Here's a look at how much college costs will increase this fall at three of the most popular universities among metro Atlanta students. The increases are a combination of tuition and fee hikes and, for some students, changes to the HOPE scholarship program. These figures do not include any increases in room and board costs.
Students not eligible for HOPE scholarships
About 70 percent of high school students entering the University System of Georgia do not achieve the 3.0 cumulative GPA required of HOPE recipients. They pay full tuition, so their total bill is much higher. But because they are not affected by the changes to the scholarship program, they will see the smallest price hikes:
University of Georgia: $368 per semester
Kennesaw State: $140 per semester
Georgia Southern: $183 per semester
HOPE scholarship recipients
About 30 percent of students qualify for the HOPE scholarship. In the past, it covered full tuition, some fees and some book costs. In the fall, it will pay 90 percent of what it paid for tuition this spring and no fees or other costs. Those changes, combined with tuition and fee hikes, will produce the following increases:
University of Georgia: $1,307 per semester
Kennesaw State: $803 per semester
Georgia Southern: $932 per semester
Zell Miller scholarship recipients
Legislators created this new scholarship for students who graduate with a 3.7 GPA and score at least 26 on the ACT or 1200 on the reading and math portions of the SAT. They will still receive full tuition, although fees and books are no longer covered. Their cost increases will be:
University of Georgia: $847 per semester
Kennesaw State: $504 per semester
Georgia Southern: $614 per semester
Source: AJC research
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