Dallas County Promise makes college more accessible

The Dallas County Promise is a recent partnership of school districts and colleges that have collaborated to make college more accessible to the Dallas County high school students. This year it will be including Lakeview Centennial High School. To participate in the Dallas County Promise, seniors can begin by going to DallasCountyPromise.org.

Lakeview Centennial is the only high school in the Garland Independent School District that was chosen to be apart of the Dallas County Promise.

“Lakeview has achieved a reputation for greatness over the past few years,” AP English Literature teacher Katy Wallace said. “This resonates in our academics, as well as our fine arts, performance and sports departments. I believe we were chosen to be part of the program because we have hard working, intelligent students that know the taste of success, but some come from financially unstable homes. The Promise takes away the financial obstacles and allows our students every chance to succeed.”

Many teachers have advocated the benefits that The Promise can generate for hundreds of students, and the possibilities that eventually can grow if the first year as a participating school goes well. Future students, including current juniors and underclassmen, can all gain an advantage from the Dallas County Promise in their senior years.

The Promise gives high school seniors at the participating 31 schools the opportunity to earn full-tuition scholarships, in which students will be able to attend a partner university: Southern Methodist University (SMU), University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT-Dallas), and the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD).

Some seniors have applied to or are planning to apply, but there are some seniors that have no interest in the Dallas County Promise.

“I think it’s a good backup plan,” senior Kaitlyn Ames said, “ but it’s not really something I want to pursue as a first option. Not in any sense.”

The Dallas County Promise has a commitment with the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) where students can attend any of their colleges with a full ride scholarship. In that case, Collegiate Academy students would still be able to apply, but they would need to complete the pledge and then if, accepted, would receive transfer scholarships that will allow them to apply and attend either UNT-Dallas or SMU, with more colleges soon to be added.

While participating in the Dallas County Promise students can only have a maximum of of 35 credit hours per year. Collegiates student interested in applying to the Promise can apply as a transfer to UNT-Dallas or SMU or attend a DCCCD college and complete any remaining hours. If accepted into the Dallas County Promise, Collegiate students will have the following fall semester after high school graduation to take advantage of the Promise.

In order for a senior to be accepted into the Dallas County Promise, the student must reach all three of the following deadlines:

1. January 31: Complete the Dallas County Promise Pledge. You will need your full name, Social Security Number, birth date, current address, email address, cell phone number, and your parent/guardian’s contact information.
2. March 15: Complete the DCCCD admissions application and submit your FAFSA/TASFA with a DCCCD college listed.
3. July 31: Complete your DCCCD registration for that fall semester.

If a student misses any of the above deadlines they will not be able to participate in the Dallas County Promise.

Seniors that complete the Promise Pledge by January 31 will be eligible for the promise and Rising Star scholarships. The Rising Star scholarship is automatically presented to those who meet the financial requirements and have a high school credited GPA of 2.5 or higher (75 or better on a 100-point scale). The Rising Star scholarship will cover all the additional costs of textbooks along with an in-person Rising Star advisor. Remember, in order to be eligible for both the promise and Rising Star scholarships, seniors must complete the Promise Pledge by January 31 or they will face ineligibility.