<p>When I went to UF it was a joke, there were all these kids with Bright Futures and instead of using it for college they bought expensive cars, I saw BMW after BMW and I was appalled. I mean if we are going to spend all this money we might as well use it on the kids that need it, I for example would not need it for college to the point where I cant attend but it would help (dad lost his job, but before we could have paid for UF). They should use it for the kids that need it to attend and then on the kids that deserve it the most (highest gpa or sat, something like that). With the money left we could improve our states schools or something. Ohh, im middle class, i dont think that children in the middle class should receive as much or the same as the people that REALLY do need it, but we should get something.</p>
<p>^ I agree - smart middle class kids should get free money (they just need to have good stats).</p>
<p>Giving out money for a 970 on the SAT is ridiculous. No wonder it has become the BMW scholarship.</p>
<p>I think that the 75% should be given at a 3.5 SUSF weighted gpa/ and 1100 SAT.
The 100% for 4.0 gpas/and 1240 SAT.
This is so funny how these kids get 75% for a 3.0 gpa and an 970 sat, I mean how hard did you study to get a 970, pathetic.</p>
<p>^
Who are you to dismiss them as “pathetic”.</p>
<p>I am sure you would never score anywhere near average, like getting a 570 in critical reading, since you are so quick to chastise. </p>
<p>Don’t judge people on test scores.</p>
<p>I never called anyone pathetic, infact if you read my comment again you will see that there is a comma b,efore the pathetic part. I was reffering to the fact that people with a 970 were receiving 75% percent, not the actual people. Also, i had a friend last year, senior, he got a 900 in his sat the first time he took it, he didn’t study. The second time he spend an estimated 20 minutes a week going over the SAT blue book, he got a 1200, so dont tell me that it is extremely hard to get a higher score than 970.</p>
<p>I tell you what is pathetic: the Florida Legislature for setting the bar so low in the first place. This is not a candy shop we are dealing with. Invest the money wisely or we will not have any funding left to give out.</p>
<p>I think the fault is in the people of Florida, the moment a politician says “i think that we should adjust bright futures” people just jump on it like he disrespected their mothers. Here in South Florida people are so close minded in this subject its not funny.</p>
<p>lol @ thinking you could buy a bmw with your bright futures money</p>
<p>Yeah, how does buying a BMW with Bright Futures money work? That is what I’m wondering. I don’t think it is enough to buy a BMW. Second, did they use to give checks for Bright Futures before I graduated high school? I never see the money and a check isn’t sent to me. It goes through the school and they pay for whatever classes you are taking. That’s it. How do you get a BMW out of this deal? I can’t use the money for anything except class and can’t get any more than that. There is also a credit hour limit.</p>
<p>^ Basically the parents are so happy that everything is paid for that the student gets rewarded with a BMW. Hey this is just South Florida culture.</p>
<p>It isnt only South Florida though, but yeah the less money you have to use in tuition the more money you have for other things. You guys just say this because you are students now but if you were a tax payer i think you’d see things different.</p>
<p>Ummmm, I have Bright Futures and my parents are paying the left over tuition. No matter where I transfer (don’t want me having loans for undergrad). Other than that, I pay for everything myself. I drive a 97 Maxima (my parents could buy me a BMW, but I don’t feel they need to pay for anything more and I wasn’t raised like that). So, I don’t think this would apply to everyone. Maybe a small percentage, but most people with Bright Futures aren’t driving BMWs. I get where you guys are coming from, but each case is different as well. I do agree that it needs to be raised, but not to what Joker said. Also, just because someone has a nice car doesn’t mean they have Bright Futures. My girlfriend didn’t get Bright Futures because she didn’t care about school and she drives a very nice car. Some people are rich enough to do both. I am just glad she turned it around and has a 3.7 in college now and will be a nurse! So much different than what she did in high school! But yeah, back on topic. I get what you guys are saying, but the whole BMW thing probably only applies for a small amount of people.</p>
<p>Joker, I am a tax payer. I have been working since 15. :P</p>
<p>GATORJV I agree with you that only a small amount of people by expensive cars with their BF money but the point is that some of that money is still being wasted on useless stuff. I also understand that it depends from person to person the point is that if your family has the income to buy BMW’s while your in college then is it that bad to ask for you to pay your own college (in Florida is not that expensive). Just wanted to make it clear that this does not include the middle class, i mean people with incomes over 500k (family).–seems fair–:). Also im no law maker so it isn’t like Im trying to put a standard or something I just feel BF needs some adjustment.</p>
<p>I agree Joker and I wasn’t attacking you; sorry if it seemed like it. 
My family doesn’t make anything close to 500K, but my dad is a Pharmacist (UF) and mom is a Nurse, so we do good (but, when I said the whole BMW thing, I didn’t mean like they could just do it easily. I would be paying a car payment and they would put the money down, if it was around like 3 or 4 grand, which I doubt. But like I said in my family, that would never happen anyway. Plus, I could never afford a Honda car payment, let alone BMW!). 
The reason my family is a little different is because it is myself and three girls (sisters), so it does become expensive for school (we are lucky two of my sisters are going to get schollys for sports). But I feel that no matter what class you are, you should be able to get scholarships. When you do good, it should count, no matter what class. </p>
<p>Also, I always thought just because my parents make good money, doesn’t mean it is mine. </p>
<p>I do think it needs to be changed from what it was in 1997, but to the National SAT average (which I think someone said was 50 points higher then 970, so 1020). Also, they should raise the GPA to 3.3 in my opinion. </p>
<p>I do agree that if someone studies, they will do well. I didn’t do well on the SAT (around a 1100), but like you said about your friend, I didn’t care. I knew I wasn’t going to get into UF (where I wanted to go) because of my GPA and being a slacker in high school (stupid mistake). I never took it again either, but if I would of studied, I’m sure I would of done very well. </p>
<p>But yeah, I agree with most of what you said, but do not feel this is some kind of national embarrassment. A lot of people would love to have a scholarship and I feel lucky that I am able to get Bright Futures. I would be able to do without, but I would be taking out loans not paying straight up (granted our tuition is cheaper, so I wouldn’t complain). Hey, at least all these old peoples money who come done here for half the year are going towards something good (joking). :P</p>
<p>“Hey, at least all these old peoples money who come done here for half the year are going towards something good”</p>
<p>Actually that is wrong - the money comes from lottery revenues, and it was stipulated that the funding would be used to enhance excellence. Policy makers have done nothing of the sort, and they in turn reduced higher education funding and screwed over the students. So bascially this $436 million dollar black hole (which is partially being wasted on substandard students) is eating up the overall pie that is meant to be appropriated to higher education. You see policy makers do not differentiate between scholarships and funding the actual universities themselves (they instead see it as a giant pie that is going to all of higher education). Does this make sense to you all?</p>
<p>^^^That’s what really makes it pathetic.</p>
<p>What ever, I guess our generation will be better (than “the old people that come here to live for half year” Lol). Hopefully when we’re in power we’ll remember how we thought we could make this state and this country better (if there is a florida in the future, global warming). Only 20 years to go.</p>
<p>SSoBick, I was joking! Hence saying joking after. I know that it comes from the lottery (who doesn’t?). Once again it was a joke. lol. Anyway, I guess Bright Futures has its good and bad then like everything else. We will see where it goes from here. If the economy keeps going the way it has, I don’t know if any of us will be getting much help at all. But yeah, I’m done talking about this. I guess I don’t know enough about it to “really know what is going on” and have figured out my posts aren’t really contributing much anymore. </p>
<p>But I do know a lot of old people who buy lottery tickets! :P</p>
<p>What makes me sad is reading all people downing the standards for 75% Bright Futures. I have no money for college and my parents will not pay for college. (I cannot get a job either). I qualify for the 75% (I did a little bit better than the average). But if I wouldn’t be able to receive the 75% because of your guys “smarter standards”, then I would have to take out a loan for more money for college because I don’t know if I will even get additional scholarships. To say that people are basically stupid for not getting a great SAT grade like you “brilliant people”? Now that is pathetic. To Joker23, you said, “I mean how hard did you study to get a 970”…even though I got a little higher than that, I worked my butt off. I went to the library almost everyday for at least 1 hour, even after school, and on Sundays at my home. I also took a prep class. The SAT doesn’t test how smart you are, it test your ENDURANCE. I have a high GPA because I took AP’s/all Honors. Never got below a B. I am just not a great test taker. So you all want to take away the only thing that will keep me going to college? Now that is embarrassing to ‘gip’ students for education, especially in this economy in America.
I don’t like trouble, but it breaks my heart to read some posts like this.</p>
<p>Tina, don’t be so offended. You have to remember that Bright Futures is a MERIT based scholarship. I agree, for situations like yours, you should qualfy for a NEED based scholarship. If is was properly restructured, it could save money for the state, and at the same time respond to people with exceptional merit, and also serve the worthy students that have financial need. </p>
<p>It is not correct to argue that the “merit standards” should be “below average” because kids with “financial need” (like you) require it to be that way!</p>