[ellie]

I saw this today regarding scholarship programs and thought many of you would find it interesting.

"The Florida Academic Scholars scholarship provides 100 percent of tuition at a Florida public institution (or the monetary equivalent at a Florida private school). The requirements are a 3.5 high school grade point average, 75 hours of community service, and either a 1270 SAT (critical reading and math sections only) or a 28 ACT score.

The Florida Medallion Scholars scholarship covers 75 percent of tuition. It requires a 3.0 GPA, and a 970 on the SAT or a 20 on the ACT. It does not require any community service.

"That's all well and good," you may say. But let's check out some test scores and average GPAs from around the state.

* Only 5.7 percent of freshmen admitted to UF had below a 3.0 high school GPA. The middle 50 percent range of SAT scores was 1210 to 1370. The middle range of ACT scores was 26-31.
* At Florida State University, 23 percent of freshmen had below a 3.0 high school GPA. The middle range of SAT scores was 1020 to 1230. The ACT range was 21 to 26.
* At the University of South Florida, the 2006 middle range high school GPA was 3.3 to 3.97. The middle range of SAT scores was 1050 to 1210. The ACT range was 22 to 27.
* At the University of Central Florida, the middle range GPA was 3.3 to 4.0. The SAT range was 1130 to 1270. The ACT range was 24 to 28."

complete article available @
http://www.alligator.org/pt2/070419eddy1.php (broken link)

[BlueWillowPlate]

From the article: But the schools don't always receive the cash they need and often rely on money from private donors. UF receives less than 14 percent of its revenue from tuition and fees. In comparison, almost 40 percent comes from grants, contracts and gifts.

Maybe they could take some of the money for tuition out of the budget used for athletic programs.


$69 million:The University of Florida's athletic-department budget for the 2006-07 academic year. The Gators won their second straight men's basketball championship on April 2, after clinching the national football title in January. The school's sports teams rely on private revenue without state or university funding.

$7.3 million:The University of Florida's English-department budget for this year.
(source: Time Magazine; its source was UF)
Our kid is using the Medallion scholarship. His ACT was above the average score, as was his verbal SAT, but he barely squeaked by with his math.
There are kids in our little town who really use the help these scholarships give. Obviously I have a bit of a dog in this fight, but I think these scholarships are wonderful.

[SouthernBelle3]

I'm not sure raising the requirements is the solution. A lot of Florida kids are able to attend school debt free thanks to Bright Futures, and not every student is gifted and can score a 1300 on the SAT. Since so many employers require degrees, we really need to make sure our children are educated or they won't have much oppurtunity in the workplace. Isn't the lottery providing the money for Bright Futures? Just allocate more funds from the lottery if tuition is increased.

[ellie]

I believe both of these programs are part of the Bright Futures programs.

A low B average and a 970 SAT score hardly qualifies as gifted. You can make a few C's and even a D if you make good grades otherwise. Most colleges won't admit anyone who scores below a 900.

I think that in and of itself serves as an incentive to any high school student who wants to go to college.

At UF they are trying to thin out the ranks a bit. The student population has increased to a point that they can't provide a quality education.

Did you know that the student body as a whole voted in favor of the tuition hike? Some huge percentage in favor. $1000 a year is a drop in the bucket if you're already receiving a free ride and are expecting a good job when you graduate.

[SouthernBelle3]

$1000.00 is a lot of money when you make $8.00/hr, books can cost over $600.00 a semester, and many jobs that require a 4 year degree pay under $35K a year. The "free" ride isn't so free, but it really helps those who couldn't otherwise afford it. Maybe the weathier families could pick up the slack since $1000.00 is just a drop in the bucket to them.

[TriMT7]

Bright Futures is an amazingly good program, and it truly reflects merit, allowing those from the lower end of the economic scale a chance to go to college as opposed to

My single mother didn't have any college savings for me to go to college. Knowing I could get got 100% tuition from Bright Futures, however, was a major incentive for me to do well on the SAT, and I worked my butt off for it.

Because of Bright Futures, I was able to get the 100% tuition and it saved me from having any unncessary education-related loans from undergraduate to add to my tens of thousands in graduate loans, lol.

[ellie]

I'm not wealthy either. Living simply is for another thread.

If you or your child can get federally backed student loans, the interest rates are quite low and you/he/she can pay them off over a very, very long period of time. It is totally worth paying for the excess by going that route.

Yes, I've worked those $8/hr jobs painting dorms and running errands for profs. Not getting the education is what will cost you in the long run.

If the big schools are out of reach to begin with, go to a community college. In the long run, it's having gone through the degree program that will take you to the next level.

And one thing I would have never considered when I was an undergrad is getting a degree that is geared towards a profession that pays well. If you need money, head in that direction.

[tallrick]

Never could figure out why college tuition has increased so much more than inflation in the last 20 years. Perhaps they can study the situation and find the underlying cause?

[ellie]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Never could figure out why college tuition has increased so much more than inflation in the last 20 years. Perhaps they can study the situation and find the underlying cause?

Probably because a lower percentage of it is being underwritten by the government. But if you'd like to pay me to do a study, I'll be glad to accommodate you.