Morristown West Counseling Corner
August/September 2021
Senior Financial Aid Night
Erika Adams from the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) will be our guest speaker and will offer information about Tennessee Promise and HOPE Scholarship programs, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and other financial aid (including federal and state grants, loans, and other scholarships) for 2- and 4-year schools and Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCAT schools). Don't miss out on this important information!
Thursday, Sep 30, 2021, 06:00 PM
Morristown-Hamblen West High School, Trojan TRL, Morristown, TN, USA
Military Service Academy Day
On Saturday, September 18, 2021, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger will be hosting a Military Service Academy Day for students and their parents who would like to learn about the educational opportunities available at the Unites States Service Academies. The event will be held at Walters State Community College, 500 South Davy Crockett Parkway, Morristown, TN 37813. Registration begins at 9:00 a. m. and the event will run until approximately 11:30 a.m.
Academy Days are an opportunity for students interested in pursuing collegiate military education to learn about the programs offered at our nation's elite military academies and college ROTC programs. As part of this presentation, we will have representatives from these programs speak about the educational opportunities and the military careers associated with these programs. Represented will be the United Sates Air Force Academy, the Coast Guard Academy, the Merchant Marines Academy, the United States Naval Academy and West Point-the United States Military Academy.
TN Promise Scholarship
Students will get more details when they meet with TN Promise representatives on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 9:00 AM. This meeting is intended for students only. Students will be provided with TN Promise handbooks which they can share with their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians typically attend the second TN Promise meeting which will be held in the spring.
UT Promise Scholarship
This innovative scholarship will cover a student’s last-dollar amount of tuition and mandatory fees after other financial aid is applied (such as Pell grants, HOPE Scholarship or other institutional scholarships) to students who qualify for HOPE and whose family household income is under $50,000 a year. UT Promise is a student-success oriented scholarship program that requires students to complete volunteer service hours and meet with a volunteer mentor each semester to ensure a successful student experience. Students must apply for TN Promise by Nov. 1 and for UT Promise by Dec. 15. There are several other deadlines and requirements that student may find by visiting the program's website.
Important Dates
- Sept. 13-17 Homecoming Week
- Sept. 20-24 College App Week
- Sept. 30 - Senior Financial Aid Night 6:00 PM, auditorium, college and military reps at 5:15 in auditorium breezeway
- Oct. 1: 2022-2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application available at fafsa.gov. Student and parents will utilize 2020 tax year information to file the 2022-2023 FAFSA
- Oct. 5: ACT Re-take for all Seniors
- Oct. 5: ASVAB for all Juniors
- Oct. 26: PSAT
- Nov. 1: Class of 2022 TN Promise application deadline
- Nov. 2: Class of 2022 applicants can begin volunteering for the TN Promise fall 2022 community service requirement; deadline July 1, 2022: must report on-line)
- Nov. 4: FAFSA Frenzy at West High 9:00 AM-6:00 PM - more info to come
- Nov. 10: TN Promise meeting for all seniors, 9:00 AM, West High auditorium
- Dec. 15: UT Promise application deadline.
- February 1: 2022-2023 TN Promise FAFSA filing deadline
ACT and ASVAB Oct. 5
See the ACT information below for additional opportunities to take the ACT on Saturday national test dates.
PSAT/NMSQT
FAFSA Opens Oct. 1!
Prior to completing the FAFSA, students must create a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID), which is used to confirm a student's identity when accessing financial aid information and to electronically sign federal student aid documents, including the FAFSA. Dependent students will also need to have one of his/her parents create an FSA ID so that the parent may electronically sign the student's FAFSA. To create an FSA ID, please visit fsaid.ed.gov.
Please remember that the FAFSA is FREE!! There are many internet scams which require payment to file a FAFSA. You should never have to pay for any part of this process.
After submitting the FAFSA, a student should be sure that he/she receives 2 e-mails: one verifying that the FAFSA was submitted and another stating that the FAFSA was processed. FAFSA must be filed by Feb. 1, 2022, for TN Promise eligibility.
College Application Links
East Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Knoxville - deadline November 1 for early action; December 15 for regular admissions
Scholarships
Transcript Requests
College Scholarship Deadlines
Below is a list of FIRM scholarship deadlines for some local colleges. Please note that in some cases, students must apply and be accepted before they are able to access the scholarship application(s). Also, many schools require that ALL parts of the application are received by the deadline, including the application, application fee, test scores, and high school transcript. It is important to apply well before the stated deadlines!
Carson-Newman University - Apply Early
East Tennessee State University - May 1
King University - Apply Early
Middle Tennessee State University - December 1
Tennessee Tech University - December 15
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga - December 1
University of Tennessee at Knoxville - November 1 (for competitive scholarships, honors programs)
Walters State Community College - February 1
College Open House Dates
Click on the school's name to register online. Some of these fill up quickly, so register soon!
August 28
September 25
October 16
East Tennessee State University
October 16
November 13
October 16November 13
March 19
Middle Tennessee State University
September 25
October 27 True Blue Tour Johnson City
October 28 True Blue Tour Knoxville
November 6
October 2 - Preview Day
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
no open house dates listed yet, but other visits can be scheduled
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
September 17 (Rocky Top Preview)
September 18 (Rocky Top Tailgate)
September 25 (Big Orange Preview)
October 30 (Big Orange Preview)
College Visit Days
Each senior is allowed one college day during their senior year. Students are required to submit a parent note to Mr. Kinsler BEFORE going on the college visit. Upon visiting the college, students are required to submit a letter of attendance from the college to the front office to excuse the absence.
Please keep in mind that the best days to visit colleges are Open House or Preview days (typically held on Saturdays) because students and parents have the opportunity to see more campus facilities and have access to more faculty to inquire about specific program requirements, financial aid, admissions, scholarships, housing, etc. A list of these events for some local schools may be found below.
ACT Upcoming Test Dates
Please visit www.act.org for information about late registration and photo upload deadlines.
Students will not be admitted to the test center without an admission ticket.
Juniors and seniors who qualify for free or reduced meals are eligible to take the ACT up to 4 times on national test dates (Saturday test dates). Fee waivers are available in the counseling office. Students who are interested in this option should complete a Free/Reduced Meals application prior to requesting an ACT fee waiver to check for eligibility. Free/Reduced Meals applications are available from TNN teachers or in the front office.
SAT
Meet Our New School Counselor!
Hello! My name is Tenesha Bullington. I am the new school counselor. Last year I completed my internship for school counseling here at West High. I am so excited to be back here with you! I will be working with students with the last names that start with D-He.
Counseling Office Contact Information
Students are assigned by the first letter of their last name.
- Kelly Ezell: Students A-C
- Tenesha Bullington: Students D-He
Erica Gillett: Students Hi-Mi
Renae Byrd: Students Mo-R
Melanie Justis: Students S-Z
Jessie Alder, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Aimee Howerton: Counseling Office Secretary
Office Contact Information:
Fax- 423-585-3791