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 A MESSAGE FROM HEAD COUNSELOR CARY KENNEDY
Greetings!
On February 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the Theater, we will gather with the parents of current 9th and 10th grade students to talk about the HOPE Scholarship. Our presenter, from the Georgia Student Finance Commission, will share valuable college planning information including changes to HOPE and resources available on GAcollege411.
You may be wondering why this meeting is aimed at parents of freshmen and sophomores. The HOPE Scholarship is a significant source of college funding for many Brookwood families. We want to make sure students and parents understand how HOPE GPA is calculated and how important it is to keep GPAs up from the onset of high school.
This month, the AJC had an interesting article about Governor Deal's new proposal for higher HOPE payouts. The reason Georgia can afford a proposal of this type now is because fewer students have HOPE. A lower number of recipients is the result of a 2011 overhaul that reduced payouts overall and tightened eligibility for students in the technical college system.
HOPE eligibility has not changed for students in the University System of Georgia. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher, enroll in an eligible post-secondary institution, meet residency requirements, be a US citizen, and be registered for selective service. Top students may qualify for a full-tuition Zell Miller Scholarship, reserved for valedictorians, salutatorians, and graduates with very strong GPAs and test scores.
You will learn much more at our meeting, but let me give you a brief example of the advantage of planning for the HOPE Scholarship. I got these figures from the UGA website. They do not include fees or room and board.
One semester tuition example for a 2012-13 UGA student taking 15 hours
Tuition accessed = $3823.00
HOPE payout $3181.50
Out-of-pocket = $641.50
You can see why we want Broncos to get (and keep) HOPE funds. The Georgia Student Finance Commission calculates HOPE GPAs based on transcripts provided by Gwinnett County Public Schools. To find your student's HOPE average, students or their parents may sign onto www.gacollege 411.org and create an account. If you need help creating an account or help with your password, contact Donna Varzaly in our counseling office.
We look forward to gathering with the parents of the Classes of 2015 and 2016 on February 12. We'll make sure they have the information they need as they plan for what comes after high school.
Sincerely,
Cary | 
