Student loans

Several states have the in-state tuition program, but it doesn't cover anything else, like books or fees. Also, I know it doesn't apply to transfer students, even if you transfer from one in-state school to another. So if you start off at that community college, the tuition program runs out when you transfer to a four-year school.

 

In 1993, Georgia became the first state to use a lottery to fund a state-wide HOPE Scholarship. All those old people who come across the border from S.C. to buy their Powerball tickets? Yeah, they're paying for some kid's education. ;D

It's fabulous. Basically, if you have a 3.0 GPA out of high school and maintain a 3.0 in college, you get your tuition and (most) fees paid for. You also get a $75 check per semester for books. (Granted, that only pays for about 2 (used) books these days.)

I think about 95% of the in-state incoming freshmen entering a Ga. public university start out on HOPE now. (That said, only about 15% manage to keep it all four years. I think half lose it after the first year. Yes, college is a whole new world for an 18-year-old. Always has been, always will be.)

Many states have copied it, to varying degrees of success. Georgia's is still the standard.

The overwhelming popularity of HOPE has forced Georgia to keep raising the standards. Originally, it was a straight 3.0 -- if you have a B average, you're good to go. Now, they only count the core classes in high school (electives don't count) for your HOPE eligibility, so you can't boost your GPA by taking basket-weaving or whatnot. Also now, you have to maintain the 3.0 in only your core classes in college, too. Can't boost it by electives there, either.

They re-evaluate your HOPE eligibility after every semester (used to be after every school year), but if you dip to 2.99 at any point, you have to wait until the next checkpoint to re-apply. The checkpoints are at the 30-, 60- and 90-credit hour marks (121 to graduate, in most programs.)

In-state private-school students in Ga. can also apply for HOPE, but they don't get a full ride like the public-school kids pretty much do. Pays for about $4,000 per year of tuition at a private school, plus the $75/semester for books.

It's easy enough to benefit millions of college kids and just hard enough to be self-sustaining (or close to it) for the state. Huge, huge advantage for anyone growing up in Georgia.

 

Later this year, after 10 years of paying $200 a month for school loans, I'm going to walk into the local liquor store and buy a big bottle of Woodford Reserve.

 

Thanks Buck.

Several educators from the local state U in microville have left for positions in a similar field at UGa. They marvel at the pay and support, compared to the minimal state support given to higher education in our state.

I'd assume it's also raised the academic profile at UGa and GT, the two most attractive in-state schools.

See, big government can work.

 

Well, can't speak too much for the side of educators. My experience with HOPE, at least, is only from a student's perspective.

Speaking as the son of two teachers, though, the NCLB Act has really devastated government support for education in Georgia (and, I imagine, many states) in the last few years.

That said, the proper abbreviation is UGA, not UGa, which is more like a typo for the dog's name, Uga (pronounced UGG-uh), subject of the most popular SI cover of all time :



Link: <a href="http://www.uga.edu/gm/902/FeatUga.html">Damn Good Dog</a>

 

You can't get rid of most student loans through bankruptcy.

 

Between my wife and I, we have about $50,000 in student loans to pay. It costs us about $700 a month right now.

But we never would have made it through school without those loans. Neither of us received a thin dime from parents. We worked full-time jobs, but the jobs didn't pay well. Our combined income before taxes was about $25,000. We spent most of that just paying basic bills.