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Ability to Benefit Testing

Ability to Benefit Testing

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The deadline to take the Ability to Benefit test is June 8, 2012, as it is being discontinued. Students without a high school diploma or GED (General Educational Development) certificate who miss this deadline will not be eligible for financial aid.

You must meet ALL of the following conditions BEFORE July 1, 2012 to be eligible for financial aid:

  • You must be 18 years of age or older.
  • Pass the Ability to Benefit test on or before June 8, 2012
  • Be admitted to Lane as a degree- or certificate-seeking student
  • Declare a program of study that is financial aid-eligible*
  • Be enrolled in and attending classes applicable to a financial aid-eligible* program
    • You must enroll in eligible classes on or before the first session of summer term 2012, which begins on June 25, 2012

This change is being made in accordance with federal law, as stated by the U.S. Department of Education:

"Public Law 112-74 amended HEA section 484(d) to eliminate Federal student aid eligibility for students without a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate."

If you are planning on taking the Ability to Benefit test to become eligible for financial aid, you must make an appointment to test as soon as possible so that you have passed it by June 8, 2012, or make immediate plans to either attain a high school diploma or take and pass the GED before the term you plan on starting at Lane.  Financial aid awards cannot be made to students who fail to meet these requirements.

*A list of financial aid-eligible programs is available here.

Until June 8, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education requires that students who want to receive federal financial aid and who do not have a high school diploma or a GED demonstrate their "ability to benefit" from college work. Consequently, Lane requires such students to take the Accuplacer/CPTS tests on reading, sentence skills and arithmetic. The Accuplacer reading and writing tests are the same tests that everyone takes for placement, but the Accuplacer Arithmetic test is a different test than the regular LCC math placement test.

A Few Rules and Advice

  • You cannot use regular Math placement tests to meet the Ability to Benefit requirements.
  • You may take Ability to Benefit tests at the Main Campus only.
  • You must take and pass all three tests in a single testing experience.
  • If you don't pass all three tests on your first attempt, you may study and retest as soon as you choose, but you must retest on all three tests even you passed one or two. Thereafter, there will be no more opportunities for retesting.
  • Allow at least two hours.
  • No calculators allowed on Accuplacer Arithmetic.
  • No translation dictionaries allowed when testing for Ability to Benefit purposes.
  • If you already have a high school diploma or a GED, you only need a satisfactory score on the Reading Comprehension test to qualify for financial aid.
  • If you do not pass the Ability to Benefit test, consider studying for the GED at one of Lane's many GED prep classes.
  • If you have a documented disability, we will work with you and Disability Resources to provide you with approved accommodations.