CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Applications for college scholarships are down compared
to this time last year, with Sarah Armstrong Tucker of the West Virginia Higher
Education Policy Commission blaming the coronavirus pandemic for the
difference.
Tucker, the commission’s chancellor, noted to MetroNews while
the deadline for the PROMISE Scholarship is in March, the number of submissions
is below pace.
“This time last year, we had more than 6,700 students who
had already filled out their PROMISE applications,” she said. “This time this
year, we are around 2,300 students.”
The PROMISE Scholarship provides up
to $4,750 annually to students for covering college tuition and fees at West
Virginia institutions.
“The way that the application used to get filled
out in a lot of our high schools is that guidance counselors and teachers would
take all of the seniors to a computer lab at one time. Everybody would fill out
the PROMISE Scholarship application together,” Tucker explained. “That can’t
happen right now.”
Tucker said with increases in homeschooling and
virtual learning, fewer students are hearing about scholarship
opportunities.
“Those students aren’t getting a guidance counselor
sitting in front of them saying, ‘OK, it’s time to fill out your PROMISE
application right now,’” she added.
Tucker said declining scholarship
interest is not a West Virginia problem but a nationwide issue.
“I think
so many people are focused on the here and now because they have to be,” she
said. “They have to be focused on how do they keep their community safe and how
do they keep themselves and their family safe. They’re not thinking about their
future, but their future is going to come.”
Tucker noted with the holiday
break in December, families should talk about financial assistance.
“Take
this time when we can’t be out and about with folks and fill out those FAFSA and
PROMISE applications,” she said. “Find out what it means to go to college and
how much money you have in order to be able to go.”
The state Higher
Education Policy Commission learned earlier this month overall student
enrollment decreased by 2.8% from last fall to this season, and freshmen
enrollment fell for a fifth straight
year.
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