Juvenile Possession of Marijuana

My question involves juvenile law in the State of: NJ
I was arrested a week ago for possession of marijuana. I'm 17 and on that night they released me to my parents but I know I was charged with possession because they told me. Now I'm wondering when and if they will summon me to court and is it going to come in the mail or something? Should I be trying to find a lawyer at this moment even though I don't know my court date or if I'm going to court? I really don't know what to do and I'm freaking out over this because I have to do college apps and I really don't want this to affect my future. Is there a way I can just get probation and have the charges dropped so it won't interfere with college applications?

If they indicated that they are going to issue you a summons, then it's reasonable to expect it to come in the mail.

It is always sensible to consult a lawyer when you're charged with a crime, and earlier is better than later.

Even in adult court, for first offense simple possession it is possible to get a deferral, or possibly even a pretrial education program and dismissal, in New Jersey, depending on county policy and the full facts of your case. A juvenile court will look at your school, community, and home records, along with any prior encounters with the police, and based on that should attempt to impose an outcome that it finds to be in your best interest. Juvenile records are not open to the general public. A local lawyer who practices in juvenile court should be able to advise you as to how the court typically resolves this type of matter.

And if it needs to be said, stop using drugs (and alcohol) while on probation and, should you pick up after you're off probation, keep in mind that you can end up back in this situation but looking at an adult criminal record. In a lot of states, at 17, you would already be looking at an adult record. If you are concerned about how a criminal record will affect your future, keep that in mind when you make your future choices.