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New Federal
Grants ~ ACG & SMART |
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Two new federal grants are available to
undergraduate students beginning this fall. The Academic Competitiveness
Grant (ACG) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
(SMART) Grant were both created by the Higher Education Reconciliation Act
of 2005. The ACG encourages students to take more challenging courses in
high school, while the SMART grant encourages students to pursue college
majors in high demand globally. Applicants must be full-time students (12
or more credits) pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree, U.S. citizens
and Pell Grant recipients. The ACG provides a $750 first-year award (for students who graduated from high school after Jan. 1, 2006, and who have not previously enrolled in college as a degree-seeking student) and a $1,300 second-year award (for students who graduated after Jan. 1, 2005). Applicants must have completed a rigorous high school program, with passing grades. The Idaho College Admission Core is recognized as a rigorous program of study. Second-year recipients must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. The SMART grant provides $4,000 per year for up to two years, and is open to third- and fourth-year students enrolled in a four-year degree program in specific subject areas who have maintained a cumulative 3.0 grade point average. Eligible subjects include mathematics, computer science, many engineering majors and the hard sciences. A student’s year in school is equivalent to blocks of 30 credits, so, for example, a student would be considered a second-year student after completing 30 credits. Likewise, a student with more than 120 credits would no longer be eligible for a SMART grant. Boise State has currently identified 277 students eligible for the ACG and 59 eligible for the SMART grant. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will disburse the first semester awards beginning Sept. 5. |
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Majors eligible for SMART Grant:
9.1.06 |