Promise College News

In case you missed it, the Muskegon Area Promise no longer has a minimum GPA requirement. To qualify, students must:

1. Live in a Muskegon Area ISD school district.
2. Graduated with a high school diploma from one of our districts (public, private, charter, academy, and homeschool students may qualify).
3. Apply for financial aid (do the FAFSA).
4. Enroll in college/career training locally

This change takes effect fall 2026.

If you are planning to attend Baker College, we have great news. Starting fall 2026, students can use their Muskegon Area Promise at any Baker campus. The Muskegon Area Promise Board has also approved an increase to the Baker College award.

• Full time (12 credits or more per semester) students will now have up to $10,000/academic year for tuition and mandatory fees. (All other scholarships and grants come first.)
• Students who attend less than full time (1-11 credits per semester) will receive up to $5,000/academic year for tuition and mandatory fees.
• All students will receive a $500 Promise stipend in their college account each term that they are taking classes with one of our partners. The stipend total for the academic year cannot exceed $1500.

For these students, it's time to renew your Promise award. You must do this once per academic year. The Promise academic year starts over in fall 2026.

You also must complete a 2026-2027 FAFSA to use the Promise, federal, and state aid. You can check your FAFSA status in your college portal or on the FAFSA website.

If you didn't get into a class that you need, be sure to join the waitlist. Students on a waitlist should check their email daily. If you get a spot, you have a limited amount of time before that spot goes to the next person in line.

Each partner has staff that can answer questions about your financial aid (money that others are paying). The Financial Aid department will have the most up-to-date information about what money is coming in from other places to help pay for college (like TIP, Promise, or the Michigan Achievement Award). If you think you are missing a scholarship or grant, check with Financial Aid.

I'm available to work with any potential Promise student. You can schedule to meet online or in person at the Muskegon Area Career Tech Center if you need help. I also attend many college-going events. If you haven't accepted or renewed your award for 2025-2026, you can do that here (only needed once per academic year).