Promise Program FAQs

The Moraine Park Promise program is a partnership between a student and Moraine Park so together we can work to make college possible. The Promise program was designed to ensure high school students with the potential to succeed at the next level are given that opportunity without having to worry about taking on the added burden of college debt.

By providing a debt-free college education, Moraine Park’s Promise program removes financial barriers so students who may have believed college is out of reach, now have the opportunity to earn their degree, achieve their career goals and reach their potential.

The Promise Scholar agrees to:
• Enroll as a full-time Promise Scholar (at least 12 credits per semester) at Moraine Park.
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher (2.25 for fall 2019 start students) while attending Moraine Park.
• Complete eight hours of community service each semester.
• Stay in good standing with all College policies.
• Participate in all Moraine Park Promise program support services.

The Promise Scholar agrees to:

• Enroll as a full-time student (at least 12 credits per semester) at Moraine Park.
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher while attending Moraine Park (2.25 for fall 2019 start students.)
• Complete eight hours of community service each semester.
• Stay in good standing with all college policies.
• Participate in all Moraine Park Promise program support services.

Moraine Park promises to provide five consecutive semesters (not including summer) of debt-free tuition. We also promise to provide additional services including mentoring, tutoring, assistance with financial aid filing and other support services.

High School students are eligible to become a Promise Scholar if they:
• Graduate from an accredited or home high school in the graduating class of 2018 or 2019.
• Reside within the Moraine Park Technical College District.
• Earn a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or higher (2.25 for fall 2019 start students.)
• Earn a minimum composite score of 16 on the ACT (15 for fall 2019 start students.) Find available testing dates and locations at www.act.org
• Have a 90 percent attendance rate during senior year of high school.
• Apply for admission to Moraine Park no later than April 15, 2019.
• Enroll in an associate of applied science or technical diploma program that meets eligibility requirements for federal and Wisconsin financial aid.
• Complete and submit the Free 2019-2020 Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) by April 15, 2019. Promise applicants must be eligible for federal Pell grants and accept all state and federal grants and scholarships not awarded by the Moraine Park Foundation.

The Moraine Park Promise scholarship will fill the gap between financial aid received and the cost of attending MPTC. This scholarship is non-competitive which means that if you meet the eligibility requirements, you will be awarded the scholarship.

The Moraine Park Promise scholarship program requires scholars to apply and use all federal and state grants and scholarships available to them. However, federal and state grants rarely cover the full cost of tuition and other costs associated with attending college. Moraine Park Promise funds will pay the remainder of tuition costs associated with attending college. For more information on other available scholarships, please visit www.morainepark.edu/scholarships.

Promise scholarship amounts will vary from student to student. It will be calculated based on your total cost of tuition less grant aid and any additional scholarships received. The intent of this program is that you will not pay tuition out of pocket.

Moraine Park will begin the second cohort in August 2019. Students wishing to be part of the first cohort must apply by April 15, 2019. Promise Scholars do not need to reapply each semester for participation in the Moraine Park Promise scholarship program. However, Promise Scholars will need to meet the continuation criteria (see above) to stay in the program.

There are a few academic programs that have wait lists. Individuals interested in those programs will need to meet with an academic advisor to complete a plan for program completion. We realize, because of the wait list, Scholars may not be able to meet all of the continuation criteria or enroll in consecutive semesters. Scholars in this situation should complete a Full Time Enrollment Waiver Request with their advisor.

No. The Promise programs covers tuition but does not cover textbooks, supplies, or living expenses.

No. The Promise program covers the cost of Moraine Park Technical College course tuition, but does not cover the costs of a study abroad program.

Yes, the Promise Program is open to GED/HSED graduates. Interested individuals should contact Melissa Schmidt.

Moraine Park has numerous support services available to our Promise Scholars, with many of them being a requirement to maintain eligibility in Promise. Scholars will also be provided special orientations and workshops to help them maximize their success!

The Promise program is a last-dollar scholarship program, and scholars must be eligible for federal Pell grants and accept all state and federal grants and scholarships. The remaining dollars needed to fund their tuition costs are made possible through the generosity of Moraine Park Foundation donors.

As of fall 2019, we accept an ACT of 15. If your ACT is below 15, you may submit a letter of recommendation from your school counselor or faculty member. You may also retake the ACT. Additional resources for test preparation can be found here https://dpi.wi.gov/assessment/act/practice-test.

Yes, home-school students are eligible provided they meet all of the other eligibility requirements. Home-school students should provide a transcript from their home-school teacher describing their coursework and letter grades assigned as well as attendance records and graduation date.

You must be admitted into a financial aid-eligible program to be considered for the Promise program. Any associate degree or one- or two-year technical diploma is financial aid eligible.

No. Moraine Park Promise only applies to enrollment during the fall and spring semesters.

A Moraine Park Promise Scholar must meet both academic requirements and non-academic requirements in order to maintain continued Promise eligibility. If a scholar is unable to meet continuation requirements, they may be suspended from participation in the Promise program. In the situation that a scholar is unable to meet the continuation criteria due to circumstances outside of the scholar’s control, the scholar may appeal to regain eligibility.

As of April 15 2019, any Pell-eligible student may be a Promise Scholar.  

Yes. As long as your cumulative GPA is above 2.25, you will remain eligible for the Promise Program. Please note, you must still comply with the College’s Academic Standing and Satisfactory Academic Progress policies.

Yes, you are eligible. Check the Promise Program website for more information on spring semester application deadlines.

Yes. Promise Scholars are eligible for up to five semesters of eligibility in the program. You must work with your advisor before making any program changes.

If your high school or high school equivalency program does not issue a gpa, but uses all pass/fail grading, your official high school transcript must reflect a cumulative pass in order to meet Promise eligibility requirements.

Yes, you may apply for the program. However, the Promise program will not start until Fall 2019.  If you would like to start your College coursework in Spring, you may, but you would need to utilize other forms of financial aid.