Scholarship, Aid Deadlines For High School Seniors Announced

From the Metro Nashville Public Schools:

October 16, 2020

Tennessee Promise Scholarship Deadline is Nov. 2

MNPS seniors have just two more weeks to apply for the Tennessee Promise scholarship, which will provide two years of tuition-free attendance at a community or technical college in Tennessee.

The free application, which is due Monday, November 2, takes less than 15 minutes to complete, and all seniors are encouraged to apply. Even if you think you’re not interested, you can keep your options open in uncertain times by filling out a Tennessee Promise application.

Tennessee Promise is a last-dollar scholarship, meaning it will cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees not met by the Pell grant, Tennessee HOPE Scholarship or Tennessee Student Assistance Award. As part of the program, students will be paired with a partnering organization and provided a mentor, who will support them during the college application process.

Be sure to watch the short video on creating your student portal account before you apply.

FAFSA Deadline is February 1

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is also now available, and seniors should plan to complete it by February 1 to maintain their Tennessee Promise eligibility. The FAFSA is the main college financial aid application that students must complete to determine state and federal grant qualification and/or university scholarships.

Students must be U.S. citizens or legal residents with a visa or Social Security Number to be eligible for federal student aid as well as Tennessee Promise and the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship.

Students and parents will use 2019 tax information to complete the FAFSA and should do so as soon as possible, because some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you need support, these resources are available:

• Federal financial aid hotline: 1-800-433-3243.
• You can also call the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) hotline for support at 1-800-342-1633.

TN Achieves is also available to help: https://tnachieves.org/about-us/contact/

Finish school strong for HOPE; Seniors can take the ACT October 20

A completed FAFSA is required for the state’s HOPE Scholarship, which also requires a 3.0 GPA or an ACT score of 21. Both seniors and juniors should stay focused on finishing high school strong to qualify for HOPE, which can help cover the cost of one of Tennessee’s public colleges or universities or eligible private institutions.

Seniors can take the ACT for free at all MNPS high schools on Tuesday, October 20. (Future test dates for juniors are to be determined.) Let your school know immediately that you plan to take the test if you haven’t done so already. Plan to be there by 7 a.m., wear a mask and practice social distancing. Free breakfast will be offered.

State Board of Education policy requires that a student complete either the ACT or SAT exam to graduate with a regular high school diploma.

If you are a student who already requested bus service to the test, check this map for the bus stop closest to you.

Class of 2021 Resources

Class of 2021, bookmark the Seniors webpage for information you need to get ready for graduation and career ready. There’s a simple checklist with deadlines and links, information for first-generation and Latinx students, and scholarship and financial aid information. And, as always, if you have questions remember to ask your school counselor.

This press release was produced by the Metro Nashville Public Schools. The views expressed are the author's own.