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College Promise Programs | Donate! 
Glossary of Terms
The following tables offer descriptive information on requirements and characteristics of College Promise criteria.
Characteristic |
Description |
|---|---|
| Type of Award | Type of "promise" awarded to individuals who meet eligibility criteria |
| Financial Award | Provides a monetary award |
| No loan policy | Financial aid package that meets full financial aid without loans |
| College Savings Account | Help with setting up a college savings plan |
| Dual enrollment | When program provides college credit while in high school or funds to attend the local community college to take classes for credit |
| Admission Guarantee | Guaranteed admission into a particular higher education institution |
| Transfer Guarantee | Guaranteed transfer admission from a 2-year to 4-year higher education institution |
|
Residency Requirement |
Type of residency required to receive program benefits |
| City | Reside in a particular city/town |
| College Service Area | Reside in a college's service area/catchment area |
| County | Reside in a particular county |
| N/A | Not applicable - program does not have a residence requirement |
| Neighborhood | Reside in a particular neighborhood |
| School District | Reside in a school district/catchment area |
| State | Reside in particular state |
| Unknown | Determination cannot be made due to lack of information |
|
K-12 School Attendance Requirement |
Type of K-12 attendance required to receive program benefits |
| City High School | Attend any high school within a particular city's boundaries |
| College Service Area | Attend any school in a college's service area/catchment |
| County | Attend any school in a particular county |
| County High School | Attend any high school in a particular county |
| County Elementary School | Attend any elementary school in a particular county |
| Elementary | Attend a specific elementary school |
| N/A | Not applicable -program does not have a school attendance requirement specifically |
| Promise Zone | Attend a school within boundaries of a state or federally designated "promise zone" |
| School District | Attend a school in a specified school district |
| Single High School | Attend one specific high school |
| State High School | Attend any high school in a particular state |
| State Middle School | Attend any middle school in a particular state |
| Two or More High Schools | Attend one of 2 or more high schools in a given district or area |
| Two or More Middle Schools & Single High School | Attend one of 2 or more middle schools and specific high school in a given area |
| Unknown | Determination cannot be made due to lack of information |
|
Financial Award is Limited to Students with Financial Need |
|
| Yes | Has income range/financial need requirement |
| No | Does not use income as requirement for eligibility |
| Unknown | Determination cannot be made due to lack of information |
|
Financial Award is Limited to Students who Meet Academic Achievement Requirements |
|
| Yes | Has a GPA, test score, or other academic minimum requirement |
| No | Does not factor in a GPA, test score, or other academic requirement |
| Unknown | Determination cannot be made due to lack of information |
|
Year Requirement for Full Aid |
Required number of years program specifies to receive program benefits |
| # | The exact number of years that student must live in defined residency; when program prorates, this number represents the years needed to receive 100% of the award |
| Does not require | Does not factor in certain number of years for award |
| Unknown | Determination cannot be made due to lack of information |
|
Disbursement of Financial Aid |
Approach to awarding a scholarship |
| First Dollar | Provides specified amount regardless of other financial aid |
| Last Dollar | Fills the gap between a particular cost (e.g., tuition) and other financial aid awards. Amount determined after financial aid from other sources is considered |
| Middle Dollar | Like the last-dollar model, students in middle-dollar programs first receive the federal, state, and other funding for which they are eligible. Also, like last-dollar programs, students receive the difference between funding received from other sources and the amount promised by the program. A middle-dollar program differs from a last-dollar program in that additional financial assistance is granted to a subset of students based on criteria determined by the program. |
| No financial award | Program does not give a financial award |
| Unknown | Determination cannot be made due to lack of information |
|
Sponsored by Single Agency |
Program is coordinated or funded primarily by one or multiple agencies |
| Yes | Program has one main source of funding/sponsorship; sponsorship references to entities that also help administer program |
| No | Program has multiple sources of funding/sponsorship |
| Unknown | Determination cannot be made due to lack of information |
|
Program Offers Support Services |
Program indicates providing support before, in, or after college |
| Yes | Program provides support services beyond the scholarship/award |
| No | Program does not provide support services/makes no mention of supports along with award |
| Unknown | Determination cannot be made due to lack of information |
