Georgia HOPE scholars face insufficient funds

Students who received HOPE scholarships in the past may not find funds available next year. Pell grants may also be cut if the President's new budget is adopted. Students need to be informed and active in the scholarship debate, especially since tuition costs are rising.

According to the Associated Press, "Georgia's popular HOPE program is set to go broke by 2012 after paying for more than 1 million students to attend college." (http://www.macon.com/2011/02/17/1455363/apnewsbreak-gop-plan-would-rein.html)

David Wilkerson

State Representatives David Wilkerson, Alisha Morgan, and Stacey Evans will host a town hall community discussion on the status of the HOPE scholarship, Monday, Feb. 21, at Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) in Building A, Room 216 at 6:30 p.m.

Alisha Morgan

"The yearly cost of the HOPE scholarship is now exceeding incoming revenues," Wilkerson said in an email. "Changes will need to be made. Possible changes are being discussed, and we need your input on how to preserve the availability of the HOPE scholarship for future generations."

I used to think the main reason HOPE Scholarships were instituted and funded by the lottery was because the state, under former Governor Zell Miller, wanted to help deserving students afford college. That's only part of the story.

Stacey Evans

If high school scholars do not have the HOPE scholarship program to help finance their educations in Georgia colleges and universities, what affect will it have on the state's institutions of higher education?

Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE), created in 1993, is a merit-based, higher education scholarship funded soley by revenue from the Georgia Lottery. it is administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC).

For information on applying for the HOPE, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5WL2qu7riQ

  ©2011 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.