Author: Mychal Wynn

CEO/Founder of the Foundation for Ensuring Access and Equity. Creator of the College Planning Cohort Program and developer of the College Planning Cohort Curriculum.

Do School Districts Tell the Truth About Achievement?

October 2, 2012

I recently received the above headline from a parent at our church who has a daughter attending school in the Cobb County Schools (GA) “Top National Averages in All Subject Areas of 2012 ACT.” The article notes:

“While Cobb’s six-year trend of rising composite scores came to an end, last year’s seniors still managed to post a composite score of 22.2, 1.5 points higher than their Georgia peers (20.7) and one point higher than the national average (21.1).”

Since many colleges and universities award full scholarships to students with ACT scores of 25 or above, and, as a property owner and resident of the county, I decided to compare the county data (Cobb County School District ACT Summary Report) against the 2012 ACT National Data to determine if the high schools that I support through my property taxes, and where many of the youth in our church currently attend school, are performing as well as the school system asserts.

Before comparing the county data against the national data, I discovered a huge performance gap within the county itself. While the average ACT Composite score of 22.2 in Cobb County is 1.5 points (7.2 percent) higher than the Georgia average of 20.7, I discovered that the ACT Composite score of the high school with the highest average, Walton (25.6), is 8.9 points (53.3 percent) higher than the high school within the county with the lowest composite score, Osborne (16.7).

In the article, the Cobb County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Michael Hinojosa, is quoted as saying:

“The performance on the ACT clearly shows our students are well-prepared for college-level work and can compete with students from anywhere in the country.”

I was particularly interested in whether the superintendent’s statement that “our students are well-prepared for college-level work” applied to all students in the county, and particularly those students attending Turner Chapel African American Episcopal Churchwhere I co-chair the Education Ministry.

Subsequently, I reviewed the ACT performance for each high school against the ACT Benchmark Scores (indicating that a student is considered “college ready”) to determine how well the county schools are performing against other states in the country and between schools in the county.

The average ACT Composite score (22.2) for Cobb County Schools is lower than the average composite score for the following 14 states:

  1. 24.1 – Massachusetts
  2. 23.8 – Connecticut
  3. 23.8 – New Hampshire
  4. 23.4 – Maine
  5. 23.4 – New Jersey
  6. 23.3 – New York
  7. 23.0 – Vermont
  8. 22.9 – Rhode Island
  9. 22.9 – Washington
  10. 22.8 – Minnesota
  11. 22.6 – Delaware
  12. 22.4 – Pennsylvania
  13. 22.4 – Virginia
  14. 22.3 – Indiana

I then reviewed the ACT performance for each high school in the county against the ACT Benchmark Scores (indicating that a student is considered “college ready”):

  • English – 18
  • Mathematics – 22
  • Reading – 21
  • Science – 24

Only 1 high school in the county had an average score demonstrating college readiness in all four subject areas (Walton ), no other high school in the county met the college readiness standard in Science, and 3 high schools (Osborne, Pebblebrook, and McEachern) had average scores lower than the college readiness standard in all subject areas.

Following is the breakdown of scores for each high school. If the number is in bold, then it does not meet the ACT Benchmark Score [The state ranking was taken from the website www.schooldigger.com]:

Walton (Composite Score 25.6): State Ranking (6)

  • English – 25.6
  • Math – 26.0
  • Reading – 25.7
  • Science – 24.6

Lassiter (Composite Score 24.6): State Ranking (4)

  • English – 24.3
  • Math – 24.8
  • Reading – 25.0
  • Science – 23.9

Pope (Composite Score 24.6): State Ranking (8)

  • English – 24.5
  • Math – 24.6
  • Reading – 25.0
  • Science – 23.8

Kennesaw Mountain (Composite Score 23.8): State Ranking (20)

  • English – 23.3
  • Math – 23.4
  • Reading – 24.1
  • Science – 23.7

Wheeler (Composite Score 23.5): State Ranking (62)

  • English – 22.9
  • Math – 23.6
  • Reading – 24.0
  • Science – 23.2

Harrison (Composite Score 23.2): State Ranking (11)

  • English – 23.0
  • Math – 23.0
  • Reading – 23.5
  • Science – 22.9

Hillgrove (Composite Score 22.3): State Ranking (23)

  • English – 22.0
  • Math – 21.9
  • Reading – 23.1
  • Science – 21.8

Allatoona (Composite Score 21.8): State Ranking (27)

  • English – 21.2
  • Math – 21.4
  • Reading – 22.6
  • Science – 21.8

Kell (Composite Score 21.7): State Ranking (74)

  • English – 21.0
  • Math – 21.4
  • Reading – 22.1
  • Science – 21.6

Sprayberry (Composite Score 21.3): State Ranking (46)

  • English – 20.7
  • Math – 20.9
  • Reading – 21.9
  • Science – 21.0

Campbell (Composite Score 20.6): State Ranking (83)

  • English – 20.1
  • Math – 20.7
  • Reading – 20.8
  • Science – 20.2

North Cobb (Composite Score 20.5): State Ranking (69)

  • English – 19.9
  • Math – 19.8
  • Reading – 21.2
  • Science – 20.7

South Cobb (Composite Score 18.7): State Ranking (190)

  • English – 18.2
  • Math – 18.5
  • Reading – 19.2
  • Science – 18.5

McEachern (Composite Score 18.5): State Ranking (138)

  • English – 17.8
  • Math – 17.7
  • Reading – 18.7
  • Science – 18.9

Pebblebrook (Composite Score 18.5): State Ranking (161)

  • English – 17.9
  • Math – 18.1
  • Reading – 18.9
  • Science – 18.6

Osborne (Composite Score 16.7): State Ranking (195)

  • English – 15.5
  • Math – 16.9
  • Reading – 16.8
  • Science – 17.0

Finally, I went to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics website to determine if the Superintendent’s reference to “our children” was referring to students in our church.

“The performance on the ACT clearly shows our students are well-prepared for college-level work and can compete with students from anywhere in the country.”

Since our church is predominately African American, clearly, if students in our church are among the 153 Black students attending Walton High School, they are much more likely to be college ready than if they are among the 789 Black students attending Osborne High School.

Walton (Composite Score 25.6)

  • 1953 White
  • 393 Asian
  • 153 Black
  • 95 Hispanic
  • 2 Native American
  • 7.3 percent dropout rate (difference between the number of entering 9th graders and remaining 12th grades)

Osborne (Composite Score 16.7)

  • 803 Hispanic
  • 789 Black
  • 135 White
  • 40 Asian
  • 5 Native American
  • 44.6 percent dropout rate (difference between the number of entering 9th graders and remaining 12th grades)

In 2012, the Cobb County Schools Composite Scores for Black, White, and Hispanic students decreased from the year before. The scores also reflect that the average score for the highest performing racial group, Asian (25.2), is 6.3 points (33.3 percent) higher than the average score for the lowest performing racial group, Black (18.9):

  • 25.2 – Asian
  • 24.1 – White
  • 20.6 – Hispanic
  • 20.3 – Native American
  • 18.9 – Black

Whenever schools and school districts suggest that students are doing well, it is the responsibility of each parent to ask, “How are students like my child performing and what can the school or school district do to assist me in ensuring that my child is learning what he or she needs to know to be prepared for college?”

Read Aimee Sachs Marietta Journal Article…

Click here to download the 2012 Cobb County ACT Performance Data…

Click here to download the 2012 National ACT Performance Data…

 

2012 Report on Black Male Graduation Rates

October 1, 2012

TheSchott Foundationreport, “The Urgency of Now,” provides a 2012 – 50 state report on public education and Black male achievement. It should be clear to parents of Black males that the success of their sons, rests solely in their hands. Whether they are educated or uneducated, financially successful or living in poverty, living in a suburban community or in the inner city, they must accept ownership of their son’s learning.

The Urgency of Now: The Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males data indicate nationally the gap between the Black and White male graduation rate has only decreased three percentage points in the last 10 years. At this rate of progress, with no “large sale” systemic intervention, it would take another 50 years to close the graduation gap between Black males and their White counterparts.

Our failure to institutionalize the supports necessary to provide Black males with a substantive opportunity for success has yield a climate where in 2011, according to NAEP, academically only 10 percent of Black male 8th graders are deemed proficient in 8th grade reading, and only 52 percent are graduating from high school in a four-year period  (p. 2).

I am a child of poverty and a first generation college graduate. My father had an 8th grade education and my mother had only a 10th grade education. However, my mother and father did not entrust my fate to Chicago Public Schools. While they could not help me with homework or prepare me for tests and quizzes, they made sure that I was focused on college and they made my school work a household priority.

Due to my parents’ unrelenting affirmation that I would attend college, now, my wife and I are college educated parents with the intellectual tools to guide our sons through their schooling. Like my parents, my wife and I did not entrust the fate of our sons to their respective schools. We advocated for them, guided them, and ensured that their academic achievement was a household priority. Subsequently, our older son is about to graduate from Amherst College and our younger son has just entered Morehouse Collegeas a recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship.

If the findings of this report are not enough to move parents to seeking out the help they need to ensure their sons are learning what they need to know today in preparation for college tomorrow, then tragically little will change in regard to the future of our children. Parents, faith-based institutions, fraternities, sororities, professional and community organizations must understand that school systems and programs will not save our children.

The report notes that in 38 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Black males have the lowest graduation rates among Black, Latino and White, non-Latino male and female students (p. 6). Below are other key findings in the report.

The four-year high school graduation rates for males nationally are (p. 7):

  • 78 percent, White males
  • 58 percent, Latino males
  • 52 percent, Black males

The ten states with the highest Black male high school graduation rates are:

  1. 97 percent: Maine
  2. 84 percent: Arizona
  3. 82 percent: Vermont
  4. 76 percent: Utah
  5. 73 percent: Idaho
  6. 72 percent: Oregon
  7. 71 percent: Alaska
  8. 65 percent: Minnesota
  9. 65 percent: South Dakota
  10. 64 percent: Oklahoma, Rhode Island

The ten states with the lowest Black male high school graduation rates are:

  1. 37 percent: New York
  2. 38 percent: District of Columbia
  3. 41 percent: Iowa
  4. 44 percent: Nebraska
  5. 45 percent: Ohio
  6. 46 percent: South Carolina
  7. 47 percent: Delaware
  8. 47 percent: Florida
  9. 47 percent: Illinois
  10. 49 percent: Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, New Mexico

School districts with the highest Black male high school graduation rates are:

  1. 74 percent: Montgomery County (MD)
  2. 74 percent: Newark (NJ)
  3. 68 percent: Cumberland County (NC)
  4. 67 percent: Baltimore County (MD)
  5. 67 percent: Guilford County (NC)
  6. 60 percent: Fort Bend (TX)
  7. 59 percent: Wake County (NC)
  8. 55 percent: Palm Beach County (FL)
  9. 55 percent: Prince George’s County (MD)
  10. 54 percent: Virginia Beach (VA)

School districts with the lowest Black male high school graduation rates are:

  1. 9 percent: Rochester (NW)
  2. 20 percent: Detroit (MI)
  3. 22 percent: Clark County (NV)
  4. 24 percent: Philadelphia (PA)
  5. 27 percent: Chatham County (GA)
  6. 27 percent: Richmond County (GA)
  7. 28 percent: Cleveland (OH)
  8. 28 percent: New York (NY)
  9. 28 percent: Jackson (MS)
  10. 32 percent: Norfolk (VA)

Black male graduation rates for the largest school districts are:

  1. Atlanta, GA: 42 percent
  2. Baltimore, MD: 40 percent
  3. Charlotte, NC: 44 percent
  4. Chicago, IL: 39 percent
  5. Cincinnati, OH: 33 percent
  6. DC: 38 percent
  7. Dallas, TX: 35 percent
  8. Detroit, MI: 20 percent
  9. Houston, TX: 40 percent
  10. Los Angeles, CA: 41 percent
  11. Memphis, TN: 43 percent
  12. New York, NY: 28 percent
  13. Philadelphia, PA: 24 percent
  14. Rochester, NY: 9 percent

States where less than 10 percent of Black males are proficient in reading by 8th grade are:

  1. 4 percent: California
  2. 6 percent: Arkansas
  3. 6 percent: South Carolina
  4. 7 percent: Michigan
  5. 7 percent: Mississippi
  6. 7 percent: Nebraska
  7. 8 percent: Alabama
  8. 8 percent: DC
  9. 8 percent: Louisiana
  10. 8 percent: Missouri
  11. 9 percent: Indiana
  12. 9 percent: North Carolina
  13. 9 percent: Ohio
  14. 9 percent: Tennessee
  15. 9 percent: Wisconsin

With only 10 percent of Black males reading on a proficient level by 8th grade, any significant increases in Black male high school graduation rates and college matriculation rates will only occur within those households, faith-based organizations, and communities, where academic achievement becomes a priority.

The percentage of adults (25 year-olds and higher) holding a bachelor’s degree of higher:

  • 32 percent of White males
  • 16 percent of Black males
  • 12 percent of Latino males

Click here to download the full report…

Curriculum Matters

September 30, 2012

While many states are focusing on implementing the Common Core State Standards, many parents and students are confused about why the curriculum matters so much. After all, as long as students are learning how to read, write, compute, and think, aren’t they being prepared for college and careers? The answer is no!

The report, Large-Scale Evaluations of Curricular Effectiveness: The Case of Elementary Mathematics in Indiana, notes the very different learning outcomes experienced by students in elementary schools using different mathematics curricula. The study noted that 56 percent of fourth graders do math problems from their textbooks every day during class. Even this is a cause for alarm—why are only half of our students working math problems daily? With over 70 different curriculum alternatives, it stands to reason that students are largely learning what is in the textbooks. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics note: “If a topic is not included in the curriculum materials, there is a good chance that teachers will not cover it.”

The study revealed differences in student performance on state testing in grades 3, 6, 8, and 10, based on the math curriculum adopted by their respective schools. According to theACT Report: The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2012 for Indiana, 58 percent of Indiana’s students demonstrated college readiness in Mathematics compared to only 46 percent nationally. Although better than the national average, with only slightly more than half of Indiana’s students demonstrating college readiness in mathematics by 12th grade, parents and students should compare the sample ACT math problems against the type of problems students are being taught in their current curriculum.

Two questions should guide parents and students in taking ownership of student learning:

  1. What are students being taught in the current curriculum?
  2. What will students be expected to know to be ready for college?

Based on your school’s curriculum, there may be a huge gap between what students are being taught and what they will be expected to know to be successful in college. Parents and students should also be interested in knowing there are many colleges and universities that offer students full academic scholarships based on a student’s GPA and ACT or SAT scores. Ensuring that your school’s curriculum is effectively preparing students to perform well on the SAT or ACT can result in the opportunity for students to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in academic scholarships.

 

College Completion Rates for Hispanic Students

September 30, 2012

A report by the Education Trust provides insight into the colleges and universities that are successfully increasing Hispanic student completion rates. The report, Advancing to Completion: Increasing degree attainment by improving graduation rates and closing gaps for Hispanic students, notes:

  • Less than one in five Hispanics between the ages of 25 to 29 has attained at least a bachelor’s degree
  • While 60 percent of all college students receive their degrees in 6 years, the percentage for Hispanic students is 47 percent

Although six-year national college degree completion rate for Hispanic students is 47 percent, there are huge disparities between the degree completion rates among individual colleges and universities. With the high cost of college tuition and the huge amount of debt that many college students incur, Hispanic parents and their children should pay close attention to each college’s degree completion rate as they engage in their college research and make the important decision of where to attend college.

The colleges and universities with the highest 6-year degree completion rate for Hispanic students mentioned in the report are:

  1. 98 percent: Penn
  2. 97 percent: Duke
  3. 97 percent: Harvard
  4. 96 percent: Wesleyan (CT)
  5. 95 percent: Notre Dame
  6. 92 percent: University of Chicago
  7. 88 percent: University of Southern California
  8. 87 percent: Santa Clara University (CA)
  9. 87 percent: Vassar
  10. 87 percent: University of Georgia
  11. 86 percent: Occidental College (CA)
  12. 84 percent: University of Dallas
  13. 83 percent: Boston University
  14. 81 percent: Point Loma Nazarene University (CA)

The colleges and universities with the lowest 6-year degree completion rate for Hispanic students mentioned in the report are:

  1. 28 percent: Wayland Baptist University (TX)
  2. 33 percent: Caribbean University-Ponce (PR)
  3. 39 percent: University of Colorado
  4. 40 percent: Stephen F. Austin (TX)
  5. 41 percent: Rhode Island College
  6. 44 percent: Dowling College (NY)
  7. 44 percent: Georgia Southern
  8. 44 percent: Southwestern Adventist University (TX)
  9. 43 percent: SUNY college at Buffalo (NY)
  10. 49 percent: Virginia Commonwealth

Visit theCollege Results Online website to view the graduation rates for most U.S. colleges and universities.

 

 

College Completion Rates for African-American Students

September 30, 2012

A report by the Education Trust provides insight into the colleges and universities that are successfully increasing African American student completion rates. The report, Advancing to Completion: Increasing degree attainment by improving graduation rates and closing gaps for African-American students, notes:

  • Less than one in five African-Americans between the ages of 25 to 29 has attained at least a bachelor’s degree
  • While 60 percent of all college students receive their degrees in 6 years, the percentage for African-American students is 40 percent

Although the six-year national college degree completion rate for African-American students is 40 percent, there are huge disparities between the degree completion rates for African-American students among individual colleges and universities. With the high cost of college tuition and the huge amount of debt that many college students incur, African-American parents and their children should pay close attention to each college’s degree completion rate as they engage in their college research and make the important decision of where to attend college.

The colleges and universities with the highest 6-year degree completion rate for African-American students mentioned in the report are:

  1. 97 percent: Harvard
  2. 95 percent: Vassar College (NY)
  3. 91 percent: Duke
  4. 89 percent: University of Southern California
  5. 88 percent: Rice (TX)
  6. 87 percent: Carnegie Mellon
  7. 87 percent: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)
  8. 87 percent: Furman (SC)
  9. 85 percent: US Naval Academy
  10. 81 percent: Trinity College (CT)

The colleges and universities with the lowest 6-year degree completion rate for African-American students mentioned in the report are:

  1. 24 percent: Stillman College (AL)
  2. 25 percent: Texas Wesleyan
  3. 27 percent: Gallaudet University (SC)
  4. 28 percent: Indiana University-Purdue University
  5. 33 percent: American International College (MA)
  6. 35 percent: Tiffin University (OH)
  7. 35 percent: Long Island University (NY)
  8. 36 percent: Faulkner University (AL)
  9. 36 percent: University of Massachusetts-Boston
  10. 37 percent: University of West Georgia

Visit the College Results Online website to view the graduation rates for most U.S. colleges and universities.

Less than half of high school seniors are college ready!

September 30, 2012

According to College Board’s SAT Report on College & Career Readiness: 2012, only 43 percent of college-bound high school seniors who took the SAT achieved the benchmark score of 1550 and were considered to demonstrate college readiness. It is important for parents and students to note that high school course taking alone, does not ensure that a student will be adequately prepared:

  • While 83 percent of students took AP/Honors Math in high school, only 55 percent demonstrated college readiness in mathematics
  • While 71 percent of students took AP/Honors English in high school, only 49 percent demonstrated college readiness in critical reading

There also continues to be huge disparities, by race, of the percentage of students who completed their high school’s core curriculum:

  • 80 percent of White students
  • 73 percent of Asian students
  • 71 percent of Native American students
  • 69 percent of Hispanic students
  • 65 percent of African American students

The ACT’s report, The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2012, was nearly twice as dire as the SAT’s report, with only 25 percent of college-bound high school seniors demonstrating college readiness in each of the four areas tested (English, Reading, Math, and Science). The percentage of students meeting the college readiness benchmarks in each area were:

  • 67 percent in English
  • 52 percent in Reading
  • 46 percent in Mathematics
  • 31 percent in Science

As reflected in SAT scores, there is a huge gap between the percentage of high school seniors taking the core curriculum and their meeting college readiness benchmarks:

  • 81 percent of Asian students took the core curriculum and only 42 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas
  • 77 percent of White students took the core curriculum and only 32 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas
  • 73 percent of Hispanic students took the core curriculum and only 13 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas
  • 66 percent of Native American students took the core curriculum and only 11 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas
  • 72 percent of African American students took the core curriculum and only 5 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas

If students are to be adequately prepared for college, they must not only take the most rigorous classes offered within their high school or online, they must apply themselves to deepen their knowledge of the subject area. This will require much more than memorizing equations, formulas, or events. Students must learn why, understand how, and develop the reasoning and critical thinking skills to conceptualize, extrapolate, synthesize, and apply knowledge.

The SAT measures the reading, mathematics, and writing skills that are part of a rigorous high school curriculum and that students need to be successful in college:

  • The reading section assesses students’ ability to draw inferences, synthesize information, distinguish between main and supporting ideas and understand vocabulary as it is used in context.
  • The mathematics section requires students to apply mathematical concepts, solve problems and use data literacy skills in interpreting tables, charts and graphs.
  • The writing section requires students to communicate ideas clearly and effectively; improve writing through revision and editing; recognize and identify sentence-level errors; understand grammatical elements and structures and how they relate to each other in a sentence; and improve coherence of ideas within and among paragraphs.

The ACT benchmark scores represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50 percent chance of obtaining a B or higher, or a 75 percent chance of obtaining a C or higher in their first0year college courses (English Composition, College Algebra, Biology, and an introductory social science course). The ACT benchmark scores are:

  • 18 in English
  • 21 in Reading
  • 22 in Math
  • 24 in Science

 

Be careful where you attend college!

September 30, 2012

A 9/28/2012 USA Today Editorial notes that five states—Colorado, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin have state laws that do not allow public colleges to ban guns on campus. When considering where to attend college, parents and students may consider whether or not a college allows students to carry guns as part of their college research criteria. For many students, college is already a hugely stressful experience. According to theAmerican College Health Association’s 2011 report of college students (page 14):

  • 1.1 percent have attempted suicide
  • 6.6 percent have considered suicide
  • 30.3 percent have felt so depressed that it was difficult to function
  • 36.2 percent have felt overwhelming anger
  • 45.2 percent have felt that things were hopeless
  • 57.2 percent have felt lonely
  • 60.5 percent have felt very sad
  • 86.1 percent have felt overwhelmed

The 2011 Newsweek’s Ranking of Most Stressful Colleges includes many colleges and universities considered as the nation’s best, in addition to being the nation’s most competitive to gain admissions. According to Newsweek, the 25 most stressful colleges and universities are:

  1. Washington University in St. Louis
  2. Penn
  3. Columbia
  4. Harvard
  5. Northwestern
  6. Brown
  7. Wesleyan
  8. Georgetown
  9. Johns Hopkins
  10. Tufts
  11. Dartmouth
  12. University of Chicago
  13. Yale
  14. Duke
  15. NYU
  16. Middlebury
  17. Cornell
  18. Bowdoin
  19. Claremont McKenna
  20. Swarthmore
  21. CalTech
  22. Barnard
  23. Carnegie Mellon
  24. University of Southern California
  25. Boston College

Read the USA Today article…

Read the report by the National Conference of State Legislatures…

 

 

Florida A&M University Scholarships

September 29, 2012

FAMU University Scholarships

All incoming freshmen and AA/AS degree Florida Community College transfers are considered for the Presidential Scholarship Program. This includes the Life-Gets-Better Scholarship, Distinguished Scholar Award, George W. Gore Assistant Ship, Florida Community College Scholarship, and the High school/Florida Community College Scholarship when they apply. The earlier you apply for admissions, the better your chances are for a scholarship. Scholarships are awarded until the funds are depleted.

Life Gets Better

Incoming freshmen designated National Achievement, Hispanic, or Merit Semifinalists by the National Merit Corporation, having a 3.50 high school GPA and having a 1800 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT will receive the following over four years: Tuition and fees, room, board, books, $500/semester stipend, internships and a laptop. Awardee must major in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Mathematics or Physics in order to be eligible for this scholarship. Students must take the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) in the junior year of high school to compete in the National Merit Corporation programs; Or

Incoming freshmen who have at least a 3.50 high school GPA and scores of 1900 on the SAT or 29 on the ACT will receive the following over four years: Tuition and fees, room, board, books, $500/semester stipend, internships and a laptop. Awardee must major in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Mathematics or Physics in order to be eligible for this scholarship.

Distinguished Scholars Award

Incoming freshmen who have scores of at least 1800 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT and a 3.50 high school GPA:

Florida Residents receive a full four-year scholarship that pays for tuition and fees, double occupancy room rate, and board. The $350 housing deposit will be waived for Florida Bright Futures Scholar awardees. Additionally, National Achievement Semifinalists will receive up to $500 a semester for books. A National Achievement Finalist will also receive a laptop. A National Achievement Scholar will receive a laptop, $500/semester for books and a $500/semester stipend.

Out-of–State Students receive a four-year scholarship that pays for tuition and fees.
A National Achievement Semifinalist will receive double occupancy room rate and board. Students who are Pell Grant eligible will receive a stipend not to exceed $500/semester. A National Achievement Finalist will also receive a laptop. A National Achievement Scholar will receive a laptop, $500/semester for books and a $500/semester stipend.

George W. Gore Assistantship (Effective Fall, 2011)

This is a four-year scholarship. Incoming freshmen who have at least 1650 on the SAT or 23 on the ACT and a minimum high school GPA of 3.00 qualify for the following awards:

TEST SCORE REQUIREMENT ANNUAL AWARD
ACT 23 or SAT 1650 – 1679 $2,000
ACT 24 or SAT 1680 – 1724 $3,000
ACT 25 or SAT 1725 – 1754 $4,000
ACT 26 or SAT 1755 – 1784 $5,000
SAT 1785 $6,000

Incoming freshmen majoring in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Mathematics or Physics will receive an extra award of $1,000 annually and Engineering majors will receive an extra award of $2,000 annually.

Florida Community College Scholarship (effective Fall, 2010)

This scholarship was established to assist high achieving Florida community/junior college graduates. This partial scholarship is a two-year undergraduate scholarship awarded to an AA/AS Degree transfer student who has a minimum 2.50 GPA and is not enrolled as a FAMU student. The annual amount of the scholarship is as follows:

CUMULATIVE GPA ANNUAL AWARD
2.50 – 2.74 $1,500
2.75 – 3.00 $2,000
3.01 – 3.49 $3,000
3.50 – 3.99 or PTK $4,000
4.0 $5,000

High School/Florida Community College Scholarship

This is a two-year scholarship for incoming freshmen who received the high school diploma and the AA/AS degree from a Florida Community College at the same time. This scholarship is worth $4,000/year. Alternately, incoming freshmen who qualify for the GWG Assistantship at a higher level can be offered the GWG Assistantship.
Air Force ROTC Scholarships

Four, three and one-half, two and one-half, or two-year scholarships based on merit are available to selected AFROTC students. Each scholarship pays full tuition, books, laboratory expenses, and a $100 per month tax-exempt allowance. Four-year scholarships must be applied for no later than December 15th of the senior year in high school. Other scholarships may be applied for after enrolling in college level AFROTC courses. Interested students should contact the Department of Aerospace Studies, Florida State University, Telephone (850) 644-3461.

Army ROTC Scholarships

Awards of two-, three-, and four-year and green and gold scholarships are given to outstanding applicants. Each scholarship pays full tuition (in-state/out-of-state) and room and board. In addition to the awarded scholarship, each winner receives a flat rate of $450 annually for books, supplies and equipment, as well as up to $1,500 in spending money, tax free. Interested students should contact the Department of Military Science at (850) 599-3515/3516.

The Norma Solomon White Band Scholarship

Because of her love for FAMU and affiliations with the Music Program as the first female to participate in the Marching “100”, the first female band director in Jacksonville and the first female to conduct the Marching “100”, a perpetual remembrance for music students at the university was established. The Norma Solomon White Band Scholarship was created in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation. Awards are announced during commencement week or at a time designated for awards. The scholarship is presented to a deserving student at Florida A&M University. The recipient must be presently enrolled at FAMU pursuing a degree with a major in Music/Music Education and participating in the Marching “100” and Symphonic Bands. The Director of Bands and the band scholarship committee must recommend the recipient. For more information, contact the Director of Bands at (850) 599-3024.

Althea Gibson Scholarship (COE)

An award established through an endowment made by Drs. William “Bill” H. Cosby, Jr. and Camille Olivia Cosby. Ms. Gibson was one of our acclaimed graduates and had the distinction of winning two Wimbledon singles titles, two U.S. Opens and a French Open, in the late 1950s. This scholarship supports students studying physical education, recreation and health, which were Ms. Gibson’s disciplines at FAMU. For more information, contact the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at (850) 599-3135.

Anne Richardson Gayles-Felton Endowed Scholarship Fund

This scholarship shall be awarded to teacher education undergraduate students in the College of Education who meet the following criteria: fully admitted to the Teacher Education Program; maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.00 and a GPA of 3.25 or better in their area of specification; and submit three (3) letters of recommendation.

The Anne Richardson Gayles-Felton Endowed Scholarship will be awarded annually to one person, but it can be renewed. Recipients must apply each year. The award amount will be determined by the amount of funds accrued over and above the principal. The scholarship is for tuition, matriculation fees, laboratory fees, and books. For more information, contact the Dean in the College of Education at (850) 599-3482.

Melvene Hardee Scholarship

This scholarship will be limited to applicants who have been admitted to the Teacher Education Program (TEP). Applicants will demonstrate their commitment to the profession of teaching by writing a letter of interest and intent that addresses teaching as their chosen profession. Financial need will be a decisive factor in the awarding of scholarships. For more information, contact the College of Education at (850) 599-3482.

FAMU FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS

Robert T. Bacon Scholarship

This scholarship is to be awarded to a student in the School of Business and Industry from the Northeast Region. Contact the FAMU Foundation at (850) 599-3860.

Alethia A. Lesesne Howard Award Fund of $1,000

This Fund provides an annual award in the amount of $1,000 to a member of the senior class. The award is based on excellence in English literature and on character, scholarship, and personality. The fund was established by Dr. W. H. Lesesne Howard, class of 1917, B.S., in honor of his mother Mrs. Alethia A. Lesesne Howard. From the basic sum of $16,033.67, in the Home Owner’s Federal Savings and Loan Association of Boston, Mass., $1,000 annually in interest will provide the award. A selection committee composed of the chairperson and two members of the department of languages and literature chooses two nominees on an annual basis to compete for the $1,000 award. The finalist is selected by two trustees of the Fund at Boston, Mass. Contact the FAMU Foundation at (850) 599-3860.

FAMU Alumni Chapters

County alumni chapters set up the criteria for these scholarships and select the recipients for same. Funds are sent annually to the FAMU director of Alumni Affairs. Active chapters participating are: Leon; Philadelphia; Palm Beach; Gadsden; Broward; Brevard; Seminole; Washington, D.C.; Jefferson; Marion; Escambia; Orange-Orlando; New York; New Jersey; Daytona Beach Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; and the Miami-Gold Coast Chapter. Interested students should contact the FAMU Foundation at (850) 599-3860.

The Arthur Thompson Scholarship

A $2,500 award for local students enrolled in Florida A&M University who demonstrate a dire need for financial assistance to continue their educational career. Interested students should contact the Office of Public Affairs at (850) 599-3413.

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

The Department of Children and Family Services provides scholarship assistance to some persons who are physically or mentally handicapped or who have a behavior disorder due to social or cultural deprivation. The applicant must have average high school grades and at least a “C” average if already enrolled in Florida A&M University.

American Foundation of Pharmaceutical Education Award

The Board of Grants of the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education provides a fund of $400 annually to be awarded to highly deserving students who are in need of financial aid. Third, fourth, and fifth year students in the upper quarter of their class who maintain a 3.00 average or higher are eligible. Individuals who are receiving veteran’s benefits are not eligible for this scholarship. Interested students should contact the College of Pharmacy at (850) 599-3030.

William J. Gunn, Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical Association and The Women’s Auxiliary Scholarship

An award of $500 will be presented annually to a junior level student in the School of Nursing and the School of Pharmacy, with recipients coming from nursing one year and pharmacy the next. Students qualifying for the scholarship must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and be evaluated on scholarship, economic status, community activities, and campus activities.
Contact the dean of the School of Pharmacy for information regarding the following scholarships available to pharmacy majors: Kellogg Foundation, Pfeiffer Foundation, Pfizer Foundation, Warner-Lambert, Jack Eckerd’s Drugs, John W. Dargaval, McKesson & Robbins, Rexall Mortar and Pestle Trophy, Reyno Award, Broward County Pharmaceutical Company.

Interested students should contact the College of Pharmacy at (850) 599-3030 or 599-3301

Elinor Jackson Endowed Scholarship Fund

For a student in the Occupational Therapy Program. For more information, contact the School of Allied Health Sciences at (850) 599-3818.

NaLen Pittman Sociology Award

This $500.00 annual award was established by Dr. Ezell Pittman in memory of his parents, Nathaniel and Lena Wynn Pittman. The scholarship is to be awarded to a sophomore, junior or senior majoring in sociology who has a 2.0 or better GPA.; and is in need of financial assistance to pay for books and tuition. Priority will be given to a student from Jackson, Gulf, or Duval counties if the GPA requirement is met along with demonstrated leadership ability and commitment to community service. The recipient will be selected by the Sociology Scholarship Selection Committee. For Additional information, contact the Sociology Department at 599-3316.

SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships are awarded to freshmen or community college transfers admitted to FAMU to study journalism or graphic communication. To be eligible for consideration, first-time-in-college applicants must have at least a “B” average in English and a 3.4 GPA along with a 26 or higher ACT or 1100 or higher SAT score. Based on academic credentials and practical skills; awards may go as high as $2,500 per year. For more information, contact the School of Journalism at (850) 599-3379.
William J. Gunn, Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical Association and The Women’s Auxiliary Scholarship

An award of $500 will be presented annually to a junior level student in the School of Nursing and the School of Pharmacy, with recipients coming from nursing one year and pharmacy the next. Students qualifying for the scholarship must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and be evaluated on scholarship, economic status, community activities, and campus activities.

Florida A&M University institutional scholarships are awarded during the admissions process for first time in college students. Continued eligibility and administration of these scholarships are also provided through the Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships located in the Foote HIlyer Administration Center.

Peace Corps Opportunities

September 7, 2012

Peace Corps Overview

The Peace Corps provides Volunteers to more than 70 countries requesting assistance in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico, South America, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East. The Peace Corps is an independent U.S. government agency. Thousands of new Volunteers are needed each year to work in a variety of areas, including:

  • Education
  • Health and HIV/AIDS
  • Business and Information & Communication Technology
  • Environment
  • Youth and Community Development
  • Agriculture

The length of service is 27 months, which includes an average of three months of in-country training that provides language, cross-cultural, technical, and health and safety skills.

Volunteers are placed where their skills match the needs of host countries. They live in the communities they serve, from small rural villages to large urban cities. Their work around the globe represents a legacy of service that has become a significant part of America’s history and positive image abroad. Their desire to make a difference has improved the lives of millions of people around the world and at home.

Volunteers return to the United States as global citizens, with leadership, cross-cultural understanding, and language and technical skills that position them well for professional opportunities.

Unlike many other international volunteer programs, there is no fee to participate in the Peace Corps. To be eligible for service, you must be:

  • At least 18 years old
  • A U.S. citizen

Volunteers have a variety of skills, work experience, and education levels—90 percent have at least an undergraduate degree. There is no upper age limit. The average age of Volunteers is 28. Currently, the oldest Volunteer is over 80.

The benefits of being a Volunteer are many, including the following Peace Corps provisions:

  • Student loan assistance
  • A “readjustment” allowance of $7,425 (pre-tax) upon completion of service
  • Language, cross-cultural, and technical training
  • Travel to and from country of service
  • A monthly living and housing allowance
  • Medical and dental care
  • 48 paid vacation days
  • Leave for family emergencies
  • Graduate school opportunities such as scholarships, credit for service, fellowships, and internships
  • Transition and job support and social networking after service
  • Advantages in federal employment

The Peace Corps recommends that you submit your application as early as possible so we can match your skills to openings as they become available. Plan ahead and apply nine months to a year in advance of your desired date of departure.

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