Oak Ridge Today

Big change for FAFSA: Students can complete 2017-18 FAFSA starting Oct. 1

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Roane State enrollment assistant Josh Adkins and student Kaylee Avila of Harriman look over the online form for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which will become available to fill out in October. (Photo by RSCC)

 

Recent changes to this important application for college financial help should help ease the process of filing it.

It’s the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which students must complete to be eligible for financial aid including Pell grants, the HOPE scholarship, and Tennessee Promise scholarship.

New this year: The FAFSA will be available on October 1 instead of January 1 for the upcoming school year, which runs from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018.

The second major change is that the required financial information from the Internal Revenue Service can be used from the prior year’s income tax return, so there’s more certainty. [Read more…]

U.S., Tennessee, community college officials react to president’s education proposal

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Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, U.S. senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, and U.S. representatives Chuck Fleischmann and John J. Duncan Jr., all Republicans, released statements or commented on the East Tennessee visit by President Barack Obama, a Democrat, on Friday and his proposal to make the first two years of community college free to responsible students. Pellissippi State Community College President Anthony Wise and Roane State Community College President Chris Whaley also released statements or commented on the visit and education proposal.

The president’s proposal, America’s College Promise, will be proposed in his State of the Union on January 20, and it is modeled after the Tennessee Promise.

Here’s what the officials from Tennessee said:

Bill Haslam during Presidential Visit at Pellissippi State

Governor Bill Haslam was among the Tennessee leaders who received praise from the president during Obama’s 5.5-hour visit to East Tennessee on Friday. (Photo by Rob Welton)

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam

The president recognizes that good things are happening in Tennessee. We are proud of the Tennessee Promise. It is changing the culture of expectations in Tennessee by encouraging more students to pursue a certificate or degree beyond high school. The Tennessee Promise is focused not just on access but success in terms of making certain that students actually attain their degree. We think having a mentor available for the students is an important part of achieving that success.

Regarding the specifics of the president’s plan, we look forward to seeing more details in the coming days about the cost of the program and how it will be covered. [Read more…]