<p>First post here guys! Just would like to introduce myself. Name is Dalton and I am a senior for the class of 2012. I have qualified for OHLAP or Oklahoma's promise as most know it. I am supposedly guaranteed to pay my tuition in FULL for 4 years at any public college. However, I am aware of the real world and I am aware of the economy. How reliable is this scholarship I have acquired?</p>
<p>Will they be sure to come through when my senior year is over and I'm accepted? Anyone have any experience in this program?</p>
<p>Thanks,
Dalton.</p>
<p>I think you need to be asking your state those questions. Maybe ask your local rep. There’s no way for us to know what OK might do if they suddenly had to change/reduce/eliminate a state tuition aid program for financial reasons.</p>
<p>Of course you might have similar issues with any scholarships to other schools, particularly since most scholarships don’t increase with the cost of tuition. It still sounds like a great deal.</p>
<p>Erin’s Dad…</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of enrolled students who are HOLDING scholarships to have their merit scholarships reduced at a later time since their offers are contracts. Of course, that assumes that the student has met req’ts of grades/credits.</p>
<p>A school can reduce scholarships for FUTURE prospective students, but the current holders keep theirs as offered. A school can improve the scholarships to current holders (which Bama did last year when it increased the coverage to 20 credits per semester), but it can’t reduce them (without facing some serious legal issues)…unless the school has something written to the effect that the scholarships can be reduced/eliminated without notice. (and, I’ve never heard of that). A school would probably have to declare bankruptcy to get out of current scholarship commitments. </p>
<p>On the other hand, FA policies can change for current students. Schools can go from “no loan” policies to putting loans in and institute other changes. </p>
<p>I don’t know if schools have to have some kind of protected acct/fund/insurance to guarantee scholarships that have been accepted or what. </p>
<p>*particularly since most scholarships don’t increase with the cost of tuition. *</p>
<p>That is an important point and people need to read the fine print. A $15k per year scholarship loses its effectiveness if tuition seriously increases during the 4 years.</p>
<p>For the record, I believe this scholarship applies to any OKLAHOMA college (public or private), not “any public college.”</p>
<p>OHLAP is a tuition waiver at Oklahoma Universities (full waiver for public universities but partial for private ones) for Oklahoma students whose parents earn under $50k a year while they are in grades 8, 9, or 10 (not 11 & 12 which kind of peeves me as we did not qualify when my daughter was in grade 10 but would have any year since!!). So it does go up when tuition goes up (at public Us) .</p>
<p>It only covers tuition, not fees or room and board. But several schools have programs where they waive the fees for OHLAP students.</p>
<p>As for whether we here can guarantee that it will be around the full 4 years. We can’t of course. Completely depends on Oklahoma’s finances. The funding is reviewed annually.</p>
<p>But I do think Oklahoma’s economy is stronger than most, low unemployment and rebounding real estate prices.</p>
<p>Check with your state legislator. He/she should be able to give you the insight you are looking for.</p>
<p>^^Not sure about that. The recently passed budget has some huge cuts including a lot related to education. I have friends who are teachers who are very upset by the cuts - in fact there is some sort of big demonstration in Oklahoma city later this week. (I am a liberal lefty living in a very red state and am quite bemused by some of my very *not *liberal lefty friends suddenly talking unions and demonstrations!!). I am pretty sure OHLAP is safe this year. But many programs are getting steeper cuts each year. So who knows what the future holds.</p>
<p>Oklahoma property values don’t have much to rebound from. Our house is not worth any more than it was when we bought it 20 years ago. I think Oklahoma is probably one of the cheaper places in the US for property.</p>
<p>You are right about the property values thing, but I did read that unemployment was lower than most of the rest of the country. I guess it is all relative. Most states have had cuts for a few years, they just seem to be hitting TX and OK now.</p>