The Georgia Legislature recently changed the requirements for the Zell Miller Scholarship. Along with a 3.7 GPA, the student must score a 1200 on the SAT or a 26 for the composite ACT score. However, many colleges calculate the SAT based on the best of the math and critical reading scores from multiple SAT attempts. How is the SAT score calculation for Zell Miller Scholarship determined?
According to the regulations from the Georgia Student Finance Commission dated July 1st, 2013, the first tier Zell Miller Scholarship Regulations are:
1. Graduate from an Eligible High School as the Valedictorian or the Salutatorian; or
2. Graduate from an Eligible High School with a minimum of a 3.70 Cumulative Grade Point Average on a 4.00 scale as calculated by GSFC for Zell Miller and HOPE Scholarship purposes; and
a) Receive a composite scale score of 26 on a single administration of the ACT on a test administration by the time of high school graduation; or
b) Receive a minimum score of 1200 combined critical reading and math on a single National Administration of the SAT on a test administration by the time of high school graduation.
The key requirement is “single administration” and “National administration”. The definition of “National Administration” is:
“National Administration” means an administration of the SAT by the College Board on one of the regularly scheduled dates that it is administered in the United States or internationally. An administration of the SAT through the College Board’s SAT On-Campus Program is not considered to be a National Administration for purposes of these regulations.
The GSFC also defines academic eligibility of the Zell Miller Scholarship as:
“Academically Eligible” means the student entered an Eligible Postsecondary Institution in 2007 or later as a freshman with a high school Grade Point Average of 3.70 or higher as calculated by GSFC, and received a minimum score of 1200 combined critical reading and math on a single National Administration of the SAT on a test administration by the time of high school graduation; or received a composite scale score of 26 on a single administration of the ACT on a test administration by the time of high school graduation; or having graduated high
school being named the Valedictorian or the Salutatorian.
So, it is clear that the SAT Score Calculation for Zell Miller Scholarship is based on the combined math and critical reading scores from a single attempt at the SAT and not from the best math and critical reading scores from multiple SAT attempts.
