Cal Grants help lower and middle-income families

For many, many students in our state there has sadly been very little incentive to do well in school. Many of these students come from low and middle-income families with no realistic capabilities of affording higher education. These students know from a young age that they will have to work to support themselves or contribute to the family as soon as they are able.

Though some of these students still summon the inner motivation to study hard and do well in school, many others are handicapped by this motivation barrier. It’s easy to see why the typical stresses and distractions of adolescents can loom larger for those who see no promise of any academic advancement in the future.

Forty years ago the state of California set a goal of providing access to higher education for low and middle-income students. That goal became a reality with the passage of funding for Cal Grants. These are cash awards for college aid.

The deadline for application this year is March 2.

Cal Grant A provides full tuition and fees at a California State University or University of California campuses, or a set amount per year towards tuition at a private university. These funds are provided to high school graduates with a 3.0 (B) or higher grade point average and a family income of less than specified maximums: $62,500 for a family of two or $80,400 for a family of six or more.

Cal Grant B provides over $1,000 for books and some living expenses at a community college, or tuition at a CSU campus. Cal Grant B students must have a 2.0 (C) or higher grade point.

It’s clear that the availability of these grants has had the potential to change lives. It provides students with the motivation to focus even harder on their studies. If students do their part and earn good grades, money will no longer be a barrier to higher education.

This has been a landmark accomplishment and it has spurred many students to work hard in school and fulfill their family’s dreams and their own potential.

In addition, a merit scholarship plan approved by the state a few years ago provides a $1,000 scholarship toward college for every ninth, tenth, and eleventh grader who scores in the top five percent statewide or the top 10 percent at their high schools on standardized tests, regardless of financial need.

What’s more, a $118 million program gives a $2,500 scholarship to students who score exceptionally well on advanced placement exams for calculus and science, regardless of financial need.

With all these programs in place, the state has made a strong commitment to higher education and accessibility for students. We will all reap the benefits of an educated work force and an educated consumer base that can attain the job skills to earn the money to afford the goods and services produced by our economy. Truly these grants are a win-win situation for all.

Information about the grants can also be found online at: www.ltg.ca.gov and www.csac.ca.gov