KNOXVILLE — With college admissions deadlines looming — Feb. 1 for the fall 2006 semester at the University of Tennessee — high school seniors must work fast to complete their applications.
As of Jan. 27, UT had received 10,160 admissions applications — slightly ahead of than last year’s record-setting number, said Richard Bayer, dean of enrollment services. UT will enroll 4,200 freshmen for the fall semester.
Based on the family incomes they’ve reported, about 350 of these prospective UT freshmen may be eligible for UT’s Pledge Scholarship, Bayer said. UT continues to recruit students who could benefit from the Pledge Scholarship.
Approved by the Board of Trustees in the summer of 2005, the Tennessee Pledge Scholarship guarantees qualified students can attend UT for four years without incurring debt. The program offers an aid package of scholarships and other federal, state and institutional assistance to students from low-income families. UT is making contact with a pool of students who-ve expressed interest in UT and are eligible to take advantage of the Tennessee Pledge.
Bayer offers these tips for high school seniors applying to UT or other colleges or universities.
– Meet your college or university’s admission application deadline. At UT, only applications postmarked by Feb. 1 will receive full consideration. Applications postmarked later will be considered on space-available basis.
– Keep track of your college or university’s financial aid deadlines, which may vary from admission deadlines. At UT, prospective students should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1 to ensure that they are eligible for full funding of some federal and state aid programs, including the HOPE Scholarship and the Tennessee Pledge program. Other than the FAFSA, no special applications are required for the HOPE Scholarship or the Tennessee Pledge program.
– Keep tabs on your status. If you meet UT’s Feb. 1 deadline, you will know by early April whether you’ve been admitted, denied or put on a waiting list. Many colleges and universities allow you to check your status online, and some, like UT, allow students to continue sending updated test scores to the admissions office until the final decisions are made. Prospective UT students can check their admission status at http://admissions.utk.edu/undergraduate
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Contact:
Amy Blakely, media relations, (865) 974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu
Richard Bayer, enrollment services, (865) 974-2105, rbayer@utk.edu
Tim Woods, financial aid and scholarships, 865-974-3131, twoods3@utk.edu
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