Senior Newsletter November Edition

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• Upcoming Events
• TN Promise Next Steps
• FAFSA
• Graduation 2025 & Senior Info
• Scholarships
• ACT Information
• Resources
• Lawson Counseling Staff
• Previous Newsletter Editions

November 12: Senior Credit Recovery Day -- Students missing credits will be pulled from class to continue making up credits to get back on track for graduation.

December 13: Deadline to order cap & gown - more information in this newsletter

January 13: FAFSA Family Workshop at Lawson (5-7pm) - Save the date to get help on your FAFSA!

January 16: TN Promise Mandatory Meeting (1pm) - students only!

Thank you to students and parents for your efforts in getting the TN Promise Scholarship Application complete by November 1st. Students have three remaining requirements to remain eligible and eventually get the scholarship:

1. Attend James Lawson's TN Promise Mandatory Meeting on Thursday, January 16th at 1pm in the Lawson Cafeteria
2. Complete the FAFSA by April 15th (see more info below)
3. Complete 8 hours of community service & submit online by July 1st

What is the FAFSA?

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application that allows students to be eligible for financial aid from the federal government, the state of Tennessee, and their specific colleges.

Who is eligible to complete FAFSA?

The student must be a US Citizen or eligible non-citizen. That status of the parent is not used to determine eligibility.

Eligible non-citizens include:

• US permanent residents
• Individuals with an I-94 showing: Refugee, Asylee, Cuban-Haitian Entrant, or Parolee
• Victims of human trafficking (T-Visa)
• Battered immigrants and children

How do I complete the FAFSA?

It is an online form available through StudentAid.gov that will require information about the student, parent, and 2023 taxes.

What can I do to get ready for the FAFSA?

1. Create your account (known as FSA IDs). Both the student & parent(s) will need their own accounts. You can do so here: Create Account | Federal Student Aid
2. Gather your 2023 Tax documents (1040, any schedules filed, and W-2s for student & parents).

The FAFSA has a very specific definition of parent: Legal parents are biological or adoptive, or as determined by the state. Grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, widowed stepparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings are not considered parents on the FAFSA unless they have legally adopted the student. A stepparent is considered a legal parent only if they have adopted the student. Stepparents that have not adopted the student will be identified as parent spouse.

Use the FAFSA "Who counts as parent?" tool to determine who will need to create an account for FAFSA.

If your student is applying to selective colleges, they are likely required to also complete a financial aid application called the CSS Profile by College Board. It is important for students to check on financial aid requirements for the schools they have applied to for specific action items, dates, and deadlines!

The CSS Profile is open now!

Thank you to those who attended our Fall Financial Aid night earlier in the semester. You can listen to the recording or review the slides shared at the meeting!

James Lawson's Class of 2025 will graduate on Tuesday, May 20th at 6pm at the Lipscomb Allen Arena. Each student will receive 10 tickets and the ceremony will be livestreamed.

Place an online order through Jostens by December 13th! There are many packages available to purchase through their website.

Here is the direct link to order only a cap & gown.

Seniors who were present on October 28th for senior pictures can order online through Jostens.

• Create an account: https://shop.jostenspix.com/login
• Use code: FE293424 to access senior photos

Missed senior pictures? Mr. Burton will be taking make-up photos. More details to follow.

Order your yearbook online or review the flyer for other options. Starts at $65.

Questions? See Mrs. Galloway in the front office!

Don't forget to submit your baby photo & senior quote for the yearbook!

This section will be updated monthly with notable scholarships with upcoming deadlines.

Metro Nashville Public Schools proudly introduces the University MNPS program. A collaborative effort that offers an array of scholarship opportunities exclusively for exceptional Academies of Nashville high school seniors.

Scholarships open now:

• Lipscomb University "Liftoff to Lipscomb" (education majors only) - due January 1
• Tennessee State University "Trailblazing to TSU" - due December 1
• Vanderbilt University MNPS Scholarship (requires Early Decision application) - due January
• Nashville State Community College "Nashville GRAD"

Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship (Full-Ride) - due November 14 - apply on Common App

This is a very competitive national scholarship!

• 3.75+ unweighted GPA
• $95,000 or less annual gross income

Scarlett Family Foundation Scholarship (local Middle TN Scholarship) - due December 15 - link to apply

• Local Middle TN Scholarship for 4-year college/university
• Business & STEM Majors only
• 21+ ACT
• 2.5+ GPA
• Financial Need (demonstrated by 1040 tax returns)

ECE (Equal Chance for Education) - undocumented students only - due January 15 - link to apply

• 3.0+ unweighted GPA
• Clear career goal
• Must apply & be accepted to: Fisk University, Lipscomb University, Belmont University, Cumberland University, or Trevecca Nazarene University

Amazon Future Engineers Scholarship ($40,000) - due December 19 - link to apply

• 2.3+ unweighted GPA
• US Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Employment Authorization
• Major in: Computer Science or Engineering
• Have taken a computer science or engineering course in high school

• National Honor Society Scholarship - due November 26 (NHS members only)
• All American STEAM Scholarship - due November 30 (female, 3.0+ unweighted GPA, STEM or arts major)

• Burger King Foundation Scholarship - due December 16 (2.0+ GPA)
• Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship - due January 9 (minority, academic excellence, US citizen, leadership or community service)

UT Promise Overview:

UT Promise is an undergraduate scholarship program guaranteeing free tuition and mandatory fees for qualifying Tennessee residents attending UT Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin & Southern.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Complete TN Promise application by November 1
• HOPE Scholarship Eligible (3.0+ unweighted GPA or 21+ ACT)
• Adjusted gross income under $75,000 a year and a total maximum asset amount less than $75,000
  

Deadline to apply: December 15

Learn more and apply here: https://tennessee.edu/ut-promise/apply-high-school-seniors/

There are millions of scholarships out there, no one website or list contains them all. A good scholarship search involves time and effort. You should regularly check various websites for upcoming scholarship opportunities you are eligible for.

Here's a few reputable scholarship search ideas:

• Bold.org
• Going Merry
• Scholly
• Fastweb
• ScholarshipOwl
• Employers -- students & parents/guardians -- check with your employer to see if they offer any scholarships for employees or dependents of employees.

The senior class completed their ACT retake on October 22nd.

If you'd like to take the ACT again on your own, you can register through your MyACT account. Here are the upcoming National ACT Test Dates:

• December 14, 2024 (register by November 8)

Please note, the ACT costs $68 per administration. See info below re: Fee Waivers.

Oasis College Connection teaches weekly free ACT Prep Classes at the Bellevue Library on Mondays from 4-5pm. See more info below.

Your student may already be eligible for a ACT Fee Waiver (meaning they can register to test for free). Please contact Ms. Swift (linda.swift@mnps.org) to see if you qualify.

Parents can complete the MNPS Fee Waiver form to determine if students are eligible to receive College Application and ACT Fee Waivers. Once the form is completed, counselors can see if students qualify for a fee waiver and can provide that for college applications and ACT tests.

MNPS Fee Waiver Form Link: https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict

• Step-by-step FAFSA Guides (College for TN)
• CSS Profile How to Guide (College Board)
• State Financial Aid Types & Amounts (College for TN)
• College Net Price Calculator
• Every college is required by law to have a Net Price Calculator on their website
• Google "Name of college + Net Price Calculator" to find yours

• College Admissions Overview Webinar
• Senior Year College Application Timeline - English | Spanish
• Free Guide to Writing a Personal Statement (aka the College Essay)

• College For TN - Resources for college planning, financial aid, & career planning