Paying for College

Sullivan East High School

Junior / Senior Year Timeline

• TN Promise (TSAC student Portal); FAFSA (StudentAid.gov)

Summer break / college visits

April 1, 2026 TN Promise opened

College exploration continues

August 2026

Senior year begins

Check ACT / GPA-align with college choice. RETAKE ACT

Begin applying to colleges

Apply for college scholarships

Oct. 1 FAFSA opens

Nov. 1, 2026 TN Promise Deadline

Secure college housing if needed

Fall Term

Direct Admissions application

Sept.

1^st Direct Admissions letters go out

April 1

Priority

FAFSA

Deadline

TN Promise and TSAA

Spring Term

Field communication from colleges

Finalize college budget

College decision; schedule orientation and registration

GRADUATE

TN Promise

• Now opens April 1 of Junior Year
• Is the application to participate in Direct Admissions
• Promise pays full tuition for up to an Associates Degree; Community College or TCAT
• Students must complete all the benchmarks before the deadlines
• Application – Nov. 1
• FAFSA – April 1
• Mandatory Meeting-date designated by partnering Organization (Ayers or Achieves)
• Community Service – Aug. 1
• Maintain 2.0 college GPA
• DOES NOT cover first two years of a four-year college or university
• NOT based on need or merit; all TN students can apply

TN HOPE

• Merit based scholarship awarded for five years
• Requires 21+ ACT composite or 3.0+ unweighted GPA
• Has two supplemental scholarships;
• GAMS-requires 3.75 unweighted GPA AND 29 ACT composite
• ASPIRE-requires student to be both HOPE eligible and PELL eligible

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• Can be used to help fund an advanced degree since it is awarded for 5 years.

Direct Admissions Year 2

• Expanding Direct Admissions to all state aid eligible high school seniors in the class of 2027. (Including private and home schoolers)
• Eligible high school students will be admitted to in-state postsecondary institutions based on their high school academic achievements.
• Students will be presented institutional merit-based aid and up-front state-supported financial aid information as early as mid September.

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Direct Admissions

• TN Promise application IS the application for Direct Admission
• Provisional acceptance to participating colleges based on 11^th grade academic record
• NO commitment-just information
• Complete the Promise application as soon as it opens to get acceptance AND financial aid info by Sept. of senior year.
• Select colleges via the THEC student portal

Dual Enrollment

• TCAT Dual Enrollment
• Students eligible beginning 9^th grade with permitting program
• State pays tuition and fees for 1296 clock hours-the equivalent of a certification program
• Must maintain a 2.0 TCAT GPA
• 2/4 year Dual Enrollment
• Students eligible beginning 11^th grade
• State pays tuition and fees for 5 classes then subsidizes an additional 5 at $100 per credit hour
• Must maintain a 2.0 college GPA
• Students can Dual Enroll at multiple institutions simultaneously

Middle College Scholarship

• Students MUST begin Junior Year
• Enroll as a full time student at the partnering community college
• Loss of scholarship students can revert back to Dual Enrollment
• Funded by the Tennessee Education Lottery System at $2000 per semester. Balance is student/family responsibility.
• Knowing your future program of study is critical to a seamless transition.

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Rules for use of State Funds

• Continuous enrollment
• Satisfactory academic progress
• Meet College GPA requirements (varies by scholarship)
• Courses within the student’s program of study ONLY

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ALWAYS REVIEW THE RECEIVING COLLEGE’S ACADEMIC PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR FRESHMAN YEAR BEFORE CHOOSING COURSES OR VISIT TN TRANSFER PATHWAYS TO ALIGN ANY TRANSFER CREDITS INCLUDING DUAL ENROLLMENT.

TN Transfer Pathway | From Here to Career

Thank You!

8/24/26