<p>Here in Florida I asked when my school should receive the award and they said early- or mid-September.</p>
<p>It takes forever to show up on my daughter's account. From what I understand, my state sends the college a check without any documentation other than "Byrd Scholarship" -no indication of which students. It's then up to the business office to find out the details. If I remember correctly, it's usually sometime in November before it all gets settled.</p>
<p>Make sure your school sent the verification form back to your state. Our state would not release the funds until they got the form back from the school. I don't know if all states requires the verification form though.</p>
<p>Who is suppose to have verification form?</p>
<p>For our state, they sent a verification form to my son. His school filled it out and put the school seal/stamp on it then they sent it back to the state agency handling the Byrd scholarship. Once received the state sends the school the check. It verifies that he is enrolled in the school and a full time student. We have to do it every year.</p>
<p>Can anyone from Missouri share some information/stats for their award?</p>
<p>D's school posts having received the money yesterday. One less thing to occupy my feeble brain!</p>
<p>H.R. 4137, The College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008, signed into law on 8/14, significantly changes the Byrd Scholarship for next year. Thought you all might be interested in this:</p>
<p>(Sec. 408) Replaces the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship program with the Robert C. Byrd American Competitiveness program composed of: (1) a Mathematics and Science Honors Scholarship program for students who are earning baccalaureate or advanced degrees in science, mathematics, or engineering and who agree to serve for five consecutive years in a field relevant to such degree; (2) a Mathematics and Science Incentive program under which the Secretary assumes the obligation to pay the interest due on FFELs and DLs by individuals who agree to serve for five consecutive years as highly qualified teachers of science, technology, engineering or mathematics within high need LEAs, or as mathematics, science, or engineering professionals; (3) a Foreign Language Partnerships program awarding grants to partnerships of IHEs and LEAs to recruit and train critical foreign language teachers, and establish innovative opportunities for students to achieve proficiency in such languages as they advance from elementary school through college; and (4) an Adjunct Teachers Corps program awarding grants to LEAs or partnerships of LEAs and public or private educational organizations or businesses to recruit and train individuals outside of the elementary and secondary education system who have expertise in mathematics, science, and critical foreign languages to serve as adjunct content specialists in such subjects at secondary schools.</p>
<p>So what you are saying is that unless a student is interested in teaching math, science or FL, the scholarship not longer applies?</p>
<p>Just looked it up:</p>
<p><<TITLE IV, “STUDENT ASSISTANCE”</p>
<p>Part A, “Grants to Students”: Within this section, what was previously known as the “Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program” would be changed to the “Robert C. Byrd American Competitiveness Program.” The new version of the program would include two parts:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The “Mathematics and Science Incentive Program,” which would pay up to $5000 in federal student loan interest for anyone who: a) is a current STEM elementary or secondary school teacher in a high need LEA, or a current math, science or engineering professional; and b) agrees to serve at least five more consecutive years in either of those positions. There is also a stipulation that would cut off the aid to those who make over a certain income.</p></li>
<li><p>The “Robert C. Byrd Mathematics and Science Honors Scholarship Program,” which would change from the previous program that provided general scholarships to a program that provides scholarships for current college students who “are enrolled in studies leading to baccalaureate and advanced degrees in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, and engineering.”
For both of these items the bill authorizes “$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.”</p>
<br>
<blockquote> </blockquote>
<br></li>
</ol>
<p>So it sounds like as long as your student is studying: sciences, Math, engineering, you are fine. Don't know if previous award recepients are "grandfathered" though.</p>
<p>Also it has a component of "loan forgiveness" for engineering students if they graduate with an engineering degree. </p>
<p><<Engineering students would receive up to $10,000 in student loan forgiveness under legislation just passed by Congress that the president is expected to sign. The Higher Education Reauthorization and College Opportunity Act of 2008 creates a new program to provide financial incentives for professions in areas of national need including engineering.</p>
<p>Engineering students would qualify for up to $10,000 in credit against their outstanding student loan obligation following graduation and entry into the engineering, technology, applied sciences, or mathematics (and other areas too) workforce. The program authorizes up to $2,000 per year of schooling.>></p>
<p>Yet another blow for us. We are really feeling the squeeze right now. We have worked hard and saved, so need-based aid will probably not be an option. Yet, not wealthy enough for the uncreases in college costs to not really set us back. Our daughters have worked very hard and acheived top scores, GPAs and EC's. Seems like everywhere we turn, awards for this acheivement are drying up. Anyone else feel the same way?</p>
<p>Wow. This is pretty ridiculous. I was counting on this scholarship and it was one of the good scholarships I'd received. As a non math/science person, I had enough trouble finding enough scholarships to apply to.</p>
<p>I guess they probably won't continue paying existing winners through 2012?</p>
<p>Should I call up the state department of education to find out more information about this scholarship? The website doesn't provide much info (and it doesn't seem like it has updated this new math/science stuff). </p>
<p>For those who know more about it, when should I begin thinking about applying/getting nominated? Not sure when the deadline is.</p>
<p>For our state, the high school sent in the application (during senior year -- applications were due no later than end of March). Then the state selected the recipients of the award. Each state does it differently so check with your state department of education. </p>
<p>With the change of focus to a science/math scholarship -- I assume you will have to prove you are studying in one of those fields (perhaps the college will have to put down what your major is?). Don't know until next year as son has already received the money for this year.</p>
<p>MTNest, I'm not sure you're quoting the final, signed version of the bill. The words "would" suggest to me that you've got a draft version. I don't see the same provisions in the Library of Congresss text of the law here:
Search</a> Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress)</p>
<p>You are probably correct. </p>
<p>Going over some of the previous drafts of the bill -- the Byrd scholarship was going to be eliminated but apparently changing it from the current format saved it until 2013.</p>
<p>This was from an engineering/science site:</p>
<p>Here is more info. My eyes are crossed from trying to read the text version. We will just wait to see what the state dept. of education says about the scholarship. I am sure we will be informed about the changes.</p>
<p>H.R</a>. 4137: College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 (GovTrack.us)</p>
<p>Two questions-- how can we find out if current scholars will be grandfathered? If not, when does this all go into effect?</p>
<p>It looks like the US Dept of Ed will have to publish regulations for all the myriad parts of this and that could take some time. But the funding for new programs goes into effect for FY2009 and doesn't appear to include amounts for the old scholarship (which awarded $40M in FY08), so I wouldn't count on any grandfathering applying. I know the original budget submitted by the DoE didn't have anything for Byrd, SEOG, and several other programs that were salvaged, at least in some form, by Congress - this from the FY09 budget request:
FY</a> 2009 ED Budget Summary: Programs Proposed for Elimination</p>
<p>I know it's another blow to high achieving middle-income students. But the good news is that this bill contained provisions for the gov't to monitor and evaluate tuition hikes, simplify FAFSA filing, and reform the student loan industry which should benefit everyone in the long run. There are also funding increases for Pell and other programs which mainly target the low income or minority student. Some benefits/increased eligibility for international students as well. </p>
<p>All students should also be aware that it also cracks down on the illegal downloading of copyrighted material!</p>
<p>MTnest,</p>
<p>I'm confused about the new bill. Following your link, I see in the final text that the only changes to the Byrd scholarship program (section 409) are that it will now be available to home schooled students and that the appropriations will be on a year-to-year basis (as they have been since 1999). I don't see anything about the "American Competitiveness Grant." </p>
<p>Sk8rmom,</p>
<p>I think your posts #105 and #115 may refer to an earlier version of the final law.</p>
<p>I admit I'm no expert in federal legislation, but from what I can see, the program is pretty much intact in its original form - pending annual appropriations, of course.</p>