Ravi Ramnarain, CPA, MS-Acc., MS-Tax’s Post

In a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution column, Achieve Atlanta President/Executive Director Cheryl Watson-Harris, Ed.D urges the Georgia General Assembly to provide greater financial aid options to college students close to crossing the finish line but running out of funding by expanding completion grants. "One strategy to help boost postsecondary completion rates is to focus on students already enrolled in college. Why? Because a surprising percentage of college students drop out before earning their credentials. College students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, face numerous obstacles to attaining a college degree. The cost of college remains one of the most significant." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/evTT9eXN Photo courtesy of Achieve Atlanta Alum, Jamrya Wilkerson. #AchieveAtlanta #BelieveExpectAchieve #collegecompletion #completiongrants #AJC

Experiencing the pinch of sending a kid to college. The costs are expensive and many are wondering is college worth it. How do highly selective and mid-range institutions justify the costs. Sticker shock is real. Universal free education is a great idea.

Education professionals know that costs are often the biggest hurdle for students seeking a higher education. The Next NC scholarship, available to current and future students who are eligible and complete the FAFSA, is an excellent opportunity to attend a NC public university or community college by covering at least half, if not all, tuition and fees. Show them the first steps here: https://bit.ly/4diDLzn

Innovative Educational Support in California: California has launched a groundbreaking pilot program that pays college students to attend school, aiming to alleviate financial burdens and increase educational access. This initiative reflects a significant shift in how states support higher education and student success. California Volunteers, Office of the Governor 1. Called Hire UP, This allocation funds periodic cash payments to active degree candidates enrolled at least half-time—a huge advantage over most undergraduate scholarships that traditionally require nothing short of full-time attendance.  2.  California College Corps (California Volunteers, Office of the Governor). In this new program roughly modeled after the New Deal era’s federal Works Progress Administration, California is offering $10,000 per school year in exchange for service by students to help them pursue an education that’s debt-free. #EducationReform #StudentSupport #HigherEducation #CaliforniaEducation

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Having lived in both Virginia and Georgia, these two states are leading the way in affordable education. The Virginia G3 program has made community college accessible to nearly all Virginian’s, which now includes the Associates in Engineering. Along with this, high school students can participate in early college or dual enrollment at little to no cost. Georgia has set the standard that other states need to follow. The Hope Scholarship is available to Georgia Public, Private and Home School students that qualify. PAID FOR BY THE LOTTERY, qualifying students can attend state schools tuition free and private schools half tuition.There is also the Zell Scholarship that covers 100% tuition. HOPE Scholarship recipients must maintain a 3.00 HOPE GPA. Zell Miller Scholarship Recipients must maintain a 3.30 Zell Miller Scholarship GPA. Also, high school students can apply for the HOPE Grant and HOPE Career Grant to dual enroll/early college. The HOPE Career Grant, when combined with the HOPE Grant, can be the boost a student needs to get the necessary skills to land a job they love — and without accumulating a lot of student debt. #education #highereducation https://lnkd.in/gJe42ur4

To many high school students, the choice of college becomes this: First, try to get into an Ivy League college. If that fails, then do a cost/benefit analysis. This analysis includes: a) desired area of study b) ROI 1) does your state have an in-state university program - is that program discounted for instate residents - is that program recognized outside the state - does that program offer your preferred area of study Then you need to decide whether to attend a prohibitively expensive elite private college that specializes in your area of study or attend an elite public school that offers your area of study (hopefully in your own state). It no longer is a question of going to the best school that accepts you. You can no longer afford that decision. Decisions about college NOW affect the rest of your life.

Several years ago I had an over-edited op-ed published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about how Pennsylvania is funding THREE competing college & university systems: 14 (now 10) state-owned regional universities, four privately controlled state funded universities like Pitt and Penn State, plus 14 (now 15) locally controlled state funded community colleges. The community college curriculums aren't designed for transfer to either university system. This is great news. $1,000 a semester for PASSHE which is already a bargain. For those wanting an R1 experience from Pitt, Penn State, and Temple: an extra $1,000 a year for PA residents. Higher earnings from college grad jobs means more tax revenue for the state beyond the cost of this. Less loan debt is good for the local economies.

The USC College Advising Corps (USC CAC) places recent college graduates in high schools to serve as full-time college advisers. They become mentors within the school setting and are often the key resource for students to access and persist in their education beyond high school. During the 2022-23 academic year, 43 advisers met with over 11,000 students, of whom 92% were high school seniors. USC CAC advisers directly assisted nearly 7,000 students to submit 23,622 college applications; 6,957 financial aid applications were completed; and at least $28 million was secured in college scholarships. Read the full article and learn more about USC CAC. https://lnkd.in/gjNfRbJ9 #CollegeAdvising #Admissions #CollegeBound

Vanderbilt University may soon have a total cost of attendance over $100,000 per year for some students. While a fraction of students pay the full list price at Vanderbilt and other elite private colleges, the steady rise of college costs to these levels raises questions about affordability, value, and access. The most pressing issue continues to be ensuring lower and middle-income students can access their college education at an affordable price. https://lnkd.in/daPVV66K