<p>We’ve had a similar free SAT prep program in NYC for the same reasons that Jym is discussing. Not sure what Cobrat’s point is, either, since the same program is available right here.
[DOE</a> offers free SAT prep to 11th & 12th graders](<a href=“http://insideschools.org/blog/item/3532-doe-offers-free-sat-prep-to-11th-12th-graders]DOE”>http://insideschools.org/blog/item/3532-doe-offers-free-sat-prep-to-11th-12th-graders)</p>
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<p>According to Wikipedia, government spending in the U.S. at all levels is about 39% of GDP, or about $20K per person per year, and this number is not being inflated by massive defense expenditures as occurred during World War II. Much of this spending is on transfer programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, and Pell grants. Government spending at this level does signal a culture of dependency contrary to the founding principles of this country. I’m not saying my taxes should be cut to zero (I’d prefer that income above a certain level be taxed at a flat rate) or that there should be zero need-based financial aid, but too many politicians and others are promoting the idea that the many can and should live at the expense of the few, which is both immoral and impracticable.</p>
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Ah, alas, I am not a supporter of the football team for our state flagship, having attended grad school at a big rival school below our state border :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the link. I will read it. As I mentioned, there have been lorts of necessary tweaks to the HOPE program. Initially students were not required to take a full load of classes, andmany were taking only a small # of classes in order to keep up their GPA and keep the scholarship, but it was dragging out over many years as an undergrad, which was getting costly for the program. So they set a minimum # of classes required to qualify for the scholarship. Then students had trouble keeping up their GPA and were losing the scholarship, and then couldnt afford to stay in school. The program has its flaws, for sure.</p>
<p>^^^Yeah, no doubt every system has its flaws, just need to figure out the one with the fewest.</p>
<p>I guess it goes back to something mentioned in the article–is access to higher education still a route for students of low income families to rise into the middle class and if so, how is the best way to make sure that happens. Certainly helping out with tuition should be part of the equation.</p>
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<p>Are you sure it is available to students who don’t attend NYC public schools? </p>
<p>I’ve heard many parents…including someone who works in central Board of Ed office that this only applies to students in NYC public schools. </p>
<p>One even said Hunter College High School kids aren’t eligible…even though it’s still a public institution…just not directly under the DOE.</p>
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100% sure as to years prior to this one. Unsure as to this year. My oldest daughter did it and didn’t attend a NYC public school. One must obtain a passcode, though, and if the student outside of the DOE doesn’t seek one out then he or she can’t register. For DOE students, the passcode is their student ID number.</p>
<p>skrlvr,
That article says " Two University of Georgia professors found that HOPE scholarships are more likely to be awarded to counties with higher per-capita incomes, although lower-income families tend to spend a greater share of their money on the lottery."</p>
<p>But it also points out that “But what researchers know about HOPE and income has its limits. The scholarship application does not ask students to disclose how much their families make, Mustard said, so scholars are unable to do more precise calculations.”.</p>
<p>The counties with the highest per capita incomes also have a large population and probably have the highest # of students applying to college. Correlation doesnt imply causation, especially since they do not ask family income on the application.</p>
<p>Thank you, zoos.</p>
<p>Will you let it go now, cobrat?</p>
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<p>I could disagree point by point with you on this. Corporations are hoarding profits, shipping jobs overseas, and moving more and more people into part-time work without benefits, which is increasing the burden on social services to make up the difference. The healthcare mandates (most of which are not yet in effect) will REDUCE costs to businesses over time, not increase them. In any case, I don’t believe that most people do not WANT to work, to work hard, and to get ahead. Some of you seem to feel differently.</p>
<p>And Beliavsky, social security is not a “transfer program.” It is an earned benefit for those who have paid into the system during their working years. Speaking of “canards.”</p>
<p>jym26, yeah I saw that. Those studies are also from a decade ago. It’d be nice to see if the claim in that 2002 study about low income families putting more into the lottery than getting scholarship money out is still happening.</p>
<p>I’d be curious to read the AJC 2003 report mentioned:</p>
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<p>BTW, it looks like now there is an SAT requirement for the HOPE?</p>
<p>Do many states have programs that help low income kids? Here in Michigan we have zero state aid and some of the highest tuition in the country.</p>
<p>Although we do get to take the ACT for free once.</p>
<p>I think the addition of the SAT is for students who attend HOPE ineligible High schools. <a href=“https://secure.gacollege411.org/Financial_Aid_Planning/HOPE_Program/Graduate_from_an_ineligible_high_school_with_85_percentile.aspx[/url]”>https://secure.gacollege411.org/Financial_Aid_Planning/HOPE_Program/Graduate_from_an_ineligible_high_school_with_85_percentile.aspx</a></p>
<p>** eta**
the Higher scholarship, the Zell Miller, now also has the ACT/SAT component
<a href=“http://www.usg.edu/student_affairs/students/how_hope_changes_will_affect_usg_students[/url]”>http://www.usg.edu/student_affairs/students/how_hope_changes_will_affect_usg_students</a></p>
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<p>that happened- a professor ran her down and tried to figure out what was going on. Didnt help.</p>
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<p>Here are my blame Power Rankings:</p>
<p>**- Angelica Gonzales because of things mentioned in the article **
40%. She only applied to Northwestern and Emory, two schools she was unsuited for. She ignored help on campus and she decided to major in something she was failing.
- AG because of things that went unmentioned
10% I suspect things are being sugar coated that would explain some of the odd reclusive behavior.
- Miss G and Upward bound for pushing her to the wrong school
30% Speculative but I think ‘Miss G’ pushed her to “name school” because she wanted a trophy for her program. If you are going to run a program like this I think there is a fiduciary responsibility as much as a lawyer or a CPA has to look out for the best interest of the client. Why did she apply to only two schools? Why was there no FAF assistance? Why didnt she get warned about applying to schools where she would be in with students much more academically advanced than her?
- Emory for its Fa actions
5%, hardly caused her to fail her classes but an unwelcome surprise
- Emory for its student support actions
0% Their programs seem fine and they have a 90% graduation rate.
- Popular culture for sending a college as goal message
15% She spent more time on debating purchasing a $2 head of lettuce than she did on what was going on with a $58,000 a year school. The curtain doesnt drop when you get into school, she should have been way more critical.
- Society for having SES in the first place
0% Relative to US history her family is ding reasonably well.
- Society for failing to fund a sherpa system
0%. Just dumb. Maybe avoided the FA issue but wouldnt have fixed her grades or choice of major.
- Fred for being a tie to Galviston
0% Deparle doent like him but as far as we can tell the kid is a rock.
**- Miss Lady **
0% since she seems to be a voice of stability. Maybe if we knew her over-strictness drove AG to Goth and defiance disorder I’d apportion blame but for now she is getting none.</p>
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As I mentioned upthead, I happen to know that person (professor) personally. I wonder if I will ever hear “the rest of the story”.</p>
<p>Bottom line, IMO. I do think schools should identify students who might need a little extra personal attention/guidance though the transition to college. Schools are equally invested in their students succeeding in school, graduating, and becoming loyal alums. There are many identifying variables that can be used to target students who should be offered personal assistance, and I do think making compulsory presentation for students receiving FA is a good idea. But at what point does one say they have made a more than reasonable attempt to assist incoming students transition successfully to school?</p>
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<p>One question. </p>
<p>Why do you think educational programs which take income-level into account is “discriminatory”? </p>
<p>Just wondering as that sounds odd to my ears considering Federal Pell grants, some public college’s academic support/outreach programs, and the like all use family income to determine eligibility to ensure such services go to those who need it the most…those from lower SES backgrounds.</p>
<p>Please stop putting words in my mouth, cobrat. I never said that.</p>
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<p>Of course, the magnitude of each named program differs:</p>
<p>Social Security: $818 billion
Medicare: $491 billion
Medicaid: $287 billion
SNAP (food stamps): $75 billion
Pell Grants: $33 billion</p>
<p>Entitlement transfers for the seniors (wealthier and more politically conservative than the general population) dwarf transfers explicitly for the poor.</p>
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Thought those were defined contribution programs? The medicare money is in a lock box, right?</p>
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<p>oh well why didnt you say so! Completely illegitimate them. #whowhom</p>
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<p>Social Security has never been run as a true pension plan; current payers are directly funding current recipients. With the changes in the dependency ratio that are going on (i.e. fewer workers per retiree), the future of Social Security means either benefit cuts (or restrained growth), tax increases, or both.</p>
<p>People currently younger than retirement age should make retirement planning based on not expecting any Social Security checks at all.</p>
<p>There are plenty of “true” pension plans that are unfunded. Social Security, like many, many pension plans, but unlike 401(k) plans and the like, does not maintain segregated accounts for participants.</p>