58 percent using Millennium Scholarship

Jennifer Knight

Thursday, Jan. 24, 2002 | 8:46 a.m.

About 58 percent of the high school students who qualify for Millennium Scholarships are taking advantage of the program, according to figures released Wednesday.

Of the 4,543 students who received scholarships in 2001, 949 lost them, program administrators say.

"We think this is a very common number because freshmen have trouble adjusting to their first year," said Susan Moore, executive director of the Millennium Scholarship Program.

The 58 percent figure is partly attributed to students attending college out-of-state, Moore said.

Also, students often don't claim scholarships because, for example, they go to work or enlist in the armed forces. The state gives those students eight years to claim their scholarships.

The state two years ago decided to use money from the tobacco settlement to give high school students who carry a B average or better $10,000 toward their college tuitions.

Students must maintain a 2.0 grade point average in four courses to retain the scholarship.

The numbers released Wednesday vary little from the program's inaugural year in 2000, during which 78 percent of students remained eligible for their scholarships. That hovers slightly above this year's 79 percent.

Last year 430 out of 1,450 Millennium scholars attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas lost their eligibility, said Pamela Hicks, UNLV's scholarship coordinator.

Less than one-third of the 900 scholarship students attending the Community College of Southern Nevada between fall 2000 and fall 2001 lost their eligibility.

Moore said that the scholarship program is still in its infancy, and administrators hope to learn more regarding the impact of the program through a study, beginning this fall, that will track students throughout their academic careers.

Initial results of the study will be released in 2003.