Grants available for Warren County tech students
Unlike the HOPE scholarships for high school graduates, the Wilder-Naifeh grants do not require a high school diploma, a minimum GPA, or taking the ACT or SAT college entrance tests. Students must meet program admission requirements as either full or part-time students at the Tennessee Technology Center at McMinnville and can receive up to $1,250 per year to complete their chosen program.
All individuals interested in applying for a Wilder-Naifeh Skills Grant need to submit and have processed a 2004-2005 Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) form by May 1, 2004. Applications received after May 1 will be accepted but preference will be given to those received on or before May 1. Hard copy applications may take up to four to six weeks for processing, while online applications may take up to seven days.
FAFSA forms may be obtained at the Tennessee Technology Center at McMinnville, from high school counselors, from college and university financial aid offices, and from the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation or online at www.mcminville.tec.tn.us or www.fafsa.ed.gov.
To maintain the Wilder-Naifeh grant, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress, meaning a grade of “C” or better, and meet normal attendance requirements. Individuals who accept HOPE scholarships are not eligible for a Wilder-Naifeh grant. HOPE scholarship recipients who enroll in a community college or four-year institution and drop out before completing their program, or complete their program then decide they need further technical training, cannot receive Wilder-Naifeh grants.
To be eligible for a Wilder-Naifeh grant, students must have been Tennessee residents for one year as of May 1 immediately preceding enrollment at a TTC.
Costs at the Tennessee Technology Center at McMinnville are significantly less than those at four-year institutions or community colleges. The Wilder-Naifeh grant maximum is $1,250 per year; current annual costs of attending the Tennessee Technology Center at McMinnville are $1,548. The Tennessee Technology Center at McMinnville offers diploma and certificate programs in 10 areas, including Practical Nursing, Computer Operations Technology and Industrial Maintenance.
For more information on the Wilder-Naifeh grants, call Mike Garrison, Coordinator of Student Services, at 473-5587 or visit the Web site at www.mcminville.tec.tn.us.