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January 6, 2009

Promise funds good for two-year, tech

By Gina Davis

As a project coordinator with Oklahoma GEAR UP, I work in conjunction with the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship office at the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to present information to parents, students, teachers, counselors, administrators and other education stakeholders about the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship.

After reading the Dec. 26 editorial, I wanted to clear up two aspects of the editorial that were somewhat misleading.

The editorial indicated that the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship pays the tuition and fees for eligible students, but it really only pays just for the tuition.

Some state institutions may have an incentive in recruiting Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship recipients by offering also to pay for books and fees, but that is up to the institution.

If your student is an Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship recipient, contact the higher education institution they will be attending to see if there are other incentives for them.

Also, Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship pays for tuition at an Oklahoma public college or university, a portion of tuition at an Oklahoma private college or university or qualified career technology programs.

Whether students use it at a four-year institution, a two-year institution or a career technology program is up to the student.

In addition, students must sign-up for the scholarship in their eighth-, ninth-, or 10th-grade years. The deadline for this year’s 10th-graders is June 30.

Students and parents can approach their school counselors to get an application or they can apply online at www.OKcollegestart.org.

If you have further questions, please contact us at (800) 858-1840 (Option 2) or e-mail us at promise@osrhe.edu.



Gina Davis is a project coordinator with Oklahoma GEAR UP.

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