hearing needs to hire an attorney.
Most college disciplinary cases do not require a lawyer. An education advocate who knows the process often works better than legal representation, at a fraction of the cost. Lawyers are typically only necessary if criminal charges are also involved.
A high similarity percentage on Turnitin proves a student plagiarized.
Turnitin measures textual similarity, not plagiarism. It flags quoted sources, citations, boilerplate, and common phrases. The score is a starting point for human review, not a verdict.
Every case is different. Get expert guidance tailored to your specific situation from an education advocate who knows the process.