Plan B Forum

If the President were serious about helping “Higher Education” in this country, he might propose something like this:

A sufficient portion of the Federal money that is now granted and loaned to college students (see below) will be diverted into the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program, as follows:

The U.S. Federal Government will sponsor a number of full scholarships (tuition, fees, books, room & board) equal to five percent (5%) of the number of 17-year-olds in the population on July 31 of any given year. The scholarships will be $25,000 per year for four years (adjusted annually per CPI), and paid directly to the schools. Schools will be required to accept this amount in full payment, or they will forfeit any and all Federal money for the year (tuition assistance, loans, grants, contracts, etc. All means ALL). Students must remain in good standing each year to keep the grants alive for the following year. They will be fully integrated into the student population, and not segregated into separate classes, dorms, or otherwise. The scholarship may be used at any accredited college or university in the U.S., and progress must be made toward a bachelors and/or masters degree. Five (5) colleges must be identified by the student on the day of the exam, and no college may reject a Presidential Merit Scholar unless they would constitute more than 25% of the incoming freshman class (Ivy League schools would be overwhelmed). Students must accept the scholarship at any of their named colleges.

The tests will be developed and administered by a private firm, either ETS or another equally qualified firm. The subject matter will be published a year in advance, but specific questions will not be published either before or after the tests. Tests will be given in mid-August, over a two-day period, to allow students to spend the summer in preparation. Public schools will have no role in preparation for, or administration of, the tests (although some local school buildings will undoubtedly be used for the testing). Scores will be strictly confidential between the testing agency and the student, but the students will be able, if they choose to, to disclose verifiable scores to colleges, employers, and military recruiters. Colleges will only be told that the applicant is or is not a Presidential Merit Scholar. No college may require disclosure of test scores from those who do not qualify for a PMS.
Students may take the test ONE TIME and only one time, at any time before their 20th birthday. The scholarship will take effect the year AFTER taking the test (i.e., should best be taken the August before the student’s senior year in HS). To avoid students taking a dive during their Senior year, test results will not be announced to the students until March 1 of the following year. Colleges will be notified with numbers only (not student names) as soon as practicable after administration of the tests.

The scholarships will be awarded strictly on merit, based on the students’ total scores on any four of the following eight quantitative exams (students choose which four to take):

1. American History and Civics
2. World History and Geography
3. Reading comprehension and vocabulary
4. English composition (this CAN be measured quantitatively)
5. Chemistry and Physics
6. Spanish (must be taken along with 2 and 3)
7. Biology
8. Mathematics and Computer Science

No high school grades, teacher recommendations, or other outside factors will be considered. Certain disqualification criteria will be established (e.g., felony conviction). There will be no set-asides, no “diversity” goals or quotas of any kind. Test results will stand on their own. Elaborate “tie-breakers” will be established to separate the students on the margins.

At today’s population levels this would provide scholarships for a little fewer than 220 thousand students per year, or 880 thousand at any one time. About $20B per year?

It would definitely be worth it, to guarantee every top student in American a free college scholarship. Just like in Europe.

The biggest practical difficulties I can think of would revolve around the fact that the students would be applying for colleges in parallel with this, and the colleges would have to make allowances for possible PMS scholars being forced on them. But the majority of colleges wouldn't get any, as the PMS Scholars would all be shooting for the most reputable colleges in the land.

As with all great ideas, it is simple, but would be difficult. the NAACP would have a collective coronary.

The biggest practical difficulty I can think of is that only about eighty-seven students would qualify. (This is the USA you speak of, right?).

It does have the virtue of not costing very much to the taxpayer.

While I don't see a problem with implementing this, it does nothing to remedy the real problem. A college education costs too much. All solutions being talked about involve getting more money into the hands of students rather than curbing the exponentially rising college costs.

Money is not free. Loans need to be repaid. Scholorships are funded from someone elses money (taxpayers, private donations, etc).

dgs49 wrote:Public schools will have no role in preparation for, or administration of, the tests (although some local school buildings will undoubtedly be used for the testing).

So private schools can have roles in preparation for, or administration of, the tests? Only public schools are barred?

Your ideological slip is showing ....