Is there enough HOPE for Georgia?
Before I go into today’s topic we have some housekeeping.
Today is my last regular post for Get Schooled. You’ll still see my name as I write about higher education, but the talented Maureen Downey takes over the blog Monday. Many of you already know her from her weekly Learning Curve column and editorials about education issues.
Now, to today’s topic. Over the past few weeks I’ve been talking with several college officials about the upcoming school year. Inevitably, the conversations turned to HOPE.
The program — Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally – pays for the tuition, books and fees for Georgia students who maintain a 3.0 average.
Some officials – at least those at private colleges – wondered why the amount HOPE students receive to attend their institutions is less than what students would get for a public college.
If the goal is to keep bright students in Georgia, why not spread the wealth evenly they asked?
Others wondered if HOPE was fair, especially for late bloomers. Many students struggle during the first few years in high school. Students who turn their grades turn around during junior and senior years likely can’t get their GPAs high enough to be eligible for the scholarship.
Some would argue these students are capable and have the skills to succeed in college. Where’s the money for them?
Many also said Georgia is in need of a HOPE-like needs-based scholarship.
Nearly all colleges offer scholarships for students from low-income homes, but some say the state should provide for these students.
Do you think HOPE is meeting Georgia’s needs? If not, how would you change the program?
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112 comments Add your comment
catlady
August 1st, 2009
7:23 am
I also have a hard time thinking of HOPE being a private entity: the Georgia Lottery has excusive rights to run the lottery, and should be accountable for its mismanagement. Did you know that the mandated percentage is still NOT being returned to HOPE, pre-k, etc, but the lottery “officials” are awarded huge yearly bonuses?
Teachermom
August 1st, 2009
8:14 am
I believe citizens and politicians have forgotten the meaning of “outstanding” when they refer to HOPE – in case you have forgotten while reading all the comments – Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally. We have been lowering standards, expectations, and requirements to ensure that average students can achieve HOPE, too. In the process, with the increased cash flow, our state universities and colleges have been raising the costs of what HOPE covers and does not cover. Handing out a blanket scholarship will soon deplete available funds in this economy, and all students hoping to go to college will suffer. Students who work hard will no longer have HOPE and parents will not be able to afford college costs. Student loans will take years to pay back because of the cost of college (private and public). What is the answer? Perhaps we need to look again at our high schools, realize that vocational tracks are not bad things, and quit expecting every child to not only be capable of doing well in college, but want to go to college. There is nothing wrong with a student who wants to be an electrician, plumber, mechanic, computer tecnician, etc. Some studies even say that these blue collar jobs will be secure income jobs in the next 50 years. Why not restore Vo-Tech tracks in high school that will prepare these students for jobs they have the skills and desire to perform? Perhaps that will even help with our state’s dismal graduation rate. As for those students who are “finding themselves”, do adults in Georgia going back to college for degree changes or to finish a degree have access to HOPE? I would love the chance to go back to school when I retire from education on a HOPE scholarship; I did graduate from a GA high school many, many years ago with a 3.6 GPA. My husband, who lost his job in this recession, would also like the chance for another degree. Just something to think about during the 3 (perhaps more) days I will be furloughed!
ScienceTeacher671
August 1st, 2009
8:44 am
Reality 2, the DOE says “due to the substantial changes in the math curriculum based on the new math standards, Georgia math books are significantly different than instructional materials used in other states” — which seems to imply that yes, it IS “completely different math”, at least in terms of textbooks and classroom materials.
ScienceTeacher671
August 1st, 2009
8:56 am
Reality 2, before the new curriculum was developed, students took EOCTs in Algebra I and Geometry. Those EOCTs are now being discarded. Since the new curriculum has been developed, new EOCTs for Math I and Math II have been created. I doubt these new tests “cost any more than EOCT or other standardized tests that have been given” but the fact remains that additional tests had to be created to fit the new curriculum, and creating good standardized tests does cost money (but we can argue about whether or not the new tests are “good”).
Hope Parent Too
August 1st, 2009
8:59 am
My husband and I are both teachers, and we have three children who all received HOPE scholarships. At one point they were all in college at the same time. There is no way we could have afforded to send them to college without the HOPE scholarship.
Our kids worked hard to keep up their grades in high school and in college. They didn’t play around and lose it. Every student who gets the HOPE scholarship is told many times what he/she has to do to keep this scholarship. If a student loses the HOPE scholarship, he/she can requalify for this scholarship if his/her grades come up to an acceptable level after a designated period of time.
It may not be a perfect system, but it certainly has helped a lot of students in Georgia who would not have been able to go to college if it hadn’t been for this program.
Lee
August 1st, 2009
10:00 am
Robert, the Ga Lottery Corporation was created by legislative fiat, is granted exclusive rights by the State of Ga to run the lottery, and the disposition of proceeds are mandated by Ga Code.
In my way of thinking, that makes it a GOVERNMENT program.
“§ 50-27-4. Georgia Lottery Corporation created; There is created a body corporate and politic to be known as the Georgia Lottery Corporation which shall be deemed to be an instrumentality of the state, and not a state agency, and a public corporation. Venue for the corporation shall be in Fulton County.”
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck……
ScienceTeacher671
August 1st, 2009
10:05 am
Reality 2, I could not find a list of approved high school mathematics books on the DOE website, but according to Henry County’s website “there were only two books designed for Georgia,” and Carnegie Learning designed the book chosen by many counties.
Reality 2
August 1st, 2009
10:06 am
ST671:
The “difference” is that the GA math are packaged differently – in each of MATH 1, 2, 3, and 4, students study algebra, geometry, and statistics. Most other states packages them separately – although statistics is often woven into algebra instead of being a separate course unless you take the AP stat.
Textbook companies can easily re-package their textbooks. I have no idea how many did – relatively speaking, GA isn’t the biggest market, so I can see some publishers say “don’t bother.” But, it was still publisher’s decision – every publisher had the same opportunity and some decided not to pursue. There is really no room to somehow benefit one company because the adoption process isn’t that rigorous – something like 5 districts can request a particular book be on the list and it will get on.
Anyway, the contents aren’t any new – look at the EOCT problems.
Peggy King
August 1st, 2009
12:29 pm
Maintaining a 3.0 GPA at Georgia Tech while majoring in Chemical Engineering is infintitly more difficult than maintaining it while majoring in “partying’ at Georgia Southern. Courses from a more challenging curriculum should be weighted on a curve.
Peggy King
August 1st, 2009
12:29 pm
Enter your comments here
Old School
August 1st, 2009
1:31 pm
Both our girls qualified for HOPE. The oldest attended and graduated from Berry College. The amount HOPE paid for her was about equal to the amount paid for tuition to a state supported institution. The youngest use HOPE for two courses one summer when she was home from her out of state university. Thanks to the Academic Common Market and her major, we paid in-state tuition at a huge savings. Both received excellent secondary educations at our rural South Georgia high school and at their respective post-secondary institutions.
I qualified for the HOPE for teachers loan when I started my masters program but quickly paid off the $1000 I borrowed when it became evident that program is nothing but a mess. Before the university even received the payment, I was double-billed for the amount in two identical mailings that insisted I would be graduating 3 months after I started my very first class. It took about a year to get it cleared up. This critical area instructor will never bother those people again- the aggravation is just too. . . well, aggravating!
Jaaaaaaaaay Booooooooogey!
August 1st, 2009
1:51 pm
Let’s give Maureen Downey a chance. She has not been an advocate for teachers in the past, but her time on this forum may prove to be worthwhile. The JAG Corp, from what I understand, want their prosecutors to be more sensible and reasonable. Therefore, when fresh out of law school, the newbies are sent to a base/fort where they first are defense attorneys. Perhaps whe will see both side and then see the need to call for A. G. Baker to do something about Alvin Willbanks and the Gwinnett County Board or Sanderson and the Cobb Board. If not, then let’s crank up our Blackberries and call her out and other people by their names! Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, Atlanta ought to get the Clayco Treatment too. Isn’t this the new standard…the Clayco Treatment? Or, is that fake Mark Elgart back to hibernating in among the Alpharetta bears?
ScienceTeacher671
August 1st, 2009
3:45 pm
High school AP and honors courses should weigh more toward HOPE eligibility than “regular” courses do, too.
TW
August 1st, 2009
4:32 pm
Can’t we use some of this money to stock Sonny’s fishing pond? After all, we cut much of what was supposed to fund pre-K, and the part of HOPE that was to address technology never even got off the ground.
Face it, Georgia ought just throw in the towel on education. Just let us be the fat, stupid, meth-head, white trash Republican sheep we’ve been inbred to be.
Reality 2
August 1st, 2009
4:53 pm
ST671,
It’s true that they had to make a new EOCT test, but don’t you think new tests should be created every so often, specially if standards are revised – and shouldn’t the standards be revised periodically?
I just don’t get what you are trying to get at – are you suggesting someone at the DOE intentionally made the state revise the math standards so that a business entity might profit from such a change? Or, are you simply against changing standards? I imagine you wouldn’t want to be using the standards based on our knowledge of science in the 1920’s as the standards for our students, would you?
ScienceTeacher671
August 2nd, 2009
7:13 am
Reality 2, at a time when districts are reducing the number of teachers, increasing class sizes, and cutting the amount of supply money available to teachers, and at a time when the state is calling for teachers to be paid less (furloughed) and raising the cost of benefits such as insurance…
I am asking for an estimate the financial cost to the state, and to districts within the state, of implementing this new math curriculum. With most things political, and education is certainly political, “follow the money” is usually a good rule of thumb.
I’m not sure why you are so defensive about the question.
ScienceTeacher671
August 2nd, 2009
7:16 am
Reality 2, another comment in reference to your July 31, 8:55 pm post:
Most counties that bought Math I textbooks (and the counties I’m familiar with did buy textbooks) bought them toward the end of the 2007-2008 school year, because they weren’t available until then. Math II textbooks were delivered a few months ago, in the spring of this year. According to a press release from Carnegie Learning in February 2008, the Math II textbook could not be developed until the DOE released the Math II frameworks later in 2008. (I guess that part of it was not “DONE 5-6 years ago.”)
The jury is still out on whether or not the new math curriculum is an improvement, but it does cost money to replace what is already in place with something new and different – even if some of it is “home grown”.
Reality 2
August 2nd, 2009
10:18 am
ST671,
I’m simply pointing out the development of the standards were done SEVERAL years ago, as was the textbook adoption. I think the state can/should release the cost of various aspects such as the development of the EOCT. However, once the new standards are implemented, the system has no choice but to proceed with the development of the new EOCT, doesn’t it? I suppose the state can suspend the EOCT for this year or next, but it eventually has to move on – unless we scrap the EOCT completely, which I have no problem with.
In many ways, the state DOE is doing a huge favor to local district because the Frameworks are made available for free – no district has to purchase textbooks for MATH 1 & 2 (for now, but 3 and 4 in the future). If a district wants to use that money to keep some teachers, they have the choice – although I imagine most systems have already made that decisions and signed contracts. For some reasons I don’t think these publishers will just lay down and let the districts change the contracts at this point as teachers did.
Louise
August 2nd, 2009
1:12 pm
I was an instructor at Auburn and Georgia for 10 years. I have taught in GA for 16 years.
There is grade inflation at both levels.
HOPE needs a salary cap. F.milies with incomes over $300,000 ( or lower) do not need HOPE assistance. The monies would be better spent helping students with financial need with living expenses. megan from alpharetta does not need more aid, but john from waycross does.
There are many underrepresented counties at UGA and HOPE would help students not from metro ATL stay at UGA>
BehindEnemyLines
August 2nd, 2009
1:13 pm
What started as a reasonable idea with potential has turned into just another entitlement program, or as I’ve heard a number of “students” refer to it “our paid vacation”. The retention rate is atrocious, with even more money poured dry the increasingly dry hole of government funded day care (aka public education). It’s time to stiffen the standards for eligibility considerably and clear out some of the dead weight that’s wasting space, time, and money in college classrooms they have no business being in. The notion that somehow, magically, “college is for everyone” is absurd on its face and has done nothing except dumb down higher education in order to get paid for trying to cater to the least common denominator.
booger
August 2nd, 2009
1:25 pm
If HOPE is a program designed to benefit students, then private colleges and universities should be included. If HOPE was designed to benefit public institutions, then they should not.
atlmom
August 2nd, 2009
1:26 pm
I mentioned my ideas to a legislator once, and I don’t think she liked it.
How about – see how much money we have, and then rank the students, and the top however many students we have money for get the tuition assistance? We could decide that it’s more than the $3k a year if we wanted – everyone would win.
Because – well, the students wouldn’t KNOW how high a GPA they need, and they’d all try to be better students. Grade inflation wouldn’t even be an issue.
But then it would go to the best and the brightest, and it seems we don’t care about helping those people out anymore…
Fran
August 2nd, 2009
3:06 pm
There is no substitute for knowing that you can attend college if you make that 3.0. And, it should not be limited by family income – that lets Dad say “my way or the highway.”
jr
August 2nd, 2009
3:39 pm
Peggy King,
Everyone may think Oh since you go to GA Southern all you do is party. Well thats a complete lie. I’m in the GTREP (Georgia Tech Regional Engineering Program) for mechanical engineering and it is just as difficult as Tech because it is the same rigor. And I know kids down here majoring in physics and they are having just as difficult of a time because the physics classes here are weighted to Georgia Tech because of the GTREP. So please do your research before saying something that is not true.
ps there is also a RETP down in GA Southern that is linked up with GT with the same weight classes
Rosie
August 2nd, 2009
3:46 pm
Possible topcis:
1. Georgia’s “New” Math Curriculum- what’s different about it?
2. How will Georgia teachers be evaluated under the new teacher evaluation program?
3. How much does it cost districts to transport sports teams to out of town games?
4. Do teachers/administrators inflate student grades?
5. Postives/Negatives of 4 day school weeks
6. Does your student benefit from advisement sessions at school?
7. What do parents think about Georgia’s public schools?
8. What waste do you see in schools?
Jaaaaaaaaay Booooooooogey!
August 2nd, 2009
3:53 pm
Y’all be nice to Maureen. For real. All we are saying…is give peace a chance.
beachlover
August 2nd, 2009
3:54 pm
Enter your comments here
Rosie you're missing the point
August 2nd, 2009
4:00 pm
The point isn’t the topics, it’s Downey’s credibility to address them. Readers need to call her on it day one if there is any chance at an honest discussion on this blog.
Speaking of honesty and credibility, what does it say about Downey, that one of her sources she cited in her anti-voucher screed had to publicly call her in misinterpreting the data?
From a letter to the editor:
The editorial “Voucher plan would help sponsor, not students” (@issue, Feb. 4) concluded with the request “check our sources.” I did so eagerly, since the first source listed was my research project Web site and the second was a federal evaluation that I am heading. The editorial drew selectively from my research. For example, our baseline report from a planned five-year examination of the Milwaukee voucher program is cited as showing “little difference in test scores between voucher recipients and their public school counterparts.” That baseline finding presents a snapshot of descriptive information about voucher and public school student performance at the start of the evaluation. Meaningful results from the evaluation will only be available later.
Although the editorial correctly reported that our second-year evaluation of the Washington, D.C., voucher program found no overall achievement impact, it neglected to mention that three subgroups —- students who attended schools that were not labeled as failing when they applied for vouchers, students who had higher academic-performance levels before entering the voucher program, and students who were voucher applicants in the program’s first year of operation —- showed statistically significant gains in reading. While there remains much to be learned about school vouchers, the existing evidence shows that students tend to achieve at higher levels if they have access to a school voucher program.
PATRICK J. WOLF, University of Arkansas
Mr. Thomas Anthony Jones, Sr.
August 2nd, 2009
4:01 pm
We need a needs based Hope scholarship. Lower income students are being forced out college by these stupid tuition increase. These tuition increases make absolute no sense whatsoever. If the publice colleges need more money the state need to increase the income taxes on the welathy in the state. Right now we have well-off kids goimg off to college and poorer kids dying in Inraq and Afghanization. Young working class kids need college money now.
beachlover
August 2nd, 2009
4:06 pm
Enter your comments here:
In my opinion, the HOPE scholarship should be equally offered to all GA college students who are accepted to college. Then let the students prove by maintaining a 3.0 GPA that they should be allowed to keep the scholarship. This way everyone is treated the same. In addition, I think that someone should think about those students that are caught in the middle and do not get any assistance from PELL, etc. They are the ones caught with large student loans. What help is there for them? Nothing… And who shows they care…..no one……
The new formula for the HOPE scholarship does not take into consideration all subjects just like the SAT. Think about it, are you only a few subjects? No it takes many subject knowledge and talent to be a well rounded person.
The people who make the decisions really did not think about what is equal and best for everyone. Becuse of this, some children in GA are being left with no option other than loans.
ScienceTeacher671
August 2nd, 2009
4:35 pm
Sounds to me as if Patrick J. Wolf should have said, “the existing evidence shows that SOME SUBGROUPS OF students tend to achieve at higher levels if they have access to a school voucher program.”
null
August 2nd, 2009
4:42 pm
Requirements need to be tougher. Attaining a 3.0 in public high schools and universities is not a difficult task. That should thin the number out a bit.
lighteredknot
August 2nd, 2009
4:53 pm
High school grades have become so inflated they are a joke, remember the Newnan Honor Graduate that could not pass the Ga High School Graduation Test? A test to qualify for the Hope Scholarship would be much better than the mess our school systems now face.
catlady
August 2nd, 2009
4:58 pm
Peggy King: take some high school spelling classes. Don’t claim to be in a tough program if you can’t spell a lower-level (math related!) word.
How about a “graduated” HOPE, with an SAT/ACT score added? I don’t have a lot of faith in high school grades. I did a study a while back, and all of the 12 guidance counselors I interviewed said they didn’t have grade inflation in their high school, but the high school down the road SURE inflated grades! Every single one said that, and they were all from neighboring schools!
While working in two large state colleges here I have seen students who have a 4.0 but can bearly rite a sentence (sic)! Sorry, but “testing poorly” does not account for that! Besides, what is college but a nearly endless set of tests?
I have no problem that the HOPE scholarship is paid by a lottery that mostly poor and lower middle class participate in. They make that choice. I have no problem that HOPE awardees are usually middle class and upper middle class. If they do the work, they should be awarded. However, I do hate to see what should be an award with meaning given to mediocre students, as evidenced by the attrition rate and by the less than stellar SATs that many of these “scholars” present for entrance.
I also dislike the way Georgia has cut out its SSIG program (for low-income students) and replaced it with HOPE (an achievement-based program that just so happens to go to mostly wealthier students).
Zach
August 2nd, 2009
5:03 pm
The Reason Private schools should not get public money is because they are most likely affiliated with a religious organization. Separation of Church and State….And those Private schools have large endowments and should not be entitled to public funds. And if you can afford to send your kids to a 20K plus per year private school, then you dont need hope
thomas
August 2nd, 2009
5:06 pm
I don’t get this “honest discussion” idea – did Laura ever really engage in discussion? Didn’t she simply post a topic? It’s all others here who “discuss” and “argue” about it. So, what difference does it make that the topic is posed by Laura or Maureen or whoever???
A Kindergarten Teacher
August 2nd, 2009
6:16 pm
HOPE was all my 4.0 student received when she graduated. I am thankful for it. She worked hard for her 4.0 and worked a part-time job too.
I for one am sick and tired of hearing low income…get up and do something about your income…try working, try doing without your cell phone, cable/dish tv, fancy cars, fancy clothing, and eating out…then you can support yourself and the children you brought into the world instead of expecting everyone else to do it for you.
The difference Thomas
August 2nd, 2009
7:01 pm
Here’s the difference between Laura and Maureen. Laura didn’t say anything, which is why it’s hard to understand why she would be missed, unless people are just being polite.
Maureen, on the other hand, has served as the editorial voice for education issues at the AJC, routinely bashing teachers while giving political cover to educrats who have abused the public trust.
She has also gone out of her way to bash certain individuals in editorials, and then contrary to accepted practice at the AJC, not offered these people a chance at an Equal Time editorial rebuttal.
The way government changes is that people become informed, and a free press plays a vital role in it. When the free press fails in this role, as Downey and the editorial board have often done, they need to be called on it.
That’s the difference.
Lori Howard
August 2nd, 2009
7:02 pm
How my husband and I “encouraged” our son to keep the HOPE all four years at GC&SU: First semester he was not allowed to take our 12 year old clunker Volvo station wagon to campus; it stayed home in Norcross. Scott was told he could earn the car second semester if he achieved a 3.5 or above first semester in college. Since his overall high school average was 89.7, we thought it might be possible but not probable. Wouldn’t you know that he worked very hard and ended up with a 3.7 his first semester? We turned over the car with the rules being that “you keep the car if you keep the HOPE. If you lose the HOPE, you come home, work for a year, live at home and attend GA Perimeter or GA State.” We are pleased that our son managed to keep the HOPE all four years in his pursuit of two BA’s. He is now entering his fifth year at GC&SU in Milledgeville to finish up the second degree. We are helping him pay for the last year, and he is working 20-35 hours per week to help out. Most kids want cars on campus; most kids don’t want to move back home after moving out. Perhaps we were just lucky or just have a great kid or a little of both!
RSX (Former DeKalb Student)
August 2nd, 2009
7:13 pm
There are definitely pros and cons to HOPE. A pro: I am going to UGA for ‘free’. A con: Because UGA is free, and I can’t find a job, my college choice was essentially made for me when I got my acceptance letter. A pro: HOPE will motivate me to work hard so that I stay in school (and if I don’t enjoy UGA, it will inspire me to work even harder so I can transfer and possibly receive scholarship money)
Also, I do NOT believe that HOPE should be in any way needs-based. A poor person that “needs” HOPE will work to get that 3.0 (I slept through AP courses and ended high school with a 3.58). Someone in general-level (which is essentially remedial) courses with a 2.5 doesn’t need HOPE, even if they don’t make college tuition-level money.
thomas
August 2nd, 2009
9:11 pm
I don’t see why this is private vs public university issue – if anyone chooses to go to a private university knowing it costs more, well that’s his/her choice. Private schools have no rights to be complaining.
Bob Lilly
August 2nd, 2009
9:24 pm
Yes, those that attend private colleges should get the same as one that attends public schools. Thier parents pay tax just like everyone else. End of discussion.
Yes, there is grade inflation at the HS level. And a B in college is not a B in HS. To think someone with a low B avg in HS who took an easy set of courses and scored low on the SAT will keep HOPE is a dream.
Along with the B avg should be a minimum SAT. The SAT or ACT is the real indicater of college success. Yes, some with low to avg SAT scores can be successful, but the studies show it is rare. I say an SAT score, under the old numbering system, should be above 1050. No grade inflation, just facts.
Old Physics Teacher
August 2nd, 2009
9:33 pm
Reality 2:
Just sticking my 2 cents in: “The new GA math standards, K-12, were developed by a committee of georgia educators – teachers, univ professors – and maybe even some business inputs. That was DONE 5-6 years ago.”
Just because a “committee of georgia educators” decided to do something does not make the committee right. I’ve seen this in two different businesses – retail and public education. A supervisor forms a committee and picks specific individuals that will propose EXACTLY what the supervisor wants proposed. When you get to pick the committee, you get to decide what the committee proposes – and what proposals are implimented.
Conversely, when the committee proposes something the supervisor does not wish to do, the committee is disbanded and a new committee formed that will follow directions. Remember: if it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it could be a swan… but it’s best not to bet that way.
Our math curriculum does not do what it should do – nor does the high school science one either… although I have to agree with the math teachers, science doesn’t stink as bad as the math.
HopeStudent
August 2nd, 2009
10:11 pm
If HOPE is meant for rewarding OUTSTANDING students, then how come almost every year a news story comes out about a student who “qualifies for HOPE” but can’t pass the GA Highschool Graduation Test, even after taking it several times?
Reality 2
August 2nd, 2009
10:20 pm
Physics Teacher,
Can you be more specific – what about the new math standards you consider to be inferior to the old one? Not just because your math colleagues say so doesn’t make it so. What do you mean that “our math curriculum does not do what it should do”?
John
August 2nd, 2009
10:51 pm
The last thing we need is a need-based HOPE scholarship program. Students from lower income families have Pell Grants and numerous other programs literally trying to give them money to go to colege. Students from middle and upper class families don’t have those options. Don’t penalize students just because their parents are successful by taking HOPE away from them. HOPE should be merit based period.
HardWorking
August 2nd, 2009
11:01 pm
Answer to “A Kindergarten Teacher”. You are lucky that through your child’s years emergencies did not occur to take away your hard working money from paying the college fees. Especially burrying both parents and medical necessities because of treating a parent who had cancer. I do work hard and hold a college degree, I do not have a fancy car, fancy clothes or cable tv etc. Yet still I cannot afford to pay my child’s college fees. Do I now have to sell the last thing on my back and walk the streets naked? I fall in the category of not being too poor enough and not having a 3 digit level income. And I can’t afford my child college fees that have a 3.8 GPA. So yes, I will complain that those who have reasons such as this and their child can make the grade to assist with getting the child to also earn a degree. I do pay my income taxes and local school taxes also. The system should assist my child to complete that degree and not have to drop out, becasue his parent sits between the line.
JD
August 2nd, 2009
11:29 pm
END HOPE NOW!!!! HOPE should be limited to those students with an “A” average, 4.0 or higher. Keeping “B” students in Georgia basically says we are willing to subsidize and encourage mediocrity. In fact, the criteria to get a scholarship should be an A average AND a high SAT or ACT score, at least in the upper 10% of the US. Why are we subsidizing medicrity? Why do we wnat to make HOPE more inclusive? Are we that desperate to enroll students from Georgia? Last time I checked, every college in Georgia–public and private–didn’t need any help enrolling students.
a private college student
August 2nd, 2009
11:54 pm
as i read the comments, its has become clear to me that alot of people are on the outside looking in on this situation. i attend a private college only because its was one of two schools in the state of georgia that offered the major i wanted a degree in. others students (who may not have all the money) attend a private college anyway because of the name and how good the degree program may be. and if a student is going to pay thousands of dollars to attend college and aquire thousands of dollars worth of debit; why not attend the best school?
i dont think those who attend a private college should not get less money from HOPE. the only major differnce between a private college and a public college is the tution. many who attend a private college or any college dont usually have all the money for tution, books, and other costs so we depend on scholarships and grants. to not give us the money we earned simply because of were we chose to get a degree from is not fair. HOPE was created to give everyone a fair and equal oppurtunity to recieve a college education and to deny us 2000 that we earned is not fair.
jd
August 3rd, 2009
3:30 am
Kill HOPE now.