Our ~$59k/year income makes us eligible for the grant, but my son probably won’t get it because of the credit requirements. At least 12 credits per semester must be required for the student’s degree and he’s a junior who’s down to a couple comp sci courses and a gen ed per semester. The only way he could reach the 12 credit minimum is to pile on another CS course, and I don’t think his advisor will approve that. I don’t resent the families who qualify, though, anymore than I’d resent a Pell eligible kid. Students who receive full TAP and Pell have struggles my kid doesn’t. If my tax dollars can help pull those students out of poverty, I’m happy to contribute.
I suspect it’s going to be difficult for many students to qualify for the full benefit for 4 years. SUNY’s COA is ~$22k/year. A ~$3k grant (for a $60k income) won’t make dorming an option. In our region there’s exactly one 4-year SUNY within commuting distance and it’s already competitive. Students who don’t get in start at one of the local cc’s. Many New Yorkers aren’t that fortunate. NYS is a large state and there are many areas where the closest 4-year SUNY is an hour or more away. Getting a grant won’t change the physical limitations those lower imcome students face. Even if they could commute, they still have to be accepted.
@momreads, The grant requires students to live and work in NYS for the same number of years they receive the grant. If they don’t, it converts to a loan. So a student could end up with $27k in federal loans plus ~$20k in NYS loans.