There are few things that takes minutes to apply for, but could result in two free years of college. Seniors that attended the mandatory meeting this past Thursday should know that one of them is the Tennessee Promise.

The benefit of finally sitting down and filling out the quick page or two’s worth of information is obvious. This is a much easier task than many others that are given to seniors, so they should not procrastinate any longer.

“It was extremely easy; way easier than I thought it was going to be,” Senior Desiree’ DeLorenzo commented.

Tennessee Promise is extremely advantageous for students.

“It allows students that may not be financially able to go to college, to at least get a two-year degree,” Central’s College Access Adviser, Ms. Stacy Alexander, stated.

There are quite a few schools that accept the Tennessee Promise, including Tennessee community colleges, TCAT colleges, public universities, and private collages. The full list can be found in the TN Promise handbook that was given at Thursday’s meeting, or online at tnAchieves.org.

The requirements are minimal to be eligible for the TN Promise. They include:

1) Completing the TN Promise application through www.TNPromise.gov by November 1

2) Filing for the FAFSA by January 16

3) Applying for an eligible TN Promise college by April 1

4) Attending the mandatory meeting on March 27 at 5:30 p.m. (if seniors fail to attend, they lose their eligibility. Exceptions are made for sickness, death in immediate family, or school spring sport or concert when documentation is submitted within 72 hours of the meeting.)

5) Completing and submitting eight hours of community service by July 1

As is apparent, the most immediate deadline on this list is completing the application, which is due this coming Wednesday.

All that it takes is a little effort and a few minutes, and seniors will be on their way towards a paid-for degree and feel much more confident because of that.

“I feel a sense of accomplishment, honestly. It gets me one step closer to not getting in debt because of college,” DeLorenzo affirmed.