While free-tuition programs have their critics, the
Tennessee Promise appears
to be working.
Of more than 13,000 of the state’s eligible students who enrolled in the first Promise
program in 2015, nearly 60% are still in college. Only 40% of their non-Promise
peers remain in school.
After two years, 56% of the original class of Promise
Students are still enrolled in community college and 14.5% have earned a degree
or certificate. Over the same period, 30.5% of non-Promise students were still
enrolled and just 5% had earned a degree or certificate.
“These numbers are the first evidence that Tennessee
Promise is doing exactly what Gov. [Bill] Haslam and the General Assembly
designed: getting more students into college, including students who might not
otherwise be able to attend, and helping them succeed once they get there,”
said Flora Tydings, chancellor, Tennessee Board of Regents.
To qualify, Tennessee high school seniors must file the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid form, enroll in college the fall semester after
their graduation, perform eight hours of community service, register for at
least 12 credit hours per semester, and maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point
average. The Tennessee Promise also helps mentor students through the college
application and enrollment processes.
