MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Students who applied for the Tennessee Promise last fall must complete their FAFSA by Sunday.
The deadline to apply for Tennessee Promise was November 1, but there is another important step in the process.
FAFSA is the application process for federal financial aid. It asks questions about family income and other information.
The state wants to make sure students receive the financial aid for which they are eligible, before paying for the two years Tennessee Promise provides them.
Shelby County Schools confirms 83 percent of high school seniors applied for Tennessee Promise. As of the end of January, only about 39 percent of seniors had completed their FAFSA.
“We’re giving that feedback to the schools, so that they can make that last ditch effort to reach those seniors who have not applied at this point,” Dr. Randy McPherson with SCS Student Behavior and Leadership said.
SCS said it has encouraged all high school seniors to keep up with the Tennessee Promise deadlines, so that students have the option of attending two years of technical school or community college for free.
“We want to make sure that you have plans, number one. And number two, that you’ve got a backup plan, just in case circumstances change, or they change their mind about what they’d like to do,” Dr. McPherson said.
WREG spoke with senior Norman Harris at East High School. His entire senior class has applied for Tennessee Promise. Harris recently did his FAFSA, too.
“I actually did FAFSA the moment it opened up. I wanted to make sure I was one of the first ones in line,” Harris said. He wants to go to medical school, so he will probably wind up at a four-year-university. Still, Harris said he wants to have a safety net.
February 15 is the FAFSA deadline for students who want to pursue the Tennessee Promise. Other students may complete their FAFSA at a later date.
Shelby County Schools is aiming to have 75 percent of its seniors fill out FAFSA forms. Sixty-five percent of SCS seniors did so in 2014.
Under Tennessee Promise, students must attend meetings and have a mentor. They must also complete a community service requirement.