A felony is a very serious criminal offense. The penalty for most felonies include at least one year in jail. Being convicted of a felony can seriously affect your outlook for future opportunities. For example, in order to qualify for or maintain a LIFE scholarship, you cannot have a felony conviction. For nearly all job applications, you must disclose whether you have been convicted of a felony – many companies will not hire a convicted felon. Also, when applying for admission to college or graduate school, you must also disclose whether you have been convicted of a felony, which can greatly reduce your chances for admission to many programs of study.