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• Scholarships – free money awarded on the basis of merit, skill, or unique characteristic

• Grants – free money based on need

• Loans – money borrowed that must be paid back (LAST RESORT!!!)

DO NOT PAY TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS OR ATTEND A PRESENTATION GUARANTEEING FREE SCHOLARSHIPS!

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Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation F

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• Federal government (Pell Grant, Stafford Loans, etc.)

– www.studentaid.ed.gov

• State (TN Student Assistance Award, HOPE, etc.)

– www.tn.gov/collegepays

• Colleges (Institutional Aid)

– Admissions, financial aid, academic departments

• Private sources (National/Local Scholarships)

– School counselor and wchswildcats.com

– www.fastweb.com

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• Process begins NOW!!!

– Retake ACT/SAT

– School counselor

– Visit scholarship websites

• Attend a college fair

• Be cognizant of deadlines, apply EARLY, and apply for as many scholarships as you can!!!

• DO NOT FEAR ESSAYS!!!

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ACT TEST DATE REGISTRATION

DEADLINE LATE FEE DEADLINE

PHOTO UPLOAD DEADLINE

December 12, 2015

November 6, 2015

November 20, 2015

December 4, 2015

February 6, 2016

January 8, 2016

January 15, 2016

January 29, 2016

April 9, 2016

March 4, 2016

March 18, 2016

April 1, 2016

June 11, 2016

May 6, 2016

June 3, 2016

June 3, 2016

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www.actstudent.org

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• Tennessee Technology Center(s)

– NOW!!!

• University of Tennessee – Knoxville

– November 1

• Middle Tennessee State University

– December 1

• University of Tennessee – Martin

– February 1

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Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation FA

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College Pays . . . We Can Get You There.

• 2016-17 FAFSA on the Web

– Available January 1, 2016

– www.fafsa.gov (VERY IMPORTANT!)

– Priority deadline is as soon as possible after January 1, 2016 and before February 15, 2016!

• Please make an appointment with Sarabeth Turman at WCHS or Debbie Brown at Board of Ed.

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College Pays . . . We Can Get You There.

• https://www.fsaid.ed.gov

• Obtain ID(s) before January 1, 2016 for student (and one parent)

• Please keep ID(s) to use in subsequent school years

• FAFSA will be available in the fall beginning next year so you can go ahead and complete with 2015 taxes and then update with 2016 later

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• Social Security Numbers, Last Names, and First Names

– Must match Social Security Card

• School Codes (Section 2)

– Enter four-year private schools first, then four-year public schools, and then two-year public schools

– Yes, provide additional information about your college enrollment plans

– Check work-study and loans and TEACH Grant if applicable

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• Parental information

– Parent refers to biological or adoptive parent ONLY

– In case of divorce or separation, give information about the parent you lived with most in the last 12 months; if 50/50, give information about the parent who provided you the most financial support

– If divorced parent has remarried, information about stepparent is required

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• Dependency questions

– If you can answer yes to any question, you are considered an INDEPENDENT student

– If you are considered independent, parent information not required; only the student would complete FAFSA

– If you have a special circumstance and cannot provide parental information, submit FAFSA with only your information and contact the financial aid office at the college(s) you plan to attend in order to complete the FAFSA; professional judgment

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• 2015 income information

– File taxes early and use 2015 income tax return or;

– Estimate using W-2 forms, previous year income tax return, or last pay stub

– If you estimate, update FAFSA with actual 2015 information once known; verification

• Please contact financial aid office at each college if there are special circumstances

– Student cannot obtain parent information

– Change in employment status; medical reasons

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Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation FA

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• Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA)

– $4,000 per year at eligible TN independent institutions; $2,000 per year at eligible four-year TN public institutions; $1,300 per year at eligible two-year TN public institutions; $1,000 per year at TN Technology Centers

– TN residents, U.S. citizens pursuing first degree and enrolled at least half-time

– EFC – 0 to 2100

– Submit FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1, 2016; Awards made until funds are depleted

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• HOPE Scholarship

– $1,750 ($2250 Jr/Sr) per year at eligible four-year TN institutions;

– $1,500 per semester at eligible two-year TN institutions

– TN residents achieving 21 ACT composite OR 980 SAT (Math + Critical Reading) OR final cumulative 3.0 GPA (Homeschool and non-category 1, 2 or 3 private high school requirements are different)

– An award letter from TSAC will be mailed as soon as eligibility is established in our system and the student’s FAFSA is clean

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• General Assembly Merit Scholarship*

– Up to $500 per semester merit-based supplement to HOPE

– 29 ACT composite/1280 SAT (Math + Critical Reading) AND final cumulative 3.75 GPA

• Aspire Award*

– Up to $250 per semester need-based supplement to HOPE

– Parents’ or independent student’s (and spouse’s) adjusted gross income must be $36,000 or less

* Students eligible for both supplements will receive Aspire Award ONLY 16

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• HOPE Access Grant

– $2,500 per year at eligible four-year TN institutions; $1,750 per year at eligible two-year TN institutions

– 18, 19 or 20 ACT composite/860-970 SAT (Math + Critical Reading) AND 2.75 - 2.99 final cumulative GPA AND parents’ or independent student’s (and spouse’s) adjusted gross income must be $36,000 or less on IRS tax form

– Nonrenewable after 24 attempted hours; however, may qualify for HOPE Scholarship thereafter

– Submit FAFSA

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Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation FA

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• Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant

– $2,000 per year at TN Technology Center (TTC)

– TN residents pursuing certificate or diploma program at TTC

– Students may be eligible for HOPE Scholarship IF initially HOPE eligible and enroll at an eligible TN postsecondary institution within three years of completing a TTC diploma program

– Submit FAFSA

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• Electronic communication

– Campus email

• Financial Aid Award Letter(s)

– Read carefully and ask questions

• Orientation

– Register for classes early

• As early as October 2016, begin reapplying for institutional aid

• In Fall 2016, complete 2017-18 FAFSA

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FALL SEMESTER

Apply to several colleges (admissions, institutional aid, etc)

Complete local/private scholarship applications

Obtain FSA IDs for student and parent to complete FAFSA

SPRING SEMESTER

Complete 2016-17 FAFSA available January 1, 2016

Continue completing local/private scholarship applications

Review college acceptances, compare financial aid packages, ask questions, and follow up as needed

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• Minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA after 24 and 48 attempted hours (Dual Enrollment hrs do not count)

• After attempting 72 (96, 120, etc.) hours, a student may retain the award by either

– Achieving at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA OR

– Achieving a cumulative GPA of 2.75 – 2.99 AND a semester GPA of at least 3.0 (provisional basis)

• If eligible on provisional basis, student must be enrolled full-time for each semester (excluding Summer); eligibility checked at the end of each semester; student must maintain 3.0 semester GPA

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• Must maintain satisfactory academic progress AND continuous enrollment

• Students should NEVER drop a course without consulting the financial aid office about how it may impact their HOPE eligibility

• If lost, students may regain the award one time only at a future benchmark; students also may repeat one course to improve GPA; contact financial aid office

• Scholarship is terminated after attainment of baccalaureate degree OR 5 years have passed from initial enrollment – whichever occurs first

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• Wayne County Bank-February ($2000 x 4)

• Peoples Bank-must be nominated as one of 5 finalists by WCHS committee; zero unexcused absences; 5-10 excused absences ($3000 x 1)

• Rotary Club-Martin Haggard, Sr./Bucky Byram ($500 x 1)

• Lucretia Sinclair Elementary Education ($1000 x 4)

• Wayne County Retired Teachers ($150 x 1)

• Bob Haggard Character & Service ($1250 x 4)

• Wild Turkey Federation ($250 x 1)

• Dixie Youth-Deadline is Feb. 1

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• TENNESSEE PROMISE MANDATORY MEETING DATES

• January 21 at 3:30 in WCHS Cafeteria

• March 28 at 3:30 in WCHS Cafeteria

• Work is not an excusable absence. Ask off now. Even if you are unable to attend these two dates, you will still have to travel to another school’s meeting and attend. Meetings lasted 45-60 minutes last year.

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