Tennessee Promise deadline approaches

The application deadline for the new Tennessee Promise scholarship program is quickly approaching on November 1, and the state of Tennessee wants to make sure no high school senior is left out.

"Every high school senior in the state of Tennessee who wants the opportunity to attend a community or technical college tuition-free, should sign up right now," said Mike Krause, Executive Director of the Governor's Drive to 55 Initiative and Tennessee Promise program. "The deadline for all applications is November 1, and we want to be sure all students and their parents take advantage of this potentially game-changing opportunity to help pay for college."

Beginning with the Class of 2015, Tennessee Promise is both a scholarship and mentoring program to help more high school seniors across the state and their families pay for college. It offers students a last-dollar scholarship, meaning the scholarship will cover tuition and fees not covered by a Pell grant, the HOPE scholarship, or TSAA funds.

Students may use the scholarship at any of the state's 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology, or other eligible institution offering an associate's degree program. In exchange, Tennessee Promise participants must complete eight hours of community service during each term enrolled, and maintain satisfactory academic progress (2.0 GPA) at their institution.

More than 34,000 Tennessee Promise applications had been received by the state thru early October, with 300 more applications coming in on average each day.

While removing the financial burden is key, a critical component of Tennessee Promise is the individual guidance each participant will receive from a mentor who will assist the student as he or she navigates the college admissions process.

To apply for the Tennessee Promise, seniors should visit www.TNPromise.gov before November 1. Adults who would like to volunteer as mentors to assist the students should also apply by November 1 at www.TNPromise.gov.