On Friday, June 15, 2018, I gave a presentation at the Richland Park Branch of the Nashville Public Library on back to school scholarships for adults.
Here are the handouts:
Creating-the-Mindset-to-Win-the-Game-of-Life-15-June-2018
Back-to-School-Scholarships-Handout-Richland Park Branch Library-15-June-2018
I talked with Jason Seay, Assistant Executive Director of Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, which “administers over 20 different state student financial aid programs, including the HOPE scholarship, Tennessee Promise, Tennessee Reconnect, Tennessee Student Assistance Award, and the Dual Enrollment Grant.”
To learn more about what TSAC does,
Jason Seay was a guest speaker at the presentation, and we learned several different options for adults wanting to return to school. I followed with information about how to find scholarships in general for any program. I want to thank Jason for coming out to talk.
What follows is what I gleamed from the information attached to previous knowledge I had. Mistakes are my own.
TNPromise and TNReconnect pay tuition but not institutional fees, textbook costs, and other supplies. There is still a reason to keep applying for scholarships because you can use that scholarship money toward those expenses (if the scholarship guidelines permit it).
TNReconnect is mainly for those Tennessee residents who have not started or finished an associates or bachelors. TNReconnect can be used at Tennessee technical centers, community colleges, and 4-year schools that have associate’s degree programs. To learn more about TNReconnect, http://tnreconnect.gov/
Also, if a Tennessee resident already has an associates or bachelors, under TNReconnect, he or she can still use the program to earn a technical certificate at one of the 27 colleges of applied technology.
Click to access 49361_FinancialAid_Broc_2017_Combined.pdf
Here is the brochure handed out that lies out many of the programs for learners in Tennessee.
If you are an Adult Learner, you can use the section, FOCUSING ON ADULT LEARNERS.
However as an adult learner, there are several opportunities you may not be aware of.
If you are a GED/HiSet student with a qualifying score on a GED of 170 or HiSet of 15, you may qualify for the HOPE scholarship for a 4 year institution of up to $1,500 per semester if you take the ACT and make a 21 or higher, or you take the SAT and score 1060 or higher.
You must take the ACT or SAT on a nationally recognized test date. Residual ACTs, or ACTs taken at the institution only for that institution’s purpose, do not qualify for the scholarship.
You must apply for the FAFSA. And after scoring that qualifying score on the ACT or the SAT, you must enroll within 16 months at a HOPE eligible institute and be full time to get the $1,500 per semester HOPE scholarship (full time is 12 hours).
More HOPE Scholarship Info: https://www.tn.gov/collegepays/money-for-college/tn-education-lottery-programs/tennessee-hope-scholarship.html
In addition, adult students may further qualify for an ASPIRE AWARD if they are HOPE eligible, and the parents’ or independent student’s (and spouse’s) adjusted gross income must be $36,000 or less on IRS tax form, which is up to $750 per semester.
More ASPIRE AWARD info: https://www.tn.gov/collegepays/money-for-college/tn-education-lottery-programs/aspire-award.html
Mr. Turner’s suggestion on how to study for the ACT:
If you have already studied for the GED/HiSET, you could increase your knowledge and study for the ACT to further increase your chances at scholarship money.
I suggest you check out from the library or through interlibrary loan or purchase from Amazon the following two books.
THE OFFICIAL ACT PREP GUIDE 2018-2019 contains 4 full-length ACT official practice tests with 400 additional online practice questions.
Older editions include the Real ACT Prep Guide, 3rd edition, which has 5 real ACT tests, while the 2nd edition has 3 real ACTs, Also, the Tennessee Electronic Library (link contained in one of the handouts above) contains a study link for ACT or SAT.
The next book I recommend is CRACKING THE ACT with 6 Practice Tests, 2018 edition by Princeton Review.
Earlier editions of this book within the last three years can also be used.
With both of these books, you can study by yourself or with a group to see what type of scores you would get if you decide to study for the ACT and take the ACT. You take real ACT tests with the Official ACT PREP GUIDE 2018-2019 and you gather study techniques for improving your score with CRACKING THE ACT.
TENNESSEE HOPE Scholarship—Nontraditional
If you are a nontraditional student (age 25 or older), a legal TN resident for at least a year, be an entering freshman or had not been enrolled for at least two years, have an adjusted gross income of $36,000 or less, you become qualified for this HOPE scholarship-nontraditional after you have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 after 12 attempted hours.
This award is up to $1,750 per full-time enrollment semester as a freshmen and sophomore; and up to $2,250 per full-time enrollment semester as a junior and senior.
More info here: https://www.tn.gov/collegepays/money-for-college/tn-education-lottery-programs/tennessee-hope-scholarship—nontraditional.html
FAFSA Information for Adults
If you will be attending college from July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019, the time period for submitting your FAFSA is Oct 1, 2017-June 30, 2019, and you can use income information from your 2016 income tax.
To qualify for the most financial aid, students are encouraged to apply as close to the opening date, Oct 1, 2018, as possible.
More information for adults and FAFSA and financial aid:
Click to access federal-student-aid-for-adult-students.pdf
https://financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/tk/outreach/target/adults.jsp
Scholarship Tigers--Students Helping Each Other Find Money for College 
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