My journey to the HOPE Scholarship: From a 2.8 to a 3.7 GPA

[Georg]

Hey y'all! I'm a senior from a small town outside Atlanta, and I just got my acceptance letter to UGA with the HOPE Scholarship! I'm literally crying happy tears as I type this, because two years ago, this felt impossible.

Let me be real with you: my sophomore year was ROUGH. I was dealing with family stuff, working part-time, and my grades slipped to a 2.8 GPA. I remember sitting in my counselor's office, and she gently explained that I was nowhere near the 3.0 required for HOPE. I felt like such a failure.

But here's the thing—I decided I wasn't giving up. I researched everything about the Georgia scholarship requirements and learned that HOPE uses your calculated GPA based on specific core courses, not just your overall average . That gave me hope (pun intended!). I mapped out exactly which classes I needed to ace, got a tutor for math, and started grinding.

Junior year, I pulled a 3.8. Senior year first semester, 4.0. When my final HOPE GPA came back at 3.7, I SOBBED. My counselor cried with me!

For anyone stressing about HOPE eligibility: check your calculated GPA on GAfutures.org—it might be different than you think! Also, remember you can gain eligibility after 30 college credit hours even if you don't qualify out of high school . There are multiple paths!

To everyone working toward a Georgia scholarship: keep going. It's worth it. I'm heading to Athens in the fall with tuition covered, and I still can't believe it. Any other HOPE recipients out there? Let's connect!

 

[LeylaFart]

I'm sitting in the Zell Miller Scholarship section of the UGA library right now, literally crying into my laptop. Welcome to the family, future Dawg.

Your story hits so close to home. My junior year was a mess—divorcing parents, working 30 hours a week, GPA tanked to 2.7. I remember sitting in my car after getting my report card and just... sitting there. Feeling like I'd ruined everything before it even started.

Then my guidance counselor told me about the HOPE calculated GPA . She literally printed out my transcript and highlighted the 17 courses that count . Turns out my core GPA was 3.1 even though my overall was garbage. I SOBBED.

I worked my ass off senior year, got it up to 3.4, and here I am—five years later, about to start my master's, debt-free thanks to HOPE and Zell.

The thing people don't say enough: HOPE isn't just free money. It's a lifeline. It's the difference between graduating with crippling debt or graduating free to choose the career you actually want. For me, that meant staying in Georgia, working in public health, giving back to the community that invested in me.

Georg, you're gonna love Athens. The libraries are open 24/7, the football games are religious experiences, and the sense of community is real. Find me at Tate if you ever need a study buddy or a pep talk.