Oklahoma Promise Scholarship Deadline Monday
(Press Release 06-23-08)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Monday is the last chance for students who just completed their sophomore year in high school to enroll in the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship program that will pay their college tuition for five years after they graduate from high school.

Students must enroll in Oklahoma’s Promise during their eighth-, ninth, or 10th-grade year. The scholarship program cannot accept applications for the 2007-2008 school year after June 30. Therefore, students who just finished their 10th-grade year will not be eligible to enroll after the deadline Monday.

The Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship covers college tuition for up to five years at any public college or university in the state. It will also pay a portion of the tuition at an accredited private institution or for select courses at public career technology centers. The scholarship amount does not include items such as fees, books, supplies, or room and board although some state colleges do have programs to cover some of the expenses not covered by the scholarship.

After students enroll in Oklahoma’s Promise, they must attend class regularly, take a 17-unit curriculum and pass those courses with at leas a 2.5 grade point average (GPA), and achieve at least an overall 2.5 GPA to earn the scholarship. Students must also agree to stay out of serious trouble and avoid drugs and alcohol.

The Oklahoma Legislature created Oklahoma’s Promise in 1992 as an incentive for middle and high school students to commit to academic success and prepare for college. The state scholarship program is designed to allow high school students from families whose annual income is $50,000 or less to earn free college tuition.

Since its inception, more than 81,000 students have enrolled in the program. An estimated 19,000 students will receive Oklahoma’s Promise scholarships this coming fall, and that number is expected to increase to 21,000 by fall 2010. Since 1996, college students have received more than $140 million in scholarships through the program.

Students who just completed their sophomore year must act quickly to meet the June 30 deadline—That’s Monday.

For more information or to apply online go to www.okpromise.org  or call (800) 858-1840. For local assistance and enrollment into Oklahoma’s Promise contact the Student Affairs Office at Eastern Oklahoma State College, Wilburton, at (918) 465-1767.