NYS Excelsior Scholarship Program could be impacted by a loss of state revenue

The state is facing a $61 billion deficit over four years, and said with the absence of federal funding for the New York State Excelsior Scholarship Program, awards may have to be reduced.

COLLEGE STUDENTSWHO WERE COUNTINGON A HELPING HANDMIGHT BE GETTINGTHE COLD SHOULDER.GILAT MELAMEDLOOKS AT THE EFFECTCOVID-19 IS HAVINGON ACCESS TOHIGHER EDUCATION.COLIN GALLO ISGETTING READY FORFRESHMAN YEAR ATBUFFALO STATE.THE INCOMINGHONORS PROGRAMSTUDENT ANDFORENSIC SCIENCEMAJOR HAS BEENDREAMING OFCOLLEGE SINCE HEWAS 10 YEARS OLD."THE EXCELSIORPROGRAM WASALMOST LIKE A BOOSTLIKE YES HE CAN DOTHIS, THIS ISAWESOME.BUT THE FUTURE OFTHE FINANCIAL AIDPROGRAM ISUNCERTAIN."AND NOW ITS JUSTLIKE A KICK IN THEGUT."HIS MOTHERSTEPHANIE ROUTINELYCHECKS THE STATE'SWEBSITE.

FOR THEFALL OF 2020EXCELSIORAPPLICATION.THE STATESCHOLARSHIPALLOWS NEWYORKERS FROMHOUSEHOLDS MAKINGLESS THAN $125,000TO GO TO SUNY ANDCUNY SCHOOLS FORFREE.

IF THEYFOLLOW CERTAINGUIDELINES."THIS WAS WHAT WEWERE COUNTING ON."GALLO SAYS THEYSAW THIS MESSAGEFOR THE FIRST TIMELAST WEEK."EXCELSIORSCHOLARSHIPAWARDS MAY HAVE TOBE REDUCED AND/ORPRIORITIZED FORCURRENT RECIPIENTSAS PROVIDED FORUNDER THEPROGRAM.""HE WAS THE ONEPANICKING, HE WAS, ICAN'T GO TO SCHOOL.HE WAS SO AFRAIDTHAT HE CANNOT GOTO SCHOOL."A SPOKESPERSONFOR THE STATE SAYSTHE APPLICATION WILLOPEN SOON.THEY SAY THE STATEIS FACING ADEVASTATINGREVENUE LOSS.

$61BILLION OVER FOURYEARS..

SAYINGQUOTE WITH THEABSENCE OF FEDERALFUNDING FOR NEWYORK STATE, AWARDSMAY HAVE TO BEREDUCED.ACCORDING TO THESTATE'S HIGHER EDWEBSITE THEPROCESSING OF NEWAPPLICATIONS PENDSON FEDERALASSISTANCE.WITH THE SEMESTERSIX WEEKS AWAY THEGALLO'S WANTANSWERS NOW."IT MIGHT LIMIT HOWLONG HE GOES TOSCHOOL FOR.

HE MAYONLY BE ABLE TO GET ABACHELORS DEGREEWAIT A FEW YEARS PAYTHAT DOWN AND GOBACK AND GET AMASTERS."COVID-19 AFFECTINGSTATE REVENUE.AND POTENTIALLYCOLLEGE AID.FOR THE 2020 HIGHSCHOOL SENIORSWHO'VE HAD ANUNPRECEDENTEDYEAR."AND THEN GOING TOCOLLEGE.

THISWOULD BE A DIFFICULTTIME BECAUSE YOUDON'T KNOW WHAT'SGONNA HAPPEN."GILAT MELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.