Image Licensing Protections: An Introduction

How A Criminal Conviction Can Affect Your College Education

21 July 2015

Judy Alexander

The effects of criminal convictions aren't just about going to prison or paying monetary fines–there are other consequences that you need to worry about. For example, if you are in college or planning to attend one in the future, then a conviction can derail your plans. Here are specific examples of the effect of a criminal conviction on your education:

Student Aid Restrictions

As a general rule, a conviction may limit your chances of receiving federal student aid. Whether or not you get the aid depends on factors such as the:

• type of institution you are attending
• type of offense (some offenses, such as drug-related issues, are considered more serious than others)
• type of aid you are applying for
• form of sentencing (are you on parole or in prison?)

For example, if you are attending a federal or state institution, then an incarceration disqualifies you from federal student loans or Federal Pell Grant loan. Even if you aren't disqualified for a loan, you may still miss out on the payments due to other logistical challenges. For example, even loans that do not disqualify convicted felons may give priority to those without criminal records. In such a case, you may only get the funds if there are few applicants; this situation isn't very likely.

Difficulties with College Admission

Having a criminal record may not automatically bar you from college admission, but it may make the process more difficult for you. Many colleges require you to declare whether or not you have a criminal conviction when sending in your application package. If your answer is in the affirmative, then your application may face more scrutiny than those without criminal convictions.

In some cases, the process can be so complicated or lengthy that you may be forced to give up along the way. Even if you complete the process, then your records may make you less eligible for admission as compared to those without criminal records. This is likely to be the case if you are applying to a competitive course or university.

Missed Attendances

Lastly, the practical aspects of a criminal conviction may make you miss school programs. For example, you may find it difficult to handle your community sentence and class attendance. If you are in prison, then you may be forced to delay your college education altogether.  

It's clear that a criminal conviction can set you back seriously as far as your education is concerned. You have a chance of preventing all these potential problems by hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney such as Robert A Murray whenever you are accused of a crime.

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