When you have a child either attending college or getting ready to attend college in Mississippi and authorities charge him or her with a drug-related crime, quite a bit hangs in the balance. While a drug conviction may mean jail or prison time, substance abuse treatment obligations and hefty fines, among other possible penalties, it may also complicate matters when it comes to attending college.
Per Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, one thing you no longer have to worry about when your child gets a drug conviction is whether it is going to hurt his or her chances of securing federal financial aid.
How drug convictions affect financial aid
Until a few years ago, a drug conviction your child received while a recipient of federal financial aid would make him or her ineligible for financial aid for a set span after the conviction. However, many people had long opposed this, prompting a rule change. Nowadays, a drug conviction no longer means your child does not qualify for financial aid. However, it may still hinder his or her ability to go to school in other ways.
How drug convictions affect other aspects of attending college
If your child is in the process of applying to schools, know that some institutions may ask about criminal history during the application process. If your child is already attending school when he or she gets a drug conviction, the conviction may violate the school’s honor code, leading to potential expulsion, among other possible repercussions.
If a drug conviction hurts your child’s ability to enroll in or complete college, it may have a sizable impact on his or her future earning potential.
