The reallity of my future Need guidance

[Agent M27]

Lately I have been contemplating the reallity of my past and how it might pose problems for the future life I wish to lead. I am 24 now and when I was 22 I had a condo. I made a poor decision and I grew pot in my house. I had this going for 4 years or so, never sold it, just a personal set-up. Well my home caught fire after my cat knocked over a lamp while I was not home. Long story short the fire fighters found my cabinet and I was arrested. I built it to be fire proof, it kept the fire out! Anyway, like I said it was a poor decision and I went through the hoops to avoid any further hinderances.

When I applied for school last summer I first realized the long term effects of my mistake. This got me thinking how far would this effect me and what does it mean for my career. I am attending school for Aero-Space Engineering, but lately have found Cosmology and Astro Physics to be my true passion. According to my attorney anyone worth their salt can get passed a sealed and expunged record, so I did not do it. I know my chances of working for NASA or JPL are pretty much blown, but will University shun me in the same way? What about being accepted to a graduate program, can't get an University position without that. I would like to do research, and have a couple of ideas in my head that I would like to explore more in depth, but I want to make sure I am not wasting my time or money with a great degree but has a checkered past. I take that back, a degree is never a waste of time or money. I am not expecting a long tenured position at MIT or anything, but somewhere like University of Arizona and universities in the same league. Thanks in advance everyone.

Joe

 

[twofish-quant]

I know my chances of working for NASA or JPL are pretty much blown

Unless you've actually applied and been rejected, I don't think having a minor drug conviction is going to be the kiss of death. As long as you aren't actively using, it should be at most a minor issue

What about being accepted to a graduate program, can't get an University position without that.

I don't think anyone is going to care.

I am not expecting a long tenured position at MIT or anything, but somewhere like University of Arizona and universities in the same league.

1) Don't go into graduate school expecting a tenured faculty position at any research university. They are extremely scarce.

2) Don't make any assumptions about "leagues." As far as astronomy research goes, University of Arizona is in the same league (and as far as observational optical astronomy goes probably in a higher league) than MIT, and it's about as hard to get a graduate or faculty position there as MIT.