I agree that you are not required to report tickets until they are adjudicated, but this is more about building a trusting relationship. Showing that you are upfront with issues from the getgo is never a bad strategy. Bad news doesn't get better with age.
And you'd be surprised how big of a fine you can get for a small infraction (it is the amount of the fine that gets you in trouble with CC, not the speed you were traveling). Let's say $160 for 11 over on an interstate almost a decade ago. Imagine it could be over $200 today. Small towns balance their budgets on large fines sometimes...
Goaliedad is correct that $250 is a threshold for possible ineligibility. The following is from Cadet Command Reg. 145-1, which governs Army ROTC scholarships:
2-11. Scholarship Ineligibility.
The following students are ineligible to
compete for or receive benefits from an
Army ROTC scholarship:
d. A student who has an adverse
juvenile adjudication or has been arrested,
indicted, or convicted by a civil court or
military law for other than minor traffic
violations (for which a fine or forfeiture of
$250 or less was imposed) unless a waiver
is granted. The student must submit a
request for waiver of convictions at the
time of application.
My 75 mph in a 35 mph zone example was an attempt to illustrate a serious infraction, compared to, say, going 61 in a 60 mph zone (which Mrs. Delahanty was once ticketed for). You should be aware that waivers are possible and have been granted in the past.