With evidence that the HOPE Scholarship — or rather the fear of losing it — has reduced the number of Georgia students willing to pursue challenging science and math degrees, the Legislature will take up the issue of whether the Grade Point Average requirement to keep the generous merit-based aid should be changed for students in demanding majors.
A recent study of merit-based scholarship programs in several states including Georgia found: State merit-based scholarships reduce the likelihood a student will earn a degree in a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field.
That has led state Rep. Jan Jones, R-Milton, to announce she is sponsoring a bill that would award college students the same half-point boost to their GPAs for taking hard college courses as they now earn for taking advanced classes in high school.
The benefit extends beyond science and math students; the state is grappling with a shortage of workers in some STEM fields and needs to encourage more graduates.
It is not a new discussion. Georgia Tech students have long maintained a 2.8 GPA in biochemistry or physics should not cost them HOPE considering the rigor of the courses and the state’s need for STEM workers.
Chancellor Hank Huckaby told the AJC a while back, “I don’t know how you deal with that but I understand the argument can be made. I don’t have an answer but it keeps coming up. And that argument is getting louder. It, quite frankly, is something we haven’t addressed yet.”
To learn how it might be addressed in this legislative session, go to the AJC Get Schooled blog on MyAJC.com.
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