KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A record number of students applied to take advantage of a state program that provides a scholarship for students planning to pursue higher education.
The Tennessee Promise application period closed Nov. 1, with more than 67,000 applications from graduating high school seniors. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission said around 700 more students applied than the previous year and that the Class of 2025 had the highest number of applicants since the scholarship program started.
The Tennessee Promise provides a last-dollar scholarship paying for graduating high school seniors to complete an associate degree program or obtain a certificate from a public community college or a Tennessee College of Applied Technology. There are also public and private universities with eligible programs.
The latest report on the scholarship program, which details student behavior in the 2023-2024 cohort, said more than 18% of students enrolled in a TCAT. The college mostly offers programs in the trades, giving students the chance to learn how to perform a variety of skilled work like construction or computer information technology.
As part of the Tennessee Promise program, students are paired with a mentor who works with tnAchieves. The mentor helps them transition from high school life into college life and is meant to make sure they complete education programs.
