Felony arrest but no convictions

[Bensonsays]

So I got arrested in 2012 and was charged with 2 felony drug possessions and a misdemeanor paraphernalia, all in one incident. All the cop found was a straw in my backpack, ran a q-tip through it and tested it, then slammed me with 2 felonies for it! Anyway the case was dismissed and thrown out because I was illegally detained and searched. Fast forward to now, I was just denied admission to a nursing program because of my criminal background. This is the only thing on my record and is my one and only mistake, I wasn't even convicted in top of that. Now I can appeal the decision still and try to get in. However my question is, with a background like mine, will I be able to get licensed and be able to find employment? Any input would be appreciated as I would hate to waste 2 years of my life and pile on more student loan debt just to be unlicensed and unemployable. Any input would be appreciated.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Answers to your questions will depend upon where you live because professional license regulation is controlled by each state & there is no national standard. Some states are much more strict than others. It seems like you must be in a state that requires background checks as part of admission to a nursing program. This process ensures that new graduates aren't left in limbo when a background check prevents them from taking NCLEX despite successfully completing the program.

I suggest that you engage the services of an attorney (who is familiar with nursing licensure) to resolve the underlying issues that are not only are preventing you from being admitted to a program, but would also affect your ability to become licensed.