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Tennessee Promise is a scholarship and mentorship program, providing an opportunity to attend community college (such as Pellissippi State or Roane State) or a technical college (such as TCAT Knoxville) FREE of tuition and mandatory fees. It is a “last-dollar” scholarship, meaning that it covers tuition and fees not covered by the Pell grant, the HOPE scholarship, or TSAA funds. If your student is not HOPE eligible (3.0 unweighted GPA by the time they graduate OR a 21 composite score on the ACT) -- the Tennessee Promise scholarship will make up the difference. The deadline to apply is November 1.
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Students often tell me, “I’m going to use Tennessee Promise to go to community college for a year while I figure things out, and then I’ll transfer to a four-year.” Be careful with this approach, as you may lose out on transfer scholarships, which usually require an A.S. or A.A. degree from a community college for eligible students. Check out TNTransferPathway.org for transfer pathways between community colleges and colleges and universities.
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To maintain eligibility for TN Promise, you’ll have to complete the FAFSA each year (StudentAid.gov) as well as eight hours of community service each semester. You will track this through your TN Achieves account (go to TNAchieves.org to learn more).
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The TN Achieves website is filled with great resources for students and parents. I suggest you check out the student and parent handbooks, as well as help with completing the FAFSA, and community resources. You’ll be receiving emails from TN Achieves often -- they are here to assist you with the process.
Good luck, and congratulations as you plan for your next steps!
Anna Graham is a School Counselor for College & Career at Hardin Valley Academy.