http://www.nasfaa.org/Main/fa-news/natl/For_Those_Without_High-School_Diplomas,_Federal_Student_Aid_Comes_to_an_End.aspx
For Those Without High-School Diplomas, Federal Student Aid Comes to an End
"They're part of the 1 percent, but not the kind with a private jet and country-club membership," the Chronicle of Higher Education reports. "They're the relatively small population of students who don't have a high-school diploma but are relying on federal aid to attend college. For them, life might be getting more challenging. That's because starting July 1, students without a diploma or GED will no longer be eligible to receive federal student aid. Over the past two decades such students, who are disproportionately minorities and from low-income families, have been able to receive federal aid for college, without a high-school diploma or its equivalent, by demonstrating their "ability to benefit" from higher education. They could prove such ability by taking a basic-skills test, or by completing six credits or 225 clock hours of college work. But late last year, Congress tightened the eligibility requirements for student aid as it sought to pay for a growing Pell Grant program while maintaining the maximum Pell award level."
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More details are at
http://www.clasp.org/admin/site/publications/files/Ability-to-Benefit-FAQs.pdf/ . The policy takes effect on July 1, 2012.
Gifted students were not being thought of when this rule was made, and they may suffer collateral damage. I don't think students who lack a high school diploma or GED and who also do poorly on the SAT and ACT should get federal subsidies for college. But there are gifted students who are ready to attend college (as demonstrated by their academic record, including standardized test scores) before getting a diploma. It sounds like the new rules would exclude them. I think a sufficient SAT or ACT score should be allowed as a substitute for a diploma or GED in qualifying for federal aid.
