City, local colleges offer full scholarship program

[Jimmy]

This is a really nice idea. Good to see we still have a few of those kicking around!! :)

The city and local colleges are teaming up to provide free college educations for students from poor families.
The Jacksonville Commitment is a coalition of the city and Florida Community College at Jacksonville (http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/related_content.html?topic=Florida%20Community%20C ollege%20at%20Jacksonville), the University of North Florida (http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/gen/University_of%20North%20Florida_A34370DB742D4CE3B7 2B22C689C1571C.html), Jacksonville University (http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/gen/Jacksonville_University_A3B687D370E747B28F958A04A1 8B0D31.html) and Edward Waters College (http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/related_content.html?topic=Edward%20Waters%20Colle ge). Starting this fall, the program will provide financial support to public high school students who live in Duval County and qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch program.
Mayor John Peyton said the city will provide $1 million in the next fiscal year and the colleges are raising money from private sources to complement the city funding.


Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/03/24/daily4.html?f=et64&ana=e_du

[jbm32206]

It is nice, but you know what....the ones that qualify for free or reduced lunches are the ones that usually qualify for the pell grants and end up going for free....the ones that really need the help are the middle income, where they have to take out loans.

[Jimmy]

That's a good point. God knows when I'll ever finish paying for law school. I guess the implicit idea is that middle-income kids will get some help from their parents, whereas poor kids won't.

[jbm32206]

That's it, middle income, for the most part can't afford it....and they're the ones that need it the most.

Trust me, I know just what you mean about repaying those loans....I have mine coming out of my pay every payday...and I think it'll be like that until I retire!

[Jimmy]

The good news is that the Federal loans can only be collected for 30 years. If that helps. :)