Step 1: Earn an Undergraduate Degree. Though a high school diploma is the only formal education needed to become a state trooper in some states, others require a minimum of an associate's degree, or even a bachelor's degree, in criminal justice or a related field.
If you have a scholarship or have both applied for and are expecting financial aid (Pell grant or loans) and you decide not to attend classes, you must drop your classes through WebAdvisor before the first class day of a semester or term to avoid losing the scholarship or having to pay back the financial aid.
If you drop or are dropped before you have completed 60 percent of the semester (10 weeks into the fall semester or three weeks into the summer semester) or if you are dropped for non-attendance during the entire semester, federal law requires that you repay part of your financial aid.