I have thirty college credits but I don’t have a High School Diploma or GED. Do I qualify for financial aid? I’ve paid myself without any aid so far.
You have to get accepted to a college to qualify for financial aid. If a college will accept you without a h.s. diploma or GED, then whether you qualify for aid will depend on your financial situation.
Actually…if you qualify for aid will also depend on the college policies for awarding aid.
Are these college credits part of a dual enrollment high school course of study?
Or what??
In this thread a while ago, you say you worked yourself up in a company and earn a healthy sum of money.
Need based financial aid is based on your income and assets…and the income and assets of a spouse if you have one.
So…your “healthy income” will have a bearing on getting need based aid.
I think you need to have the equivalent of a high school diploma to qualify for federal and state aid. Private colleges can probably make their own rules.
What state are you in? In NYS, students who take a particular set of college courses (24 credits in math, English, US history, etc.) qualify for a high school equivalency certificate. Check with your college’s registration office to see if they have a similar program.
Ask at a community college about high school completion programs. There are several tracks at mine, some GED and some with classes. Be sure to bring both your high school and college transcripts because they can apply both towards a diploma.
This sounds like a non-traditional,student who has been in the work force for a while…and says he has a “healthy income”. Depending on what that income is…he might not qualify for need based aid…at all.
Some from when I was in High School and some later on.
Doing community college in lieu of or as high school (or just skipping getting a high school diploma and going to community college at 18) is very common in the homeschooling world. I’m sure not having a diploma would not have any bearing on financial aid awards. It will be more about your financial picture (for need-based) and your grades (for merit-based).
To get financial aid from a college…you need to do a bunch of things.
- You need to apply and be accepted.
- You need to complete all of the financial aid application requirements for the college.
- You need to enroll as a degree seeking student.
- If you don't go at least 1/2 time, you probably won't receive any need based aid...at all.
- When you apply...you will be required to send ALL transcripts from ALL college courses you have taken to the colleges where you apply. Required.
- College financial aid policies vary from school to school...but the vast majority do not meet full need for all students at all. Are you planning to quite your healthy income job and Ttend college full time?
- If I'm guessing right, you are a non traditional student. No HS diploma of any kind, but some work experience. And you are older than age 24...right? Check with the colleges because some actually have programs for students like you. In addition, you might be able to get some credit for your job experiences...might. Worth asking.
- Don't take too many CC clirses. Some colleges will not accept students who have taken in excess of a certain number of courses.
- Are you married? If so, your spouse's income will be considered as well...not just yours.
- Were you enrolled in a degree seeking program at your CC? Are you taking classes there now? If so, go and talk to the transfer advisor at the CC. They might be able to guide you. You aren't the first CC student who has no HS diploma.
- Have you looked into getting your GED? Some places have free prep courses for this...and that might be worth doing...so you have it.
@jesse’sgirl Homeschoolers are usually issued a homeschool diploma in that scenario. You generally need to have a high school diploma of some sort to qualify for federal financial aid.
I’m hoping that with classes from high school plus the 30 college credits that the OP can get a high school equivalency from the community college system without having to deal with testing, but the GED or state high school exam is an option as well.
OP: You should also meet with the college you want financial aid from. They could possibly say that your existing college credit shows an “abilty to benefit” even without the high school diploma.
Homeschool regulations vary by state. NYS doesn’t issue diplomas to homeschooled students. However, there are several ways those students can earn high school equivalency. Any of them will make the student eligible to receive federal financial aid.
If OP tells us his state, we can help him locate his state regulations. They should be readily available on the state education website.
According to a .gov page about basic eligibility criteria for federal aid, an alternative to possessing a high school diploma or equivalency is by demonstrating an “ability to benefit” from high ed… One of the stated ways to do that is by: “completing six credit hours or equivalent course work toward a degree or certificate (you may not receive aid while earning the six credit hours).” To me looks like OP meets that criteria. Of course it’s a government page, and who knows what the exact current standards are other than someone in the financial aid office at the school in question.
@austinmshauri This is getting way off topic, but you don’t need a state high school equivalency certificate as a homeschooler for federal aid. The parent signs a transcript or diploma certifying that they homeschooled under their appropriate state laws.
This is important information for OP, @aroundhere, so I don’t consider it off topic. It doesn’t work that way in NYS.
From one of our SUNY system’s [financial aid](Hudson Valley Community College - Acalog ACMS™) pages:
There are a limited number of ways a homeschooled student in NYS can show high school equivalency. Having a parent sign a transcript or diploma is not one of them. They won’t be eligible for state aid without the equivalency either. OP must know the regulations in his state to determine whether or not he’s eligible for federal or state aid.
^^^^ Exactly. Each state sets its own policy about high school diplomas and ways to complete a high school equivalence. The OP needs to determine what is possible in that particular state.
This is way off topic because OP is not a homeschooler, @jesse’sgirl brought up homeschooling.
The federal regulation is that the parent signs a statement that says the student completed a course of study that was exempt from state mandatory school attendance law. The federal regulation does not require that you have a state-accredited diploma if you homeschooled.
State aid course be a different story, of course.
@aroundhere, There is no federal homeschooling law. Homeschooling is governed by state regulation. When NYS colleges say students need to provide the proof of equivalency to get federal aid, students should provide one of the state approved equivalencies or figure out another way to pay.
We don’t actually know whether or not OP is a homeschooler. In some states, what he describes is homeschooling. But unless he comes back and tells us where that is there’s not much we can do to help him.
The OP has taken a number of college courses, and is in the workforce. He or she likely is a non-traditional college applicant (over age 24 and in the workforce).
He or she should contact colleges of interest and ask THEM the question about financial aid.
In addition, he should,talk to the transfer advisor if he is taking classes at a community college. I’m would wager a weeks pay that he isn’t the first student there who does not have a HS diploma, or GED, but has taken classes and wants to attend a four year college.
But to the OP…do you plan to quit your healthy paying job to attend college? Will you be attending working toward a degree as at least a half time student?
If you aren’t enrolled as a matriculated student at least half time…working towards a degree…you will not be eligible for any kind of financial aid.
@austinmshauri I homeschool. I know there is no federal law as to what constitutes homeschooling. Nevertheless, there are federal financial aid regulations. They are as I stated. You do not need a state-accredited diploma to receive federal aid. Even the rule you quoted says GED /or/ homeschooling. The two options are not the same thing.
Federal aid regulations are here:
https://ifap.ed.gov/ifap/byAwardYear.jsp?type=fsahandbook&awardyear=2016-2017. Page 1-6, bullet 4.
The only reason a homeschooler would need a state diploma is if the state requires all homeschoolers to get one. In the states I’m familiar with (admittedly not NYS), a state diploma is an extra option, not a requirement.