Free College Oklahoma

[Karried]

This is a program for those wanting to get help for college.
It's not a low income program, although your family's income can't be over $50K at the time of application.

(I'm not sure how they define eligibility, ie if they check company assets or corporate accounts or just use personal tax returns).

Oklahoma's Promise
OSRHE : Oklahoma's Promise — OHLAP

okpromise@osrhe.edu
1-800-858-1840 or
405-225-9152

The kids have to sign a contract saying they won't use drugs, alcohol and get decent grades. They make a promise to go to college.

Looks great ... why not utilize it if you can qualify?

[BailJumper]

It is an excellent program and I know several people who have taken advantage of it. Quite simply, if your household income is $50K or less and your kiddo stays out of trouble (academically and criminally) then they can go to a state college for free or even have much of a private college education paid for (difference between state rate and the private school's).

The only problem - they made it easier for people to qualify when they raised the income levels from the $30's to $50K - Now the state is running out of money to pay for it!

While it lasts, it is definately the way to go. I know people who had one member of the family quit their job for a year so they would qualify.

Eligability is based on only one year's tax returns while your child is in a qualifying grade level. After you are in, you can win the lottery and still have your kid go to school for FREE!

[SoonerDave]

Wonderful.

What makes a good, upstanding kid from a family earning $49,999 more meritorious of a good, upstanding free education than a kid from a family earning $50,001? What it boils down to is that the person making $50,001 is paying not only for his own kid's education, but the freebie the other kid is getting.

I love these arbitrary notions of what constitutes wealth, used to leverage the notion that people deserve a free college education. Surprisingly enough, it isn't a constitutional right.

-soonerdave

[BailJumper]

So, what are you saying.... Nobody should be able to get the 'free' education or everybody should? I'm confused.

I think it simply comes down to a line and that line is currently $50K. A few years ago it was closer to $30K. When they realized not that many people in that income level were taking advantage of it, they raised the qualifying income level.

[Karried]

What makes a good, upstanding kid from a family earning $49,999 more meritorious of a good, upstanding free education than a kid from a family earning $50,001

Nothing. It's just that we probably only have so much money to go around.

There are many scholarships for those in higher income brackets based on performance and grades.

This is just another way to educate our future.

I think the idea is to encourage college attendance and have the kids promise to remain drug free & take the correct classes etc.

Unfortunately, we can't take advantage of it, but it doesn't bother me if someone else can.

[Intrepid]

My nephew is going to college because of this program.

[BailJumper]

Personally, I'd support free college for ALL citizens before I'd support free health care.

A well educated society would have much less need for 'free' healthcare and/or even welfare.

[Karried]

A well educated society would have much less need for 'free' healthcare and/or even welfare.

Amen to that.

I know it's off topic a bit... but it still floors me to see kids without seatbelts and helmets. (yeah, yeah.. I know they don't teach that in college but someone with even a bit of intelligence should be able to see the correlation between preventative measures and health care costs)

Like Deni's signature.. You can't fix Stupid...

But maybe with programs such as the above, we can help prevent some of these and other instances of blatant ignorance.

[okiemom]

Something else to consider is concurrent enrollment. Several Oklahoma colleges offer reduced tuition to students who take college courses while still in high school.
Between CLEP and concurrent enrollment, my oldest son finished his first semester of college before graduating high school.
My youngest son plans on having at least a semester finished before graduation.

[BailJumper]

I did that very thing years ago at OCCC. I didn't complete a whole semester before graduating high school but I did put a few hours behind me and tested the waters a bit.

Used to that was even a way to get into college without taking the SAT or formerly being accepted.

I had a couple of friends who simply enrolled in 6-hours or less at OU. For that few hours they were automatically 'in' and the next semester they simply enrolled in a full load without a counselor. Neither one ever took any college entrance exams.

Don't know if you can do that today or not.

[Karried]

My son enters High School next year and is enrolled in all AP courses. We are trying to take advantage of the college credits that he might be able to accumulate over the next few years. I'm open to any ideas and help getting him ready and prepared for college.

He plays violin and I've spoken to quite a few people that tell me if he is good at it, he might be able to get a scholarship that way.

I have a OK College Savings Plan in place
but I don't really contribute that much to it.

I have heard it's better to add to your retirement fund in lieu of a college fund.

Anyone have ideas about that?

[BailJumper]

Spend some time at OCU's library on scholarships and grants. You wouldn't believe what all some groups give money away for so kids can go to school. There are grants for musical instruments, being left handed, rowing, volunteering in the community, you name it. DO NOT pay someone to find you a grant/scholarship.

Also, encourage your teenager to find a job with a company that offer tuition assistance.

A friend's daughter started her job (part time) at 16. By the time she graduated HS she qualified for college tuition reinbursement from her job up to 70% as long as she worked 30 hours a week and maintained a B average.

[okiemom]

Bailjumper, colleges require the ACT or SAT now. The minimum score varies from college to college.
Even with a semester finished, my son had to apply as new student to the schools he wanted to attend.
Here's more information for anyone interested.

Oklahoma Higher Education - Student Center - Jr. High & High School Students - Earn College Credit

[BailJumper]

I never figured that loophole would last long. I'm sure OU's rules 'required' the exams, but the computer technology at the time allowed ways around it once you were in the system.

I was told the counselor would have caught it, and that is why they didn't use one to enroll.

[CMSturgeon]

My parents made, or, my stepdad, made over $50k a year when I was in school but we still had to get help from the jesus house because my mom is sick. So of course, no ohlap for me, now I'm just paying for it myself instead. No big deal to me though. I didn't have the luxury life like Chong sui whats his face, I didnt get to go to a big university. But apparently, he didnt feel lucky.

[bandnerd]

Yeah, they brought this program around one year after I would have been eligible. Good program, though. A lot of the students at my h.s. have benefitted from this program.

[kevinpate]

The concurrent enrollment option and AP classes, well, the testing option afterwards, make a real difference. My senior this year departs from high school next month having completed 9 hours through AP exams and 9 from concurrent enrollment over the last two years.

Considering I carried a saxophone and a camera my senior year, it's fair to say I'm a tad bit impressed with the lad.

[Karried]

Is that how you get college credits? Take the AP course and then get tested to get the college credit?

Or do you just get credit for taking the class and passing it?

Obviously, this will be my first child in high school so I want to make sure I'm doing everything the right way.

We will meet again with the counselor but I want to chart it out correctly from the beginning. Thanks in advance!

[CMSturgeon]

I had AP courses when I was in high school but I wasted my time because in the end my parents couldnt afford to pay for the tests.... $75 a test.

[kevinpate]

Is that how you get college credits? Take the AP course and then get tested to get the college credit? Or do you just get credit for taking the class and passing it?

Yes, for the AP classes, just taking the class gets the student his or her high school credit. For college credit, one takes a paid for test, approximately 80 ofr one, somewhat less if taking multiple tests that semester. Depending on the final score of that test, and depending on which college the student is looking at, the student can get credit upon enrollment in college the same as if he or she had already sat through the semester for that course.

Back in the day, these were called CLEP tests, which I guess stood for College Level Entrance Placement or similar. As noted before, I carried a camera and a saxophone my senior year. While that was most definitely a fun way to finish off high school back in the days of Episode IV and a crazed dancing duck, it dinna lend itself to being on top of many scholarly acronyms.

[okiemom]

Kevinpate, the CLEP and AP are two different test.

[okiemom]

Karried,
Here you go.

College Board Tests


REA Online - Making The World Smarter

Both sites are big promos for their products but they will also tell you what tests are available.

[okiemom]

By the way, several colleges offer automatic credit for Comp 1 if the student has a high enough score on that section of their ACT.

[kevinpate]

As Johhny used to say .... I did not know that!
Thanks Okiemom. I like being a bit smarter at 7 than I was at 6.
I suppose I ought to try it more often. 8^)

[Karried]

Thanks everyone! I want to make sure we are doing this right....