Having lived in the north and the south, I can say with confidence that southern universities (think SEC schools) have larger, competitive rushes and tend to feed the stereotypes in that quiz. When I came down to the south and attended UGA, I didn't know what Coach was, much less own one! It's just a difference in culture on the campuses of the public schools in the two areas. I wonder, however, where the other areas fit into the stereotypes.

After hearing about these HOPE scholarships in some southern states, it made more sense to me on WHY the Coach bags, Lily Pulitzer dresses, and other designer things were more prominent in some places than others. When you're working 30 hours a week to pay your tuition and room & board, those things just aren't a priority! Free ride for a 3.0.. that would just be awesome and would probably greatly increase sorority memberships in Michigan. Here, there are like 20 full ride scholarships given out from each school (if that many).

A correlational study on that would be interesting...

I'm pretty sure the HOPE ones would be for the poor, black, who wouldn't go to a major college like UGA or Ole Miss or whatever. Not for the rich who are pullin down this kind of money. It's old money we are born into. Sure we get schollies but that's because we went to private schools.

I thought the Hope Scholarship was only merit-based (if merit means a 3.0 hs gpa :rolleyes: ) not need-based as well.

I have some friends at UGA...all in very good fraternities....and all born into very wealthy old money families....that all received HOPE scholarships for making a 3.0. I was never under the impression that it was just for poor people.

It's sad that "Wealthy old money families" need to attend sub-par state schools on scholarships because their parents couldn't afford to send them to private schools and pay their way instead of being a drain on the system.

-Rudey
--Basically your friends are welfare moms that probably buy government cheese and use food stamps.

I also thought the HOPE scholarships were originally put in place to prevent a "brain drain" in the state. Don't recipients still have to stay in GA for a couple of years after graduation?

Will you please define wealthy old money families? I think it means something different to me than it does to you. Thanks.

I have no idea about these HOPE scholarships, but they sound pretty interesting.

Nope. And it is merit based...all you had to do was recieve a 3.0 graduating HS GPA.

alum, i can tell you how it works in florida. the state funds "bright futures" scholarships. the awards are based on gpa and s.a.t. scores. the higher the gpa and sat scores, the more money(even up to 100%) of college tuition is covered. i do believe that in florida, to receive the scholarship, the student must attend an in state public university, community college or trade school. as long as they meet the minimum requirements, it is renewable every year for 4 years.

The HOPE scholarship was why I went to UGA (I moved to Georgia as a high school junior, so I was eligible)... my parents weren't going to pay for college, so I, of course, chose the school that I could get a free ride to. I challenge those of you who feel some HOPE students are a "drain on the system" to remember that just because a student's parents have enough money to send him/her to college does not mean that they will do so. Even with HOPE, I worked my way through college to pay for whatever my scholarships would not cover.

For those confused about the requirements for HOPE:
- You must be eligible for in-state tuition.
- You must have a 3.0 in high school and maintain that 3.0 in college.
- You must re-apply every spring.
- You must attend a public university in state (for a private school in Georgia, you may receive $3000 a year).
**Interestingly enough, HOPE is funded by the Georgia Lottery, which less people have been playing as of late, so the qualifications required for HOPE may be changing (either to need-based or to a higher merit requirement of a 3.5).

alum, you are correct that the major purpose of HOPE is to prevent "brain drain." State officials noticed that many of the state's brightest students were leaving the state to attend private schools. They also found that many of these students were staying in the states where they moved (e.g. Students who go to Vandy tend to stay in TN). Thus, HOPE was created so the bright students who are not eligible for need-based aid would have an incentive to stay in state.

This helped UGA to rise 8 spots within the first 4 years of HOPE in the US News rankings (and it has stayed in the Top 20 Public Schools at various ranks every year since HOPE's conception). HOPE has helped UGA become a better institution and many of UGA's strongest students (recipients of the merit-based foundation fellows and presidential scholars) have stayed at UGA for our Top 30 Law School, our Top 30 Business School, and our Top 10 Education Grad Program... students who graduate from these programs are most likely to stay in Georgia after graduation.

But back to the subject... I don't think that HOPE has anything to do with the stereotype that sorority girls at UGA are obsessed with brand names any more than I think Bright Futures has anything to do with the same stereotype at UF. These stereotypes have existed since before I moved to the south, since before these scholarships existed. Honestly, I think it is a general stereotype of the south versus the north... I don't think you would see a fraternity at BU having an "Old South" ball of the extravangance of KA at UGA, nor have I ever seen a Greek house up north of the size of the ones at UGA. So now that everyone understands what HOPE is and that it has nothing to do with stereotypes about the entire southeast, why do we think these stereotypes exist?

Old Money
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Old money refers to families who have been wealthy for several generations, as a term distinguishing them from the nouveau riche and parvenus."

In the South, and I am sure other parts as well (Philadelphia's Main Line as an example) 'Old Money' may include not only generations of it, but how and where the money was acquired. Some ways are, well, just gauche.

I got a 63% on the quiz. Wow. I thought that I was more of the tomboyish/plain jane type

I got 60%

You scored a 63% on the "How Sorority Girl Are You?" Quizie!
23206 people had a score lower than yours

12940 people had a score higher than yours

801 people had a score the same as yours