FAQ

What is knoxAchieves?
Who is eligible?
What are the knoxAchieves requirements?
What do I do with my application?
What colleges are included in the program?
Do two-year schools have limited majors?
How does the money I receive work?
What is the income limit?
What if I want to take a semester off from school and begin college in the Spring?
I have graduated from high school. What is the next step for college?
If I scored below a 19 on any subject component of the ACT, what do I need to do?
How do I complete my community service requirement?
Do I have to reapply the second year?
Can the knoxAchieves scholarship be taken away?
What must I do with the mentor?
How were mentors chosen, and what will their role be?
What if I graduate early?
Why only 500 students? What if money is left over?
How will it impact the community?
Why would you tell a high school student to apply?
What makes the program unique from other scholarships?

What is knoxAchieves?

knoxAchieves provides an opportunity for up to 500 Knox County public high school graduates from the Class of 2010 to receive up to $2000 for community college tuition. Our program has three unique components.

Volunteers from the Knox County community are donating the funds to provide a college education for students who would otherwise lack the opportunity.
Volunteers serve as mentors to our graduating high school students to eliminate the barriers of post-secondary education.
Our participants then volunteer their time and energy to give back to our community with at least one community service project per semester.

Who is eligible?

Any Knox County public high school senior who plans to attend Pellissippi, Roane, or Walters State in the Fall of 2010. knoxAchieves does not have a GPA or ACT/SAT requirement. We do, however, require students to complete the knoxAchieves application by October 30, 20009.

What are the knoxAchieves requirements?

knoxAchieves requires you to complete one community service project each semester you receive aid, to continue to work with your mentor, to maintain a 2.0 grade point average each college semester, to carry a minimum of six college credit hours each semester, and to refile the FAFSA by February 15, 2010.

Failure to comply with any of these requirements will result in termination of your knoxAchieves funding. If you lose your scholarship, it will not be reinstated at any time.

What do I do with my application?

Students must return the application to their school guidance office by the end of the school day on October 30, 2009.

What colleges are included in the program?

knoxAchieves is a “last dollar” scholarship to Pellissippi, Roane, and Walters State community colleges.

Do two-year schools have limited majors?

Each of the three eligible schools offers a variety of majors for students. For example, Walters State has a culinary school; Roane State has a renowned nursing program; and Pellissippi State is known for its graphic arts program. This is only a few examples of the notable majors/programs offered at our region’s community colleges.

It is also important to note that community colleges are a gateway to four-year institutions. Statistics indicate that students entering a four-year institution with a community college degree perform better their junior year than their peers who enter a four-year institution as a freshman.

How does the money I receive work?

Because knoxAchieves is a “last dollar” scholarship, our program fills the gap between what the student is expected to pay in tuition after all federal and state monies have been awarded. This money will be sent from the East Tennessee Foundation directly to the colleges.

What is the income limit?

There is no income limit, but preference will be given to first generation, low-income students.

What if I want to take a semester off from school and begin college in the Spring?

If you decide to take a semester off, at any point during the next two years, this will result in a termination of your knoxAchieves funding. You must remain in school for four consecutive semesters to continue to receive this aid.

I have graduated from high school. What is the next step for college?

Make sure you have completed your application to one of the three eligible colleges. This includes sending your high school transcript and your ACT scores to the appropriate admissions office.

Now is the time to register for Fall semester classes. Prior to registration, you should make an appointment with an academic advisor. Please call the numbers below to set up your meeting.

Pellissippi State: 865.694.6400

Roane State (Oak Ridge): 865.481.2000 (EXT 2273)

Roane State (Harriman): 865.354.3000 (EXT 4597)

Walters State: 800.225.4770

Registering for classes is a simple online task. Please visit the following websites to learn the steps for registration. In some cases, you will need a username and password. The username should be given to you upon acceptance to the college.

Pellissippi State / Roane State / Walters State

If I scored below a 19 on any subject component of the ACT, what do I need to do?

You will need to contact the appropriate college to discuss your options. This often involves a confirmation test to determine whether you must take developmental courses. The colleges offer these courses in reading, writing, and/or mathematics. You must complete these tests prior to meeting with your advisor and/or registering for classes.

How do I complete my community service requirement?

As a knoxAchieves scholar, you are required to complete at least one full day of community service per semester you receive funding. You may choose an organization, or knoxAchieves will provide you with a list of opportunities across Knox County. This is a great way to get involved and meet new people. knoxAchieves will be in contact with you through your mentor to ensure you meet this critical requirement. A sign of a true scholar is giving back to your community!

Do I have to reapply the second year?

knoxAchieves guarantees two years or four consecutive semesters of community college tuition as long as the student fulfills his/her obligation to the program; however, the student must complete the FAFSA in year 2 by February 15^th of that year.

Can the knoxAchieves scholarship be taken away?

The scholarship can and will be taken away from the student if he/she does not fulfill the knoxAchieves requirements.

What must I do with the mentor?

The student must stay in contact with the mentor to ensure deadlines are met. The student must also respond to the mentor at a minimum of once a semester for administrative purposes; however, knoxAchieves encourages the student to form a relationship with the mentor.

How were mentors chosen, and what will their role be?

Mentors are community and business leaders who applied to the program. After a background check, the mentor chose a high school. Their ultimate role is to eliminate barriers associated with college access and to act as a positive role model in the student’s life.

What if I graduate early?

knoxAchieves funding begins in the Fall of 2010.

Why only 500 students? What if money is left over?

If money is left over, knoxAchieves will use the money to fund students in the second year of the program.

How will it impact the community?

Research shows that, on average, an individual with an associate’s degree makes over $400,000 more in a lifetime than a high school graduate. knoxAchieves understands the significance of cultivating more wealth producers in our region for quality of life purposes but also to address our future workforce needs.

Statistics indicate that individuals with associates degrees volunteer more in their community, vote more often, and need less public assistance than those with only a high school diploma.

Many of those who participate in knoxAchieves will continue their education, earning bachelors and advanced degrees. Others will take several courses, not receive a degree but gain the skill set needed to enter apprenticeship programs for skilled labor positions. In both cases, their earning potential increases dramatically.

Simply stated, knoxAchieves hopes to better the lives of our citizens while ensure our continued economic vitality.

Why would you tell a high school student to apply?

This is an opportunity for a student who lacks a stellar GPA or ACT/SAT score but has a great deal of potential to attend a top-notch community college. This leads to a better paying and more satisfying job as well as a more prosperous future for the student.

What makes the program unique from other scholarships?

knoxAchieves is rooted in volunteerism. Volunteers give money to send Knox County students to college. Mentors volunteer their time to encourage and support the student as he/she applies and enters college. And the student volunteers his/her time to give back to the community that invests in his/her future.

400 Main Street, Suite 615 • Knoxville, TN 37902 • phone: 865.215.4754