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PROMISE SCHOLARSHIPS INCREASE IN SOME RURAL COUNTIES - Wirt County Recipients Doubled |
| (04/19/2003) |
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More high school seniors in the state's rural counties have qualified for a Promise scholarship than last year. The number of Promise recipients at Calhoun High School was not available. School Counselor Debra Cunningham said the information would be released when Governor Wise comes to the school to make the awards. Gilmer, Grant, Hardy, Lincoln, Mercer, Mineral, Mingo, Monroe, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Summers, Upshur, Wayne, Webster, Wirt and Wyoming all saw an increase in the number of eligible students. Wirt County more than doubled its scholars from 10 to 21, while Mingo County increased its numbers by 15 students despite declining student enrollment. Wirt County Principal Ken Heiney says the school has done a better job of making parents and students understand that every grade counts. About 43 percent of this year's applicants have the grades but failed to score high enough on the A-C-T college entrance exam. About 5,700 of the 13,389 seniors had a 3.0 grade point average, but they scored less than 21 on the A-C-T. Both are required to get the scholarship. 3,726 students met both G-P-A and A-C-T requirements. The merit-based scholarship pays tuition to any state college or university or a comparable amount toward tuition at in-state private institutions. There are no income limits. Promise Director Robert Morgenstern has expressed concern students are not taking rigorous course work in high school. He says students think they can take the bare minimum. Twenty-five percent of the Promise scholarship students also qualify for economic-based aid. Almost 1,000 students who met Promise guidelines also qualified for the Higher Education Grant Program, which helps low-income students. "We are certainly reaching a varied economic group," said Promise Director Robert Morgenstern. Last year, 3,483 students used the scholarship, which pays full tuition at a public state school or the equivalent at an in-state private school. The state is also sending out rejection letters to 528 students who didn't meet the 3.0 grade point average requirement, 626 students who didn't have at least a 21 on the ACT and 1,877 students who failed to meet a variety of requirements. Last year the program's budget totaled $10.1 million, and this year it will grow to $17 million. For the fiscal year 2004-2005, when a third round of scholars will join the first two classes, the Promise scholarship will cost the state nearly $27 million.
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