Georgia Student Finance Commission HOPE and State Aid Darryl Watson K-12 School Representative

HOPE Scholarship Prior to Fall 2011 Academic requirement Award College Prep – 3.0 Career Tech – 3.2 Award Tuition HOPE-approved mandatory fees Book stipend Quarter System - $100 per quarter Semester System - $150 per semester

HOPE Grant For students seeking a certificate or diploma Technical System of Georgia or University System of Georgia Prior to Fall 2011 Requirement No GPA requirement Meet Georgia residency policy Award Tuition HOPE-approved mandatory fees Book stipend Quarter System - $100 per quarter Semester System - $150 per semester

HOPE Changes Summary

HOPE Scholarship Basic eligibility requirements: Unchanged for current seniors College Prep Diploma – 3.0 GPA Career Tech Diploma – 3.2 GPA Single diploma type – 3.0 GPA Academic Rigor (New Section) Requires that students graduating in 2015 must pass at least 2 courses from a list of academically rigorous courses in order to meet the requirements to be a HOPE Scholar upon high school graduation Students graduating in 2016 must pass at least 3 courses from the list Students graduating in 2017 beyond must pass at least 4 courses from the list HOPE GPA is calculated from core curriculum requirements English Math Science Social Science Foreign Language Student must be a citizen of the USA Student must be a resident of the state of Georgia Student must be enrolled in a HOPE Eligible school Rigor Requirements: Class of 2015 are current 9th graders Class of 2016 are current 8th graders Class of 2017 are current 7th graders Current 9th graders must have 2 courses deemed academically rigorous Current 8th graders must have 3 courses deemed academically rigorous Current 7th graders must have 4 courses deemed academically rigorous We are currently waiting on a list from DoE as to what specific classes are deemed academically rigorous

HOPE Scholarship Rigor Requirements: Advanced math, such as Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry, Math III, or an equivalent or higher course; Advanced science, such as Chemistry, Physics, Biology II, or an equivalent or higher course; Advanced placement courses in core subjects; International baccalaureate courses in core subjects; Courses taken at a unit of the University System of Georgia in core subjects where such courses are not remedial and developmental courses; or Advanced foreign language courses. GSFC will be providing a list of classes to further define each category.

HOPE Scholarship Maintaining HOPE Courses eligible Maintain at least a 3.0 GPA at all checkpoints. The student may only regain eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship one time. A student can regain eligibility at the 30, 60 or 90 semester hour check point or equivalent quarter hour check point. Courses eligible Only degree level courses will be paid for under the HOPE Scholarship. The HOPE Scholarship will not pay for remedial or developmental courses. HOPE Eligibility Checkpoints At the end of every Spring Semester 30 Attempted Semester Hours 60 Attempted Semester Hours 90 Attempted Semester Hours

HOPE Scholarship Eligibility for HOPE occurs until: The student has earned a baccalaureate or first professional degree; or The student has attempted or received a total of combined payment of 127 semester hours; or A period of seven years from high school graduation or equivalent. Exceptions for Military Service

HOPE Scholarship Seven Year Limit Effective beginning with the Fall 2011 term. A student receiving HOPE for the first time beginning summer 2011 is eligible for 7 years beyond the date of their high school graduation. A student that served on military active duty following high school graduation, or equivalent, may request that time be added back their eligibility. A student receiving the HOPE Scholarship for the first time during Summer 2011 or later is eligible to receive the HOPE Scholarship through June 30th of the 7th year following the student’s date of high school graduation, home school completion, or successful GED test date

HOPE Scholarship The HOPE Scholarship will pay: Eligible Public Institutions Percentage of previous year’s HOPE award Eligible Private Institutions Percentage amount of the HOPE award for private colleges

HOPE Scholarship HOPE Scholarship at Public/Private Institutions Factor Rate: Percentage determined annually by the Commission against which the previous year’s HOPE Award Rate amount is multiplied. HOPE Award Rate: The rate equal to the previous year’s HOPE Award Amount multiplied by the Factor Rate. HOPE Award Amount: The HOPE Award Rate multiplied by the number of credit hours, up to a maximum of 15 hours. A payment chart for HOPE award is available on GAcollege411 under the HOPE Scholarship Information page. 2011-2012 Academic Year 90% Factor Rate Not written in to law Factor Rate applies to the previous year’s HOPE award amount Factor Rate will be determined from February to March of that academic year Factor Rate is determined by the lottery receipts and HOPE expenditures What can a parent do? Keep playing the lottery! 

HOPE Scholarship To access HOPE Award Amounts: Go to GACollege411 Homepage In the shortcuts table click on ‘HOPE Scholarship Information’ Scroll half way down page to ‘Award Amounts’ section Click on link provided

HOPE Scholarship You can easily see here how the award rates are provided for each USG and TCSG school in this chart

Zell Miller Scholarship New Scholarship Program for 2011 Must meet HOPE Scholarship requirements, plus: Minimum 3.7 GPA in academic core classes, and 1,200 combined critical reading and math on SAT* or 26 composite ACT. Graduate from an eligible high school as the valedictorian or salutatorian. *Test requirements must be met in single test administration. Reiterate requirements: 3.7 GPA & 1200 SAT on Math and Verbal OR 3.7 GPA & 26 ACT OR Basic HOPE Requirements and are the Valedictorian OR Basic HOPE Requirements and are the Salutatorian If a Student does not graduate high school as a Zell Miller Scholarship Recipient then they can never receive Zell Miller Example: Graduate HS with a 3.0 and are a HOPE recipient but have a 3.8 HOPE GPA at college. That student will still only be a HOPE Scholarship Recipient.

Zell Miller Scholarship Maintaining Zell Miller Scholarship Maintain at least a 3.3 GPA at all checkpoints. The student may only regain eligibility for the Zell Miller Scholarship one time. A student can only regain eligibility at the 30, 60 or 90 semester hour check point or equivalent quarter hour check point. To be eligible, a student must meet requirements at High School Graduation. HOPE Eligibility Checkpoints At the end of every Spring Semester 30 Attempted Semester Hours 60 Attempted Semester Hours 90 Attempted Semester Hours

Zell Miller Scholarship The Zell Miller Scholarship will pay: Eligible Public Institutions Full standard tuition for the current academic year Eligible Private Institutions Award will be $4,000 per academic year for full-time study Rate tables are available on Zell Miller Program Information page on GAcollege411.

HOPE Grant Postsecondary GPA No initial GPA requirement. Student must have at least a 3.0 GPA on all paid coursework at 30 hour checkpoint. If a student loses eligibility at the 30 hour checkpoint, they may regain eligibility with at least a 3.0 GPA at the 60 hour checkpoint Covers up to 63 semester hours or 95 quarter hours Students with a baccalaureate degree are not eligible to receive the HOPE Grant.

HOPE Grant HOPE Grant will pay: Percentage of previous year’s HOPE Grant award. Students can use the chart posted on GAcollege411 to determine the exact amount of HOPE Grant. HOPE Grant will pay $60.75 per hour Example of calculating how much a student will have to pay in tuition with HOPE Grant Middle Georgia Technical College (located in Warner Robins Georgia) Standard Tuition: $75 per semester hour $75.00 $60.75 $ 14.25 $14.25 is what a student will have to pay for their tuition at MGTC (Based on example)

Dual Enrollment

Accel Program For students completing core classes for high school and college credit. Award amounts (tuition, fees, book stipend) and program eligibility are unchanged. Effective this year (2011-2012), the program is funded by State Appropriations. Accel courses taken in Fall 2011 or later will no longer count against the HOPE paid hours. Any courses taken prior to Summer 2011 will be counted as HOPE paid hours. The Accel course directory is posted on GAcollege411.org

Dual Enrollment Students who will be attending classes at a Technical College System of Georgia Institution. Students do not have to take only core classes. Funding is through HOPE Grant. Dual Enrollment courses are NOT counted against HOPE attempted hours.

The Student Access Loan The interest rate on the loan is 1% Funding of last resort or “gap financing” Able to borrow up to $10,000 per year Applications are randomly selected from all applicants Must reapply (Renewal not guaranteed) Application for Student Access Loan can be found on GAcollege411

Georgia Student Finance Commission Contact Us Call GSFC at 1-800-505-4732 www.GAcollege411.org Email: clientservices@gsfc.org Darryl Watson Georgia Student Finance Commission darrylw@gsfc.org

Questions? Thank you!