HOPE - (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally)
The HOPE scholarship is receiving international acclaim. No other state in the nation provides such a comprehensive scholarship program assist with educational opportunities.

The HOPE scholarship is designed to assist these three major initiatives:

• Voluntary pre-kindergarten program for 4-year-olds
• Computer equipment and capital construction outlays to grades K-12
• Public schools, technical institutes, colleges and universities

The HOPE scholarship is one of the most successful education programs in Georgia's history. In the Augusta Metro area the HOPE scholarship has awarded over $21 million to more than 14,000 students since September 1, 1993 through January 15, 2000.

To date, the HOPE scholarship has awarded over $863 million and has enabled 426,655 Georgia students to attend public colleges, universities and technical schools tuition free or to receive partial tuition to a private college or university. The HOPE scholarship is funded by the Georgia lottery and adminstered by the Georgia Student Finance commission.

POST SECONDARY EDUCATION
The HOPE Scholarship program provides grant and scholarship assistance to qualified residents of Georgia who will attend an eligible Georgia post secondary institution.

From September 1993 through July 2000, over 13,100 Augusta State University, Augusta Technical Institute, Paine College and Medical College of Georgia students have received benefits through the HOPE Scholarship program. 98% of the freshman class entering the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech are receiving HOPE scholarships.

Eligibility for the scholarship is determined by grade point average. The student must have graduated from a Georgia school with a 3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale or an 80 numeric average and have completed the required college preparatory curriculum. The amount of the scholarship depends on whether the student will be attending a private or public institution. A student must maintain a 3.0 grade point average at the end of the school term to continue receiving the scholarship.

To learn more about the HOPE Scholarship, you may visit the Georgia Student Finance Commission at their web site - www.gsfc.org