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and grade based In-State Scholarship Plans (i.e.-HOPE).
Many states have these grade-based tuition grants/scholarships that allow students to go to a state college/university with the tuition paid for by some kind of in-state funding plan (usually the state lottery).
If you have one of those and you are planning to use it for your son or daughter, you should check to see exactly how they calculate it and also if they have recently changed the calculation methods.
If your state has changed the calcs like GA did you may be in for a surprise when you send your kid off to college.
In previous years all grades were numerically based, added together, then divided by the total number of grades to come up with the GPA that determines eligibility (example-78+79+99 = 256 / 3 = an 85.3 GPA. You were eligible to receive the grant/scholarship.)
The new method used is to take the point grade and convert it into a 4 point GPA to determine eligibility (example the 78 now equals a 2, the 79 now equals a 2, and the 99 now equals a 4. 2+2+4=8. 8 / 3 = 2.666. Below a 3.0, you are ineligible to receive the grant/scholarship.)
There may or may not be any rounding applied to the final score. In GA there isn't. Critical because a 2.999 is not going to become a 3...period.
You may or may not be able to re-acquire future grant/scholarship money.
In GA you can by getting your average back up to the minimally acceptable 3.0 GPA. Of course if it drops back below a 3.0, you can lose it again.
So do yourself a favor and check with the HS to determine how the GPA is calculated for these grants/scholarships while your kids have adequate time to get their grades in line with the program. :thumbsup:
Another place to look are one of the scholarship/grant websites. There are several. Some make you pay a fee and some don't. (example-http://www.collegescholarships.org/)
There are numerous small grants and scholarships that ALMOST NO ONE applies for because they are only for small amounts (example $100-$500).
You don't have to be needy, but some are only for more needy, others are for certain disciplines (trade, math, nursing, engineering, etc), and some are offered for those doing community service.
The lists are ENORMOUS. Start now, not next July!
You could get 10, 20, or 30 $100-$500 grants in a year, (grants DO NOT have to be paid back, loans do) if you actually apply for them. You could get $150 for writing a one page essay, etc. And yea, some kids will look at that and say, "I ain't doin that."
So remind them that they do that all the time in school and they get $0.
Regardless, do YOUR homework...now.
Many states have these grade-based tuition grants/scholarships that allow students to go to a state college/university with the tuition paid for by some kind of in-state funding plan (usually the state lottery).
If you have one of those and you are planning to use it for your son or daughter, you should check to see exactly how they calculate it and also if they have recently changed the calculation methods.
If your state has changed the calcs like GA did you may be in for a surprise when you send your kid off to college.
In previous years all grades were numerically based, added together, then divided by the total number of grades to come up with the GPA that determines eligibility (example-78+79+99 = 256 / 3 = an 85.3 GPA. You were eligible to receive the grant/scholarship.)
The new method used is to take the point grade and convert it into a 4 point GPA to determine eligibility (example the 78 now equals a 2, the 79 now equals a 2, and the 99 now equals a 4. 2+2+4=8. 8 / 3 = 2.666. Below a 3.0, you are ineligible to receive the grant/scholarship.)
There may or may not be any rounding applied to the final score. In GA there isn't. Critical because a 2.999 is not going to become a 3...period.
You may or may not be able to re-acquire future grant/scholarship money.
In GA you can by getting your average back up to the minimally acceptable 3.0 GPA. Of course if it drops back below a 3.0, you can lose it again.
So do yourself a favor and check with the HS to determine how the GPA is calculated for these grants/scholarships while your kids have adequate time to get their grades in line with the program. :thumbsup:
Another place to look are one of the scholarship/grant websites. There are several. Some make you pay a fee and some don't. (example-http://www.collegescholarships.org/)
There are numerous small grants and scholarships that ALMOST NO ONE applies for because they are only for small amounts (example $100-$500).
You don't have to be needy, but some are only for more needy, others are for certain disciplines (trade, math, nursing, engineering, etc), and some are offered for those doing community service.
The lists are ENORMOUS. Start now, not next July!
You could get 10, 20, or 30 $100-$500 grants in a year, (grants DO NOT have to be paid back, loans do) if you actually apply for them. You could get $150 for writing a one page essay, etc. And yea, some kids will look at that and say, "I ain't doin that."
So remind them that they do that all the time in school and they get $0.
Regardless, do YOUR homework...now.
