Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Changes to the HOPE scholarship program requirements challenges parents to find funding sources.
Effective this fall, Georgia’s new HOPE scholarship bill has put parents on notice in adjusting how they finance their student’s college education. Two of the most controversial changes—increased GPA and SAT scores—put most students at a disadvantaged in receiving a 100 percent full-tuition scholarship to a Georgia public college or university. “A lot of parents are calling us,” said Dianne Thompson, Director of Advisement and Counseling for GCPS. Thompson said that parents want to know what the new HOPE scholarship eligibility requirements mean for their students. Prior to the change, Georgia parents relied on the promise that if their student earned a 3.0 GPA they would automatically receive a free ride to any Georgia public college or …
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Your weekly rewind from Snellville Patch.
Happy Easter, everyone! Another week has gone by, and a new week is starting. Here's a look at some of the stories you may have missed -- your blast from the past! April 17: Patch Picks: Last-Minute Tax Deductions: On the day before Tax Day, we wanted to make sure readers had a few ideas they may not have though of. April 18: Race Benefits Food Ministry: Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry was having its second Annual Run for Food 5k, and Snellville Patch was there. Post Offices With Extended Hours Today: Although no longer relevant, as Tax Day has come and gone, but for the day, this was the most-read piece on the site. Our guess is that a lot of folks were filing to the very lasy minute. Understanding HOPE Scholarship Changes: This …
Monday, April 18, 2011
In March, Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law reductions to the HOPE Scholarship program.
In March, Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law changes to the HOPE Scholarship program. The bill reduces the tuition coverage and eliminates payments for books and fees. First approved in November 2002, the HOPE Scholarship program is funded by the Georgia lottery. Since its inception, the program has provided more than $5 billion to more than 1.2 million students. This school year, the Hope Scholarship awarded $725.5 million to nearly 250,000 students. The money funded represents a 13 percent increase over the previous year. In recent years, the lottery has started paying out more money than it takes in, partly due to increased enrollment and tuition over recent years. In the first year it was available, just 21.4 million was awarded. If …
