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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN><SPAN
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align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">State Scholarship Program Modified by
Legislature, Online Applications
Encouraged</SPAN></B></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
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Oklahoma Legislature has made several important modifications to Oklahoma's
Promise, one of Oklahoma's most popular scholarship programs. Officials are
working to inform students, parents and counselors about the changes and
encouraging students to apply online.</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
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class=parheader>September 18, 2007 :: State Scholarship Program Modified by
Legislature, Online Applications Encouraged</SPAN><!-- InstanceEndEditable -->
<BR><BR>Media Contact: Ben Hardcastle<BR>Office: 1.405.225.9346<BR>Mobile:
1.405.640.9672<BR><A
href="mailto:bhardcastle@osrhe.edu">bhardcastle@osrhe.edu</A> <BR><BR><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="Insert article main body here" --></P>
<P>The Oklahoma Legislature has made several important modifications to
Oklahoma's Promise, one of Oklahoma's most popular scholarship programs.
Officials are working to inform students, parents and counselors about the
changes and encouraging students to apply online.<BR><BR>Approximately half of
Oklahoma's students are eligible to apply for Oklahoma's Promise, a scholarship
that allows high school students from families whose annual income is $50,000 or
less to earn free college tuition. To date, more than 75,000 students have
enrolled in the program.<BR><BR>The scholarship program was formerly known as
the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program or OHLAP, and was created in 1992 by
the Legislature to help more Oklahoma families send their children to college.
Its goal is to prepare students academically for college and to provide them
financial assistance. <BR><BR>"Oklahoma's Promise has been a key component of
our efforts to produce more college graduates in Oklahoma," said Chancellor Glen
D. Johnson. "Thousands of Oklahoma students can be positively impacted based on
this promise: They promise to prepare for college, and the state of Oklahoma
promises the opportunity to earn free college tuition."<BR><BR>Currently, to be
eligible for Oklahoma's Promise, students must apply during the eighth, ninth or
10th grade, and their annual family income must not exceed $50,000 at the time
of application. By the time they graduate high school, students must achieve a
minimum 2.5 (C+) grade point average in 17 core courses that prepare them for
college and also must achieve at least a 2.5 GPA for all courses in grades nine
through 12. Students also must attend class regularly and refrain from drug and
alcohol abuse and delinquent acts.<BR><BR>The Legislature approved a significant
change to funding for Oklahoma's Promise. Beginning in 2008-09, the scholarship
program will have a permanent, dedicated funding source from the state's general
revenue fund. This means the program will be fully funded each year from a
stable source of revenue. <BR><BR>"The permanent funding should assure Oklahoma
families that this scholarship can be a dependable foundation of their
children's college plans," Johnson said. <BR><BR>Other changes to the state
scholarship program include:
<UL>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>Second Income Limit Requirement:</SPAN> Beginning
with Oklahoma's Promise college students receiving the scholarship for the
first time in 2009-10, families will be subject to a second income limit
requirement. Students will not receive the scholarship if their families'
income exceeds $100,000 at the time the student goes to college.<BR>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>Minimum College GPA Requirement:</SPAN> Also
effective for students receiving the award for the first time in 2009-10, a
minimum college GPA of 2.0 will be required for courses taken during the
sophomore year and a minimum 2.5 GPA for courses taken during the junior and
senior years.<BR>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>Homeschool Student Eligibility:</SPAN> Homeschool
students are now eligible for the scholarship. They must sign up while they
are ages 13 to 15 and must achieve a 22 score on the ACT.<BR>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>College Conduct Requirement:</SPAN> Effective Jan.
1, 2008, an Oklahoma's Promise college student that is suspended for more than
one semester for conduct reasons will lose the scholarship permanently.<BR>
<LI><SPAN class=parheader>Immigration Status:</SPAN> Beginning with students
applying for the program in 2007-08, students must be U.S. citizens or
lawfully present in the United States to receive the award in college.
Undocumented immigrant students can still enroll in the program in the eighth,
ninth, or 10th grade but must attain lawful status before they can actually
receive the award. </LI></UL>
<P>The fastest and most secure way to apply for Oklahoma's Promise is online at
<A href="http://www.okpromise.org/">www.okpromise.org</A>. Students can also get
applications and flyers about the scholarship from school counselors. Oklahoma's
Promise officials have mailed more than 150,000 flyers to counselors
statewide.<BR><BR>Students, parents and counselors can also get more information
about Oklahoma's Promise by visiting <A
href="http://www.okpromise.org/">www.okpromise.org</A>, by e-mailing <A
href="mailto:okpromise@osrhe.edu">okpromise@osrhe.edu</A> or by calling (800)
858-1840.</P>
<P><SPAN class=italictextsm>Editors note: OHLAP (Oklahoma Higher Learning Access
Program) is now known as Oklahoma's Promise</SPAN>.</P>
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