Thats right, lets dumb them down...that way we can be a smarter nation!

If they can't make 3.0, then they need to sell pizza.

If they lower the standard GPA from 3.0 to 2.75 for this scholarship, then the students that have 3.0 and above should get more money.

This is bs!! I got the lottery scholarship the first year it came out and had to have and maintain a 3.0 in order to get it. Why lower it now?? A 3.0 requirement forces kids to have to buckle down and work for what they want/need just like i did. If they lower the GPA to a 2.75, then that's all they will strive to get it a 2.75.

I agree with "Martha", if they do lower it, then they should offer the kids with a 3.0 more money. If they're gonna do it, it has to be fair. Someone who has a 'B' average (3.0) should get more privilleges than someone who has a 'C' average (2.75) because the ones who have a 3.0 have busted their butts all through high school to get that and deserve a d- good reward for it!!

I hope they will not lower the GPA.  Is this an academic scholarship?  If so, keep the GPA at 3.0.  If it is a gift, then lower it.  But Bartlettman is right.  If we keep dumbing down, we won't have to worry about being a major world power.  We will get taken over by a country that encourages education and training like Japan, China or Germany.  

why should we lower it, i believe that any student regardless of age that has a 3.0 or higher that attends a in state school should get it then. we should not lower the standards, why not help out people that did not get it because it was not offered during their age. i'm a student at University of Memphis and have earn two degrees, i would like a little help trying to pay for college why dont we get help.

The way the city school system is, it shouldnt be hard at all to maintain a 3.0, thats a couple of a's or b's and one possible C, but seriously there is no excuse to not keep a 3.0.

its a steady progression of "dumbing down"  right now school is a great big daycare to play with your friends all day.  it won't be too many years that school will no longer be a requirement but a choice.  

Now that is scary to think about, surely the Judgement of God is coming pretty soon, the homosexual lifestyle is normal now, abortion doesnt bother anyone, the church has ran rampid with false messages and allows everything in the congregation, criminals are treated more better than the victims, teachers are afraid of students and the parents, the children has no respect, no care, just plain rebellious,

what is the world coming to? I have a answer, this world is coming into eternal hellfire by the brightness of Jesus coming.

@outspoken I was referring to your comment as being scary to think about

well the thought of this world in 50 years is plenty scary-i don't see how it can last that long.  if it does-i'm glad that i won't be here-but i worry about my grandkids.

I agree with ALL, the GPA should not be lowered, it send a wrong message to our youth.  

If they have such a large windfall from the lottery sales, they should increase the payouts.

There are already way too many intellectually under endowed individuals in Tennessee colleges.

I agree with the "no more dumbing down" comments.

It's time to draw the lines & enforce realistic standards.

This nonsense is a build on ex MCS Super Johnson's mantra ... "every student college bound, every day". That has to go down in history as one of the stupidest comments ever made.

Hell, the vast majority of MCS "gadiates" appear to have IQ's in the 85 range, and have demonstrated same in numerous standardized tests. Serious numbers of these "gadiates" can't read, or do math, at a grammar school level.

Why throw good money after bad?

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

One more thing ...

The initial award of these Hope scholarships is based EITHER on at least a 3.0 High School GPA or a  21 on the ACT.

Now, let's take a deep breath and look at this, especially the high school average, ok? Does anyone really believe a 3.0 average at Collierville or Houston is the same as a 3.0 at Booker T or Northside, eh??? If you do, you are probably a MCS grad (or dropout).

It's very safe to assume that the ACT score disparities between the schools are similar. So, what do we have here???

Here it is ... providing scholarship money to many unqualified students, most of whom will be taking "make up" courses, in college, for high school subjects which they are deficient in ... and, not do very well on those.

Hey, the standard is there ... meet it, or go do something else.

I'm over 40, and about 5"11" ... think I'm a candidate for a slot on an NBA team??? I didn't think so. The same reason applies to these legions of cretins the "Carol Johnsons of the world" would have in college.

Many have the skills, many don't.

nuff said!

As a former recipient of the Hope scholarship (only "former" because I graduated), I feel that dumbing down the standards is a ridiculous notion.  If there is that much money to go around, why not increase the amount being given to the ones who maintain that 3.0?  I know that the current amount given out to each student only covered half (at best) of my U. of Memphis tuition, which is already on the cheaper side for a university (not saying anything bad, just stating the numbers on that one).  Why not offer a full ride to anyone who can achieve (and maintain) a 3.5 or 3.7, while still maintaining the current rate for 3.0 or higher?

Everything isn't fair, but lowering the gpa to 2.75,  would help the children of the ones that truely gamble....they are paying the bills, so why is it so bad to give something to their children.  Everyone should have a chance to make our world a better place. GPA's and ACT's don't truley measure intelligence...they measure experiences....If I have a room, a computer, travel eperiences, a car, and a working mother and father, I then have a built-in advantage over that hard working child that's dodging bullets, drugs, gangs, and a dysfunctional family environment.  This  is not black & white thing, but rather a socio-economic issue.
PUT CHILDREN FIRST....WIN TOGETHER

Are you content with having a child do less to get ahead?  This is what happens in schools everywhere and the result has been that american kids are lagging far behind the rest of the world. It is all because of outcome based education. If a child can not maintain a B in college, chances are he/she is in over their head.  They need to get out and go to work and stop living a pipe dream. Parents have to let kids know that without hard work, they are not going to prosper. Don't make excuses for them, motivate them to learn. You do that by demanding excellence, not rewarding so-so performance.

Ever watch the "Challenge Bowl" on Saturday mornings?  Now I will admit that some of the question are hard; however, these kids are supposed to be the brightest in their school and some of the answers given are so far out of left field it is scary.  Now take some of these brightest, send them to SWTCC and they will excel. At UM they would be excellent students. Send that same kid to Duke, Yale, Princeton. Then see what happens. Every child deserves a chance to go to college, but only those that work at it will succeed.      

I say why not. Our president is a C student. The point is not the GPA it's about children going to college to better themselves. I never want to hear someone my GPA wasn't high enough to go to college. We play the lottery so let those kids go to college.

A c student at Yale, not UM (And he did not flunk out the way Gore did).  Is it bettering a child to lower the standards? You you think so, I am sorry you do. I have interviewed and employed college grads that can not read and write at an 8th grade level. Sad but true. Do you want your kids to fail in the real world? If so start lowering standards. Kenya you are being part of the problem, and none of the solution.

sorry, If you think so...my mistake

I actually heard about this on the news last night.  I was appalled to hear that most of the students whose scholarships have been taken are from Memphis City Schools, where I am an educator.  I feel that the standards should not be lowered.  Why?  School is an institution for learning.  Maintaining a 3.0 gpa
isn't asking too much of someone who really wants to learn.  I require my daughter who is in college to maintain at least a 3.0 gpa or I will take her phone and she won't be allowed  to play ball.  You have to set your standards high!  This is what is wrong with society now.  No one has any standards!

I don't think they should lower it either! I just believe it'll do more harm than good by giving the impression to high school students not to go above and beyond just average(enough to get by!).  

This nonsense about lowering the GPA requirement for the Hope Scholarship is what is wrong with the education system in this state, don't raise the bridge, lower the river. Let's set standards that are so low that diplomas mean nothing.

I think thisis bs! A 3.0 is a low GPA!!!  When I started college I had a 3.0 but was unable to get a scholarship b/c the college I went to only offered them to students with a 3.5 or better!  I got my GPA up but not for the sake of a scholarship!!!  Its insulting to lower the GPA!!!!

I think thisis bs! A 3.0 is a low GPA!!!  When I started college I had a 3.0 but was unable to get a scholarship b/c the college I went to only offered them to students with a 3.5 or better!  I got my GPA up but not for the sake of a scholarship!!!  Its insulting to lower the GPA!!!!