Promise College News

This section is for students earning their certificate or degree at MCC, Baker College or NUVO College of Cosmetology. If this isn't you, check the next section for guest students.

Some students are enrolled in a program that requires summer classes. Many students don't know they can take classes over the summer while in college.

Here's a few benefits:

• The Muskegon Area Promise will cover summer semester classes (assuming you haven't reached an annual cap and don't have a degree yet). There is even a Cost of Attendance (COA) stipend of $500 to help with non-tuition costs.
• Summer classes can help you graduate faster or lower your course load during fall and winter semesters.
• Summer classes cover the same material but generally in fewer weeks.

Consider:

• Some financial aid offers do not cover summer classes, but some do. If you have other financial aid, check with your financial aid office to see if any of it can be used for summer semesters.
• Are you working a seasonal job or more hours in the summer? Be sure you are ready to balance work and school by checking the course syllabus for reading and homework loads.

How to Use Your Promise Award as a Traditional Summer Student

If you've already accepted your Promise for the current academic year (fall - summer), you have already accepted it for the summer term. If you used the Promise for fall or winter, you are all set. If you didn't, accept your Promise and complete your FAFSA.

This section is for students earning their certificate or degree outside of Muskegon County.

Being a Guest Student means that you take college classes at a different college than you are earning your certificate or degree at. A lot of students do this to save time and money. Your scholarships at your home college might have annual limits or might not be available for summer classes. You might be returning home for the summer to save on rent or work a summer job. Whatever your reason, the Promise is here to help.

Here's a few benefits:

• The Muskegon Area Promise will cover tuition and mandatory fees for summer semester classes taken at Muskegon Community College (assuming you don't have a degree yet). There is even a Cost of Attendance (COA) stipend of $500 to help with non-tuition costs.
• Summer classes can help you graduate faster, save scholarship money at your home college, or lower your course load during fall and winter semesters.
• Summer classes cover the same material but generally in fewer weeks.
• Class sizes might be smaller than at a larger college or university.

Consider:

• Will the classes transfer to your home college? (Meet with your home college advisor for help.)
• Are you working a seasonal job or more hours in the summer? Be sure you are ready to balance work and school by checking the course syllabus for reading and homework loads.
• Check the start and end dates of classes with the end dates of your current semester and the start date of your fall semester.
• You do not need to list MCC on your FAFSA as a guest student.

How to Use the Promise as a Guest Student:

1. Accept your Promise award for Summer 2026. You must choose "Guest Scholar" for your scholar type. (if you haven't already).
2. Apply to MCC as a guest student. If you did this last year, you are all set.
3. Complete your MUUG form. (This requires that you meet with your home college advisor and registrar for advising and signatures. Your home registrar will then send the form to MCC.)
4. Register for MCC summer classes (opens soon).
5. Get the books, get the supplies, get ready.

• Students transferring for fall 2026 should check your new college's scholarship portal for transfer scholarship deadlines.
• If you are done using the Promise after summer 2026, you can apply for the Community Foundation for Muskegon County scholarships. Applications close February 12, 2026.
• There is a list of scholarships in Xello. (That's right, you can still access your Xello account if you graduated in 2018 or after. Let me know if you need help.)

College departments, like financial aid, finance, and registration will communicate with your by college email and student portals.

Muskegon Community College has 2 new staff members who are specifically available to help MCC Promise students. They might reach out to you during the semester.

If you are a Promise scholar who needs help and you aren't sure where to start, you can check-in with them. They will get you connected to the right MCC staff and can help you troubleshoot college-going processes. Stop in the Student Success Room and say hi!

College students should meet with a college counselor or advisor to be sure that the classes they take will count toward their degree. Both college counselors and college advisors can help plan classes and check that courses will transfer later if needed.

There are Student Success staff members at each of our partners to help Promise students navigate college-going. At some partners, these are people you are already working with, like an advisor. At others, there are dedicated staff that you can check in with if you have questions.

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).