<p>This makes me so mad! As a student whose parents make just enough to avoid need based aid but not enough to actually be wealthy, these are the sort of programs that make things possible. Also, this is a slap in the face of high achieving students everywhere. </p>
<p>HELP ME SAVE THIS PROGRAM!! Call Sen. Byrd, Rep. Miller (education), and Sen. Harkin (HELP Chair).</p>
<p>George Miller: 202-225-2095
Robert Byrd:202-224-3954
Tom Harkin:202-224-3254</p>
<p>Won’t it be more cost efficient to have the money in one pot - Pell?</p>
<p>This happens with the Byrd almost every year (well every year since I have been on CC).</p>
<p>Pell on need. Some of us don’t qualify for Pell, yet still find college unaffordable because we don’t make close to millions.</p>
<p>Then why not enter other scholarships that are easier to get? Don’t get me wrong, I, too, qualify for the Byrd and did enter it, but it’s essentially like a lottery to win it. Why not try some local scholarships that can give you the same amount? :)</p>
<p>To me that is incredibly offensive. I spent over 100 hours applying for more than 25 scholarships. I got two, the Ohio Academic and the Byrd. I got a little merit aid from my school. You think I didn’t try for more. My senior year was about this. I did not do anything social whatsoever for more than a year. I still don’t. Now Obama’s OMB director dismisses this program as nothing basically telling high achievers to go to less prestigious/challenging universities. Where did you go Mr. Orszag. Oh yeah Princeton and LSE. Obama? Occ., Columbia, and Harvard. </p>
<p>Now I don’t expect it to be easy, but I do expect the government to fulfill its promises.</p>
<p>Whoa, buddy. I didn’t mean to offend you at all. I thought you were currently a senior, and I was going to help you with the list of scholarships that I have. I’ve applied to about twenty thus far. </p>
<p>I didn’t realize you were currently receiving it, either. My apologies, but no need to overreact.</p>
<p>As swimcatsmom said, the Byrd has been on the chopping block in prior years too and this is only a proposal right now. Last year it was removed in the final draft. So, it may not be cut and is probably not cause for panic. They may simply choose not to award new scholarships but continue those awarded previously. That seems to be an “exit strategy” that governments often use. </p>
<p>The ACG and SMART grants, based on academics as well as need, are scheduled to expire as well and probably will. The reason seems to be that these programs have been over funded since inception, but still help nearly a million students. I think that will be a huge loss for lower income, high achieving students.</p>
<p>Also - re: Byrd…I think every state has very different requirments. Someone said it’s “like a lottery” to win. But that’s not how I read it, at least not in Indiana. It’s a mathematical equation. GPA and standardized test score both averaged into a formula to create a final total (I think each was worth 1000 for a 2000 total), and top scores are awarded all the way down until they have no more funds. That’s my take. They didn’t even ASK for anything except scores (no essay/ECs, etc.). But, as I said, I think every state seems to administer it QUITE differently.</p>
<p>I am totally with politicaljunkie on this one. My son is a senior this year and qualifies for it in our state. I am going to be EXTREMELY FRIED if it gets axed when he can finally get it–we’ve been planning on it and he needs the money.</p>
<p>I made the phone calls to Harkin, Byrd and Miller’s offices. Those are some good phone numbers, guess you ARE a politicaljunkie :-)</p>
<p>Very helpful people. It was suggested I also contact the Labor something-something appropriations committee at 202-224-7230, and I am trying to get through to them.</p>
<p>Sometimes, contacts like this actually help, and I am going to try. Thanks, politicaljunkie.</p>
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<p>Hello from Michigan. We had something called the Michigan PROMISE scholarship that we didn’t get this year. That’s 1k per year gone. That we had been told since we were sophomores in high school that we would get. Never expect the government (federal or state) to fulfill its promises. You’ll be disappointed.</p>
<p>^How ironic-- considering it’s the PROMISE scholarship…</p>
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<p>Wow, how lucky! I’m in Pennsylvania, and my guidance counselor told me they essentially put all the kids who qualify into a lottery and a couple of kids from each county win. If someone who is reading this is from PA and would like to correct me, that’d be great. </p>
<p>It was an extremely easy application, though.</p>
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<p>Do those expire this year or next? FAFSA said I qualified for the ACG.</p>
<p>I’m not SURE of the process, gifted gothic, but I do know they explained how they valued each part (GPA and SAT), and I noticed other states had minimum GPA to qualify to apply, but Indiana didn’t seem to. So…? It’s my D’s first year to try, so I guess we’ll find out. You’re right - EASY application here too!</p>
<p>Why are you getting angry at a Black President who wants to get rid of a scholarship named after a KKK member? What do you expect him to do? lol</p>
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I don’t think you can plan on getting it. There are more qualified people than there are Byrd scholarships in each state. I knew several students who qualified in our State the year my daughter graduated HS and only a couple of them got it. I am not sure how they actually chose the recipients as they were all equally qualified as far as Stats. I remember being surprised at some of the students who did not get it. Good luck to your son though.</p>
<p>Really? The topic isn’t race, only education. They could change the name if they wanted if that was the problem. But I really hope they keep it. It can help a lot</p>
<p>BTW, Byrd is also a big supporter of Obama and endorsed him early on. In Ohio, a panel looks at AP classes, AP tests taken (and scores), ACT scores, grades, class rank (I am pretty sure this is included) and involvement outside the classroom.</p>
<p>But if we don’t cut this one particular scholarship, the deficit will be really big, the moon will fall into the sea, and all the waters of the world will turn to blood. BLOOD!</p>
<p>It is unsurprising that the Repug House leadership is seeking to to defund current and future Byrd Scholarships. (They have tried this repeatedly in past years.)</p>
<p>However, it is surprising, and infuriating, that Obama also is seeking to
eliminate current and future Byrd Scholarships.</p>
<p>The following is the Obama Administrations’s rationale to zero out the
program in its proposwed budget(<a href=“http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2012/assets/trs.pdf):%5B/url%5D”>http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2012/assets/trs.pdf):</a></p>
<p>"The programs listed below are not means-tested, overlap with other
programs [nonsense], have completed their purpose [ditto], or no longer serve a national need [ditto] and would be more appropriately supported with private funding [ditto].
None have performance data that makes a compelling case for continued
funding [ditto]… </p>
<p>"Byrd Scholarships are only available to a small number of elite <a href=“around%200.3%20percent%20of%20first-time%20postsecondary%20students%20receive%20the%20scholarship”>which, it seems, now is a perjorative not only for Repugs but also for the Obama Administration</a>, and States are prohibited from considering financial need when awarding the scholarships. Reliable performance data are not available, and the design of the program suggests these scholarships do not generally facilitate postsecondary education opportunities that would not otherwise be possible for awardees. Given the high academic performance of the students who receive the award, many of these students would still enter an undergraduate course
of study and graduate even without receiving the scholarship. The Department of Education supports student financial aid through a variety of generally available grant and loan programs. During this period of difficult budget choices, the Administration is focusing its Budget on areas where students face barriers to higher education such as
financial need.</p>
<p>It is unfortunate that Bryd no longer is present to defend the program. Perhaps former colleagues in the Senate will do so.</p>