cover pageAbility to Benefit (ATB) is a path to eligibility for federal aid for students who don’t have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Adult dual enrollment is designed for adult students who are enrolled in a high school diploma program (or equivalency program) and college at the same time. The college can classify these students as special part-time admission, which is the same enrollment status as for high school dual enrollment students.

CLP’s user guide, Transitioning Adult Learners to College: A User Guide for Ability to Benefit and Adult Dual Enrollment, supports practitioners in designing an approach that uses adult dual enrollment and ATB in tandem. Adult learners can begin to accumulate college credit toward a certificate or degree while they work toward meeting the ATB criteria and becoming eligible for federal financial aid.