Accused Of Cheating, Don’t Know What To Do

Location: North Carolina

During my bio test, I take the exam as normal; it's only worth 15% of my grade, so I really don't need a good grade given how well I've been doing in the other aspects of class. I take the test with not a lot of pressure, just getting things going. In the middle of the test, the course instructor (who I assumed back then was a TA) gives me a hand sign that she's watching me. I don't think much of it because well... I wasn't doing anything and go back to test taking as normal.

3 days later, I finish my math midterm and feel a ring. Already stressed out, I open it up- it's a note from the student conducts. Apparently they think I cheated in my biology midterm and need a meeting with my faculty because I get a resolution with the faculty (that is a formal insititutional action btw) since it's my first time offense. She says she saw me looking at someone else's exam along with TAs, and offer me to sign agreeing I did along with a 20% deduction on the test.

My faculty+the course instructor is there, saying they saw me look at the exam of the student to the right of me, along with TAs. (KEEP IN MIND: this is a 300 PERSON setting and every TA was a good distance from me). I tell them that I didn't, thar eyewitnesses are unreliable in this context. Then I ask to take out my exam, the only physical evidence because I know I didn't cheat, and therefore would have different answers. She declines, saying it's an accusation geared towards me looking at someone's exam, not copying answers off... I say it's bullshit, and that I'm not signing their paper and taking it up to an administrative hearing.

I take it to the administrative hearing, and well, it goes as bad as I can. They essentially go "multiple TAs said they saw you doing this, what do you have to say to that."

I tell him that it's a 300 person lecture room, that it's impossible to draw the conclusion that I was looking at someone's paper so easily as they did in the text messages sent discussing me, and that some of the observations were purely nonsensical- one of them was that "I looked at his paper and nodded" (like who NODS after cheating, ah yes, look at me TAs, I'm cheating). I bring up the fact that they blatantly REFUSED to open up the test for this hearing, (I asked them for it, cc'ed with my administrative hearing officer) and he doesn't think it's a big deal. I also brought up the fact that I have a medical condition on the left side of the body so could be leaning a little bit to the right, along with the fact that the student to the right of me took the exam covered, and is willing to testify he did; both gets denied/overlooked. (by the way, faculty also confessed of taking the two exams seperately- yet didn't present it as evidence, fishy?)

The administrative officer picks their side, going "the student couldn't present any evidence to deny that the TAs saw me look at the guy's exam" (like what am I supposed to say? it's a he said/she said that's very unreliable.) Now I'm found responsible, and I got a warning, and I don't know what the fuck I should do.

My dean who believes in me, is also the premed director says this is not going to gatekeep me from medical schools since I'll get a clean letter, along with a clean disciplinary record and transcript so there's nothing to gain by taking it to the board hearing which would be the next step if I appeal. However, this entire thing is bullshit+I'm worried it'll impact my medical school applications as a pre-med who's been dedicated...

I only have a day and a half left to appeal, so let me know asap :/

EDIT 1: since so many asked, I was supposed to have a member in the office to help me before the process. I didn’t get a member despite asking for one 2 weeks before the hearing.