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When
Congress reauthorized the FA legislation beginning July 1, 2006,
they included two new programs of additional grant aid. Both
are discussed herewith in order to give you a brief
understanding of each.
ACG
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This grant is available to a college student who is Pell
eligible, a full-time student, a citizen of the United States;
and enrolled in a two- or four-year degree-granting institution
of higher education. In addition to be eligible a student must
not have previously enrolled in a program of undergraduate
education (if a first-year student); have completed high school
after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student; and have
completed high school after January 1, 2005, if a second-year
student. The ACG allows up to $750 the first year and $1,300
the second year.
The
most obvious criteria for eligibility includes: if the student has successfully completed “a
rigorous secondary school program of study;”
Second –year recipients must also have attained a 3.0 GPA in the
first year of undergraduate education. The State of Connecticut
has the option of submitting a rigorous secondary school program
of study to the Secretary of Education for recognition. It is
the Secretary’s intention to recognize all existing Advanced or
Honors diploma programs as rigorous secondary school programs of
study. Generally speaking, the secondary school programs must
include four years of English, three years of math, three years
of lab science, three-and-one-half years of social studies, and
two years of language other than English.
SMART
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Congress established that qualifying third- or fourth year
students may receive up to $4,000 per year to pay for higher
education, if the student majors in mathematics, science, or a
critical foreign language. The only additional requirement is a
list of eligible majors in math, science, technology,
engineering, and critical foreign languages congruent with the
list published by the Department of Education.
Basic eligibility requirements for this grant are the same as
for the ACG;
i.e.,
be a full-time student, a U.S. Citizen, attend a four-year
degree-granting institution of higher education, Pell eligible
and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA.
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