Hello everyone,
I am a student at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. In the state of Georgia, they have a merit based scholarship called the HOPE scholarship. You essentially need to maintain a college gpa over 3.0 to have about $150 per attempted credit hour awarded each semester if I am not mistaken.
Evidently, there is also a time limit in between high school and college to where you can receive it. They say that I took too long to receive the scholarship since I am a nontraditional student.
The issue here is that they told me this today in week 9 of a 16 week semester after they previously awarded it to me. I am an upcoming junior at the university and I still have a perfect 4.0 gpa.
While I understand that my merits do not matter if the time limit is the issue, the problem here is that I became “eligible” in January of this year. In fact, I received an email back then saying that I am receiving this scholarship because I met all of the requirements.
Had I not received the scholarship back then, I would not have enrolled in the classes that I am in currently, all classes that also currently have scores of 98% or higher.
Since we are past the “withdraw with a W” deadline, I am stuck to either pay thousands of dollars or to lose my 4.0. Has anyone been in this situation? What shall I do?
Because it’s related to the state and there’s been a possible miscommunication I would look up my state rep and call to nicely ask what can be done to solve the problem. Explain it as clearly as you have here and make sure to include the 4.0. Good luck!
In Florida you have 2 years from hs graduation to start using BF or you lose it. Exceptions for military or missionary service. It is not the school’s rule, it is the Bright Future’s program rule. There are other limits too (this year I learned it covers 120 credits only, and once my D hit that limit, it was gone even though her major requires 131 credits to graduate. If your gpa falls below the minimum, you have one semester to bring it up. If you drop below 12 credits in a semester, you have one semester to bring it up.
I agree the school should have told you, but it is up to you to know the rules of the program. Go in and beg the school for help. Don’t blame them. They may have a way to appeal it, or they may have other money they can direct your way.
@tiny_teapot
What do you think a state representative will do? Or are you talking about contacting the awarding state agency?
I would suggest this student have a chat with their school about this. There might be some way to help get him through this semester anyway.
On the one hand, it appears from your description of events that this was THEIR mistake. On the other hand, from my experience with governmental entities, they won’t give jack whose mistake it is.
The Hope Scholarship is available for a maximum of 7 years. What year did you first receive it? If you started college in 2011, your eligibility would end this year. The college won’t be able to override the state regulations. If you’re not eligible for the grant, they can’t give it to you. You can ask about college or departmental grants for the semester. If they can’t give you a grant, maybe they can set up a payment plan. Fifteen credits x $150/credit is $2250. It’s not cheap, but at least it’s not the entire $19k cost of attendance.
What aid are you receiving now? Are you still eligible for student loans? The $7500/year federal student loan for juniors and seniors would cover Kennesaw’s $5900 tuition and fees. Are you Pell eligible? Low income students can receive 12 semesters of Pell Grant. Talk to the financial aid office to see what your options are. You may have to finish your degree by taking a course at a time as you can afford it. It’s not easy or optimal, but a lot of us have done it.
@thumper1
My representative’s office (not in GA though) got involved with something similar for my brother, who was also her constituent, when there was a mixup re: his FA. One of their jobs is to assist in running interference with relevant agencies. This usually falls under the label of “casework” or “constituent services” in the rep’s office. At least it’s that way in my state. People come to them with all sorts of problems with state agencies (or federal for federal reps) and they try to help.
That said, I don’t think the rep’s office would do anything if there hadn’t been a letter in January saying OP was eligible.
ETA: I didn’t mean to imply OP shouldn’t check with the school first. That would be the natural first step.
Yes, the Hope scholarship eligibility only lasts for 7 years past HS graduation:
"Are there any limitations to receiving the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship?
A student may receive the scholarship until one of the following occurs:
Seven full years have elapsed following high school graduation/home study completion
or reach 127 semester or quarter limit, or upon receiving a baccalaureate degree. "
Clearly the financial aid office made a mistake and you should meet with them (not just call on the phone). Also involve
your ombudsman when the financial aid office isn’t able to help you. http://ombuds.kennesaw.edu/
Of course you can fight it.
The relevant question is “can I win this” and my guess is- probably not.
You need a sit down with a financial aid officer.
OP is an independent student (IIRC student is 25years old) and has applied for Hope scholarship for the first time.
If OP probably passed the 7 year mark, which is why the school took the money back.
School initially awarded the scholarship initially based on what the student told them; that s/he is a junior, who has completed 60 credits (which was the next eligible time that student could apply for award). School gave award on that basis.
During the verification process the state determined that more than 7 years has past since student graduated from high school making student is no longer eligible for the scholarship. State took the money from the school and school must now get money from the OP.
OP stated in previous posts stated that they like to get through loopholes. It will be an uphill battle for student to get the money back, The state is not going to budge on the requirement and OP is responsible for knowing the eligibility requirements before applying. they have multi-year requirements starting from year 2011 and updates until this year.
If student is getting other aid, I remember them stating they received Pell, the pell if not already disbursed can be credited to student account. as @austinmshauri stated, if student has not used his/her loan, they have $7500 in loans which can be used to cover the tuition.
Any chance your parents would be willing to help you out?
I’m hoping that you have already had some success in dealing with this situation, but if not, please be SURE that you contact your local state elected officials ASAP. And then I’d give it no more than a few days before you meet one on one with the director of financial aid to explain that you will be taking all reasonable action to guarantee that you are not ruined financially due to a mistake on their part. And frankly, it should not be a burden for anyone in your family either.
The next action is to contact the local media - they often have a trouble shooter who handles these problems and VERY often, the second that this trouble shooter gets involved, the problem is “resolved.” Under NO circumstances can you be expected to make a very large payment that you never committed to making and there is a very good chance that if the state elected officials cannot get a very quick resolution, then the media coverage will resolve the problem. This has just gotta be very bad press. Good luck!
Profdad- you do realize that we’re talking about public funds here, right? The media could likely spin the story the OTHER way- fraudulent use of state funds intended for kids who have recently graduated from HS. The issue isn’t whether or not the OP committed to making the payment to the college- the issue is misuse of taxpayer money going for a use which is clearly outlined by the program as outside the bounds of funding.
I don’t get to keep Pell money if I am mistakenly awarded a Pell grant. At some point there is an audit- and I have to give the money back if I’m not eligible. As a taxpayer I’m sure you agree this is a good thing.
Here the money is awarded by the state- but same deal. Get the media scratching on this and you could be surprised by the turn it takes. OP could go from being an honest victim of an error (which he is) to a scammer trying to outwit the taxpayers of Georgia.
We also don’t know why the HOPE was disallowed. Is OP outside the years? Did he not have the requirements covered? Has he exhausted the funds?
I was upset that my daughter didn’t get the full amount for bright futures this year. Turned out she’d exhausted the amount she was entitled to because she’d reached 120 credits. Nothing the media could do about that. Nothing a state official or the governor could do either.
^From what I can determine, OP seems to have graduated from HS in 2009. How they missed that on his initial application for the funds is not clear, but he seems to be over the allotted time.