Start Strong Center FAQs

• If you’re taking a PSCC online class, you will log in using Brightspace.
• If you’re taking a TN eCampus course, you will log in using D2L.

• Submit an admissions application at Apply Online! | Pellissippi State Community College (pstcc.edu)
• Submit official high school transcript/GED/HiSet and college transcripts
• Set up your myPellissippi account
• Submit test scores or take Accuplacer
  • Students with transfer English and math course work are exempt.
  • Students with an unweighted GPA of 3.6 are exempt.
• Meet with an advisor and register for classes
• Apply for financial aid
• Attend New Student Orientation
• Confirm attendance/pay tuition

Your PNumber is your unique college identification (student ID) number. It consists of the letter “P” followed by 8 digits. You should use this number in all correspondence or contact with Pellissippi State. If you don’t know or don’t remember your PNumber, you can recover it here.

When you’re registering for classes, you can check the availability of courses you wish to take in myPellissippi. Under “Registration,” select “Class Search.” Open sections of a class will have an open check box you can select. Closed selections will not have a check box, but will be marked with “C” for “closed.”

Students who audit a class attend class with no intention of earning a grade or college credit. Students are expected to attend class, but are not required to complete assignments or take exams. Audit classes don’t count toward enrollment hours in regard to financial aid, but audited classes cost the same in tuition as classes taken for college credit.

If you wish to audit a class, you must fill out the appropriate paperwork in person in the Start Strong Center.

You can apply for a graduation exit exam in Navigate. It is strongly encouraged that you meet with your advisor first to ensure you have completed the graduation application. 

If you have a hold on your account, a notice will appear in “Your Alerts” when you log into myPellissippi. A hold can prevent you from registering for classes, receiving financial aid or requesting a transcript. Holds can be placed on your account for a number of reasons, typically for an unmet requirement.

You must meet with an advisor first to get the graduation pin to apply to graduate. Apply to graduate in myPellissippi in “Apply to Graduate/Graduation Status” under “Your Records.”

Academic Fresh Start is a plan of forgiveness that allows students who have previously attended college unsuccessfully to make a clean start when they return to college. Eligible students can start college without being penalized for past unsatisfactory grades. Students must meet certain criteria to qualify. A student can earn Academic Fresh Start only once.

View your grades in myPellissippi at any time. Under the 'Student Self-Service' section, select 'Final Grades'. If you need a printed copy of your grades, you can request a copy of your transcripts online.

More information on how to request a transcript can be found here.

• Current students can request an official transcript through myPellissippi.
  • Once you log in to your account, scroll down to “Student Self-Service” and select “Student Forms”. On the next page, look under the “Start Strong Center” heading and click on “Request an Official Transcript”.
• Former students can request an official transcript through our website.
  • Go to pstcc.edu and select the “A-Z” index. Scroll down to “T” and select “Transcript Request”. Students do not need their P number/user name to request a transcript.

1. Login to myPellissippi.
2. Select ‘Banner 8: Self-Service Banner (SSB)’
3. Select Student
4. Select Student Records
5. Select ‘Add/Change Preferred First Name’
6. Enter preferred name here.

In myPellissippi, under the 'Student Self-Service' section, select 'Class Schedule'.

The only difference is when the request is submitted.

Courses are dropped during the drop/add period (usually the first week of classes). If you drop a class, it won’t appear on your official transcript or affect your GPA. However, dropping a class can have repercussions on financial aid.

If you leave a class later in the semester, you withdraw. You can withdraw with or without a “W” grade depending upon how far you are into the semester. Withdrawn classes appear on your official transcript but still aren’t calculated into your GPA.

If you simply stop attending class, you haven’t dropped or withdrawn. You will earn an “I” for the class, which stands for “Incomplete.” Incomplete classes appear on your official transcript and can affect your GPA.

In extenuating circumstances, a student can petition to withdraw from a class after the deadline.

Pellissippi State may award you transfer credits if you’re transferring here from another regionally accredited college or university. To determine which courses will transfer please submit an official transcript. Once received your transcript will be evaluated and you will receive an email from the Records office within 2-3 business days with information on how to view which courses have transferred. 

Student name changes must be made in writing to the Records Office with appropriate legal documentation. We require two pieces of documentation (and do not accept any substitutions or exceptions): a valid Social Security card with the new name and one of the following — a driver’s license with the new name, a court ordered name change, a marriage certificate, a divorce decree, a valid passport with the new name, or resident alien papers. Divorce decrees are accepted only if they state you are returning to the use of your maiden name.

Pellissippi State has arranged with Follett, a division of Nebraska Book Company, to allow our students receiving financial aid assistance to purchase books. You will be eligible to charge books if your total semester award minus your fees leaves a balance due to you. Charges may be made at all five college locations per the dates below.  Students will need to have their PSCC ID number and a photo ID with them in order to charge to their approved account.

Update your address in myPellissippi: simply click “Change” underneath your mailing address. If you do not have access to myPellissippi, call 865-694-6400 and request a Change in Personal Data form.

If you missed a fee deadline or confirmation deadline, your schedule was deleted, or expunged. You may re-register for classes in myPellissippi. You are then responsible for paying your fees and confirming your schedule by the next designated deadline, or risk having your schedule deleted again.

Pellissippi State will begin processing fee adjustments beginning approximately two weeks after the end of each refund period. It takes several weeks to process all the fee adjustments. The college will deduct from proposed refunds any amount owed by the student to the college.

1. Fee adjustments for fees paid by credit card will be credited back to the card used to pay fees. If payment is made with multiple credit card accounts, refunding will be based on the order payment was received, i.e., the last (most recent) card used to make a payment for the current term will be credited first up to the full amount paid on that card, then the second card will be credited, etc. It will be the responsibility of the credit card holders to apportion any refund amongst themselves. If the card used to pay fees is no longer active a refund check will be mailed to the student. Refunding will begin approximately two weeks after the end of each refund period.
2. Fee adjustments for fees paid by Cash, Check or Money Order, will be mailed to you approximately two weeks after the end of each refund period. Please make sure that Pellissippi State has your correct mailing addressbecause having outdated mailing information may increase the time it takes to receive your check.
3. Fee adjustments for students on the Deferred Fee Payment Plan will cause a recalculation of installment payment amounts. Students are still responsible for any unpaid tuition, fees, and other charges after fee adjustments are made.
4. Fee adjustments for students who receive financial aid may be returned to the financial aid program and/or applied to the balances owed to the college. This also applies to accounts paid by any third party sponsor, such as Vocational Rehabilitation, Veteran's Administration, Waivers or Discounts.
5. Refunds less than $5 must be claimed at the Cashier's Office at any campus during normal office hours.