What about raising GPA requirement for Pell Grant recipients?

[IndependentBear]

After getting laid off from a job where I worked in 95- or 25-degree weather (depending on the time of the year), I went back to school at the local community college. I would have rather taken the personal responsibility to pay for it myself; financial conditions would not allow it, so I had to apply for a Pell Grant. I found that to continue receiving a Pell Grant calls for the student to maintain a 2.0 grade point average. This can be done by getting straight C's. Straight C's is not an effort in my opinion. The fact that I was going on the taxpayer's dime, which I reminded myself of every time I set foot on that campus, gave me one more reason to study my behind off. In May I graduated with a 3.92 GPA - all A's except for one B. Why don't they raise the requirement to 2.5 or even 2.7? If I'm paying for someone to go to college, I don't expect them to get all A's but B-minus or better is reasonable.

 

[psikeyhackr]

I found that to continue receiving a Pell Grant calls for the student to maintain a 2.0 grade point average.

Why don't they raise the requirement to 2.5 or even 2.7? If I'm paying for someone to go to college, I don't expect them to get all A's but B-minus or better is reasonable.

I think your point is totally valid for a grant.

I do question the validity of GPA though. I got straight D's in religion my freshman year in high school. I though ti was rather funny next to my straight A's in math.

I think the GPA calculation should be given a bias toward relevance in relation to the major. Mathematics is more important for electrical engineering than history or psychology.

psik

 

[chanel]

Great idea. I saw a news story about these "matchbook" for profit schools that scam the taxpayers through Pell grants. Many of these students don't even show up for school. A higher GPA might at least eliminate some of those scams.

 

[Luissa]

I know a girl, who worked very hard to get a C, she even would spend extra time after class with a tutor. Do not think this is a good idea.

Yes, some students just coast through, but there others who work very hard for those C's.

My friend took A&P last year, she studied hours for that class, used flash cards, spent time after class, and only got C+. This class has a 70% fail rate. Your idea would punish people who actually work very hard for their grade.

 

[chanel]

Perhaps you're right Luissa, but closer scrutiny would not be a bad idea. Just like colleges look at a number of factors, maybe Pell grantors should also. I don't know what the criteria is. but I don't think a minimum GPA of 2.0 should be an automatic accepptance.

 

[IndependentBear]

Maybe it's just that I knew what I wanted to do when I went back to school. Maybe it was that fact that I wasn't working much during that time and had all that extra time to devote to my studies. But during my first semester I got A's in two classes where the class average was a D. One of those classes had a student who missed about half the sessions and was actually bragging about how he was still getting a C. Who is that supposed to impress? Another student in the other class missed enough sessions that he failed.

During my last semester there was one exam where I studied hard and only got a 77. That class ended up being my only B.

In another class during my last semester I was taking a website design class. About the midpoint of the semester I had to meet with my professor about a part of my semester project that I was having no end of trouble with. I met with my professor, and we went over what was baffling me at the time. To make a long story short, by the time that meeting was done he lit a fire under my butt. Fortunately, some assignments later on cleared up the problem, and I ended up getting an A in that class.

By the way, my GPA in high school was 2.64, and I just barely passed one class in particular. If I had put a little more effort into it back then, I probably would have been around 3.0.

To say I just "coasted through," though, is the farthest thing from the truth.

 

[jillian]

pell grants are not merit scholarships. they're based on financial need.

what on earth is your problem with having 'accepted' the grant?

didn't bother you enough to turn it down.

or should only A-students have the opportunity at a college education?

do you know, you can't even drive a delivery truck for fedex without a college degree?

 

[chanel]

He said 2.6. Hardly an A-. What school did you go to?

The fact is that many students who start college do not fnish. With or without Pells. Might as well put the money towards those who are serious and skilled enough to succeed. The money is not infinite despite the fantasy of the magical money printing machines.

 

[Luissa]

Maybe it's just that I knew what I wanted to do when I went back to school. Maybe it was that fact that I wasn't working much during that time and had all that extra time to devote to my studies. But during my first semester I got A's in two classes where the class average was a D. One of those classes had a student who missed about half the sessions and was actually bragging about how he was still getting a C. Who is that supposed to impress? Another student in the other class missed enough sessions that he failed.

During my last semester there was one exam where I studied hard and only got a 77. That class ended up being my only B.

In another class during my last semester I was taking a website design class. About the midpoint of the semester I had to meet with my professor about a part of my semester project that I was having no end of trouble with. I met with my professor, and we went over what was baffling me at the time. To make a long story short, by the time that meeting was done he lit a fire under my butt. Fortunately, some assignments later on cleared up the problem, and I ended up getting an A in that class.

By the way, my GPA in high school was 2.64, and I just barely passed one class in particular. If I had put a little more effort into it back then, I probably would have been around 3.0.

To say I just "coasted through," though, is the farthest thing from the truth.

Last year when I was going to school I was working every night until 11 some nights, I had a one year old, and was a full time student. I remember in one class I was lucky I got a B, my final is what saved me. It was hard to study every night, let alone get my homework done. I do have to say I haven't gotten anything lower than a B since going back, but I know other single mom's like me have a difficult time getting enough studying in, and they are the ones who really benefit from pell grants.

This quarter I am taking math, something I haven't taken since high school, I am praying for C.