Make your voice heard on HOPE! | Education

ATLANTA - Even the thought of HOPE scholarships being cut further is not good news, especially at Georgia State University, where forums are being held to find out exactly what the fallout has been so far from the changes last year to HOPE.

SOUND OFF | Make your voice on HOPE heard using the email submission form on the left
CONTACT | Georgia Legislators (House | Senate)

Melissa Harris, an honors student who is in her final year who found out at the registrar's office that the HOPE financial aid she has always received now falls far short of what she needs to make it to graduation in May.

I had to come up with the rest of the money, finding loans.  My father (and mother) couldn't help me... They are both unemployed so I had to go out there and raise the money myself by working," Harris said. "I've always worked, that's never been an issue even with my grades. I've always been able to save money, but I had to get two jobs. I eventually got a third job just to make sure I'm financially stable."

Universities are finding that other students are simply dropping out rather than racking up student loan debt in an economy that can't guarantee a job upon graduation.

The student association at Georgia State and others are now telling students affected by the HOPE cuts to make their concerns known to their representatives now while all of it is being discussed at the capitol.

Gov. Nathan Deal launched the Zell Miller Scholarship last year. The Georgia Student Finance Commission says thousands more students qualify this year for that scholarship than it had anticipated.

Commission president Tim Connell said the agency may have to borrow against future revenue from the Georgia Lottery to cover the cost.

Lawmakers have expressed concern. Republican state Sen. Buddy Carter says: "Hope is going to get worse before it gets any better."

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)