Drug Pasts Lead to College Aid Denial

Nearly 7,000 college students who applied for financial aid this fall are finding past drug convictions returning to haunt them. The students are being told they are ineligible for some or all federal financial aid because of a new law. Under the law, students with drug-related convictions can be ruled ineligible for federal grants or loans. Of the 8.6 million applications processed through Oct. 15, 1,311 applicants have been ruled ineligible, and an additional 5,617 must complete a waiting period before becoming eligible, an official said.