Displaying items by tag: College
The shaky economy and sickly housing market have prompted some parents to engage in risky financial behavior: raiding their retirement savings to pay their children's college tuition.
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Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville), House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga) and Rep. Jim Coley (R-Bartlett) sponsored the legislation that passed the Senate in a vote of 27 to 1 and the House 96 to 0.
The legislation impacts HOPE scholarship recipients that enrolled in the fall of 2009 or later.
The lottery scholarship bill is part of Haslam’s strategic legislative package focused on making the state the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs through meaningful education reform and improvements to Tennessee’s already attractive business climate.The 2010 edition of the best day in college sports turned into arguably the greatest opening day in NCAA tournament history.
And it was a day that left many college basketball fans, including President Barack Obama, second-guessing their brackets.
The opening day of the NCAA tournament started Thursday with two games ending in overtime -- one going into double-overtime and the other involving a No. 15 seed -- and another game being decided by one point.
Just when it seemed the day could not get any better, a No. 13 seed stunned a No. 4 on a buzzer-beater and a No. 3 seed had to fight like mad to hold off a No. 14.
Unbelievably, Thursday's nightcap was even better than the day's earlier games. A No. 14 seed actually knocked off a No. 3 and three more games were won on last-second shots, including yet another one decided in overtime.
By the time No. 3-seeded New Mexico held off No. 14-seeded Montana 62-57 early Friday morning on the East Coast, the carnage of the tournament's first 13 hours left researchers scrambling for the record books. Seven lower-seeded teams won games Thursday, including five double-digits seeds, the most on the opening day of the tournament since 1991.
And for those who think there's not enough parity in college basketball, consider this: eight of the 16 games were decided in OT or by a 3 points or less (that hadn't happened on the first day since the field expanded in 1985), 11 of the 16 were decided by single-digits and three games went to overtime.
How much of a difference is eight out of 16 being decided in OT or by 3 points or less? Consider this: There were a grand total of nine of those games in the entire 2009 tournament.
Only four teams ran away with victories on Thursday, and even No. 1 overall seed Kansas had its problems with No. 16-seeded Lehigh before pulling away with a 90-74 victory.
Indeed, madness finally returned to March on Thursday and it seemed like no team was safe, regardless of its lofty seeding or rich pedigree.
"I think it reflects the magic of March," Old Dominion coach Blaine Taylor told reporters, after the Monarchs won their first NCAA tournament game since 1995.
Like upsets? Thursday's action provided seven games won by lower seeds:
• No. 14 seed Ohio stunned No. 3 seed Georgetown 97-83 in a rout that wasn't even that close.
• No. 13 seed Murray State upset No. 4 seed Vanderbilt 66-65 on a shot as time expired.
• No. 11 seed Washington beat No. 6 seed Marquette 80-78 on a shot with 1.7 seconds left.
• No. 11 seed Old Dominion upset No. 6 seed Notre Dame 51-50 in a game that was as slow as the score indicates.
• No. 10 seed Saint Mary's knocked off No. 7 seed (and trendy sleeper) Richmond 80-71, winning its first NCAA tournament game since 1959.
• No. 9 seed Northern Iowa defeated No. 8 seed UNLV 69-66 on a 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds to play.
• No. 9 seed Wake Forest ralllied from eight down in OT to beat No. 8 seed Texas 81-80 on a 14-foot jumper with 1.3 seconds left.
Surprisingly, a Big East membership card was the only thing that carried less weight than a higher seed on Thursday. The Big East was hailed as the country's best conference throughout the season and half of its 16 teams litter the NCAA bracket. But when the dust settled Thursday, Big East teams went 1-3 against double-digit seeds. Georgetown, Marquette and Notre Dame each went one-and-done, and No. 2 seed Villanova came within only a few points of joining them.
The Wildcats rallied from an eight-point deficit to No. 15 seed Robert Morris in the final 4:19 of regulation and won 73-70 in overtime in a South Region game in Providence, R.I. Villanova narrowly avoided becoming the first No. 2 seed to lose in the first round since 2001. The Wildcats play Saint Mary's in the second round on Saturday.
The Hoyas were not nearly as fortunate. Georgetown played for the Big East tournament championship only five days ago, but it was defenseless against the No. 9 seed in the Mid-American Conference tourney in its NCAA first-round game. Ohio, which had to win four consecutive games to earn the MAC's automatic NCAA bid, led the Hoyas by 12 points at the half and never looked back. The Bobcats led by as many as 19 in the second half and handed the Hoyas the most lopsided ever by a 3 against a 14.
Ohio shot a whopping 58.2 percent from the floor, making 13 of 23 3-pointers, and its 97 points were the most allowed by a top-three seed since the NCAA field expanded in 1985.
"We really thought we could make some noise in this tournament," Hoyas guard Austin Freeman told reporters Thursday night. "We really didn't imagine we would be one-and-done."
Vanderbilt, UNLV, Marquette and Texas probably believed they would stick around for more than one day, too, but each of them was the victim of an underdog's improbable buzzer-beater:
• Murray State trailed Vanderbilt 65-64 when it called timeout with four seconds left. Racers forward Danero Thomas was the third option on coach Billy Kennedy's game-winning play, but the senior from New Orleans sank a fade-away jumper from 15 feet to upset the Commodores in a West Region first-round game in San Jose, Calif. It was Murray State's first victory in the NCAA tournament since 1988 and it advanced to play No. 5 seed Butler in Saturday's second round.
"We'll remember this for the rest of our lives," Murray State guard B.J. Jenkins told reporters after the game.
• Northern Iowa fans will never forget Ali Farokhmanesh's 3-pointer, either. The Panthers were tied 66-66 with UNLV when Farokhmanesh let his winning 3-pointer fly from the left wing with 4.9 seconds to play. Northern Iowa's victory in its first-round game in the Midwest Region in Oklahoma City ended its 20-year drought in the NCAA tourney. The Panthers went one-and-done in each of their last four NCAA appearances, but moved on to face No. 1 seed Kansas on Saturday.
• Washington might not have made the NCAA's 65-team field if it hadn't won last week's Pac-10 tournament in Los Angeles. But the 11th-seeded Huskies carried the Pac-10's battered flag proudly on Thursday night, knocking off red-hot Marquette in an East Region first-round game in San Jose. Washington rallied from a 15-point deficit and won on Quincy Pondexter's off-balance bank shot with 1.7 seconds to play. The Huskies advanced to play No. 3 seed New Mexico on Saturday.
• Some people did not believe Wake Forest deserved an NCAA at-large bid after it lost five of its last six games, but the Demon Deacons never lost hope, even after they trailed Texas by eight points with less than three minutes to play in overtime. Ari Stewart pulled Wake to within 80-79 with a 3-pointer with 15.9 seconds left, and Ishmael Smith won it with a jumper with 1.3 seconds left in an East Region first-round game in New Orleans. The Demon Deacons play No. 1 seed Kentucky on Saturday.
While the NCAA tournament said good-bye to five of its former national champions on Thursday (Florida, Georgetown, Marquette, UTEP and UNLV), the sport was introduced to several new stars. BYU's Jimmer Fredette scored 37 points in the Cougars 99-92 double-OT victory over the Gators in a West Region first-round game in Oklahoma City. Fredette scored 29 points in the second half, helping BYU win an NCAA first-round game for the first time since in 17 years.
Ohio guard Armon Bassett was nearly as spectacular in the upset of Georgetown, scoring 32 points and making five 3-pointers. Saint Mary's center Omar Samhan was a one-man wrecking crew in the Gaels' surprising win over Richmond, scoring 29 points on 11-for-16 shooting and pulling down 12 rebounds.
What could Friday's action possibly bring? If we're lucky it will be an encore of Thursday. At least three double-digit seeds look to be plenty competitive. No. 12-seeded Cornell, the Ivy League champion, plays 5th-seeded Temple in a East Region first-round game in Jacksonville, Fla.
South Region first-round games in Spokane, Wash., might be primed for upsets, too. No. 13 Siena takes on wounded No. 4 seed Purdue and No. 12 Utah State will try to knock off No. 5 seed Texas A&M.
Of course, if Thursday was any indication, Big East teams can't be comfortable on Friday. Four more of them are in action, including regular-season champion Syracuse, the No. 1 seed in the West. The Orange play 16th-seeded Vermont in Buffalo, N.Y.
Of course, most college basketball fans remember what happened the last time the Orange and Catamounts met.
Have you ever heard of T.J. Sorrentine?
Few of us have funds set aside for this endeavor. In addition, the College Board's annual "Trends in College Pricing" reports a rise in tuition costs at public and private institutions for the 2009-2010 school year. According to the report, annual tuition and fees at private four-year colleges rose 4.4 percent to $26,273, and public university costs rose 6.5 percent to $7,020.
Prospective students often don't know where to start. But take heart; Darlene Violet, director of Financial Aid at Brown Mackie College - Akron, Ohio, offers advice on funding your education. "The U.S. Department of Education distributes $96 billion a year in grants, work-study assistance, and low-interest loans," Violet says. "Every student begins the process of seeking financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, known as the 'FAFSA.'" Information submitted on the FAFSA form determines the amount a student may receive through a federal Pell Grant, which is based on financial need. The recent economic stimulus program increased Pell Grant funds by $500 per student. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
Beyond completing the FAFSA, many turn next to student loans. "An education is always a good investment," says Violet, "but many people don't realize the loans must be paid back starting six months after leaving school. I advise students to seek out and apply for scholarships." Wide varieties of organizations offer scholarships, from fraternities and sororities to community groups, foundations, and corporations. Winning candidates receive funds based on a vast spectrum of criteria, including ethnicity and cultural heritage. "Students just don't take the time to find them," Violet continued. "It can be a lot of work."
The Scholarship Committee at Brown Mackie College - Akron hired a group of honor students to help others navigate through the many scholarships available, complete the application forms, and provide feedback on essays written for submission. "This allows students the security to delve deeper into the scholarship world. It's well worth it," Violet says.
Scholarship awards can be as important to the educational institution as they are to the student. Federal guidelines, known as the 90-10 rule, mandate that no more than 90 percent of the funds received by a college can come from Federal loans and grants. A minimum of 10 percent must come from outside sources, including scholarships, private loans, and the students' own financial contributions.
Violet recommends checking additional resources as well. "Many employers will pay or reimburse tuition expenses, sometimes even for immediate family members. And the Veteran's Administration offers benefits to those who have served our country," she says. The Workforce Investment Act offers grants to those who qualify, and many churches offer scholarship opportunities. In addition, the Orphan Foundation of America offers scholarships to students who are wards of the state.
Further savings can come in the form of a temporary tax credit. The American Opportunity Tax Credit, included in the economic stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama, can be worth as much as $2,500. People who earn $80,000 or less a year (or $160,000 or less for joint filers) can claim this credit on money paid for tuition, certain fees and course materials for higher education in 2009 and 2010. For complete details, visit www.irs.gov.
Once a student enters college, Violet advises making other financial considerations:
Ride public transportation. In addition to saving on fuel and parking fees, public transportation provides time for students to get a head start on assigned reading and homework.
Avoid credit card offers. However tempting the offer seems, credit cards charge interest on purchases and impose fees for late payments.
Work while attending classes. Many students work full- or part-time while earning their degrees. The federal work-study program helps eligible students find employment on campus.
"Taking the time to apply for scholarship funds is a step that can help now while they're in school, and in the future when no bill comes due," Violet says.
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