Middle Tennessee State University’s top administrators and deans will meet with prospective students in 11 cities this fall — seven in Tennessee and four in bordering states — as part of MTSU’s expanded True Blue Tour.

Planned annually by the university’s Admissions Office, this year’s True Blue Tour includes the traditional seven Tennessee recruitment stops in Chattanooga on Tuesday, Oct. 4; Johnson City on Tuesday, Oct. 18; Knoxville on Wednesday, Oct. 19; Williamson County/Franklin on Wednesday, Oct. 26; Nashville on Tuesday, Nov. 1; Memphis on Wednesday, Nov. 9; and Jackson on Thursday, Nov. 10.

Chrisine Trotman, left, and her son, Ezra, both of Marietta, Ga., listen as MTSU Academic Common Market coordinator Peter Cunningham explains the new Regional Scholars Program at the Cobb Galleria Centre during the September 2015 True Blue Tour. Ezra Trotman is an MTSU freshman in the College of Media and Entertainment this fall. The scholars program reduces tuition for select Georgia, Alabama and Kentucky students. MTSU will visit the Atlanta area again Oct. 5 at the Crown Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravina, 4355 Ashford Dunwoody Road. (MTSU file photos by Randy Weiler)

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

MTSU will add Louisville, Kentucky, on Wednesday, Nov. 16, for the first time after expanding out of state to Atlanta, Huntsville, Alabama, and Bowling Green, Kentucky, last year.

This fall, MTSU travels to Atlanta on Wednesday, Oct. 5; Huntsville on Tuesday, Oct. 11; and Bowling Green on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Each True Blue Tour student reception starts at 6 p.m. local time, except for the Nashville stop, which begins at 6:30 p.m. The events are free, but students should register in advance at www.mtsu.edu/schedule-a-visit/special-events.php.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and interim Provost Mark Byrnes will join other administrators and deans from the university’s eight academic colleges, advisers and counselors from the admissions and financial aid offices on the tour.

They will be on hand to answer questions from prospective students, transfer students and their parents at the events.

“Our entire team always looks forward to these visits with outstanding prospective students and their families,” McPhee said. “It’s a great opportunity to share the exceptional educational experience MTSU offers. We welcome our alumni and friends from across the state and region to join us and tell others about MTSU.”

During the four out-of-state stops, university leaders will emphasize MTSU’s Academic Common Market program. This tuition savings program allows prospective students who live in participating states to qualify for in-state tuition rates for unique academic majors not offered in their home state. Learn more at www.mtsu.edu/acm.

Dr. Debra Sells

Dr. Deb Sells, vice president of student affairs and vice provost for enrollment and academic services, calls the tour “our signature recruiting event for MTSU,” one that’s “just as important for freshmen and sophomores to begin gathering information as it is for juniors, seniors and transfer students to meet with us as they finalize their college choice.”

“We experienced double-digit increases in our new students from out-of-state on the heels of last year’s expansion to Huntsville, Atlanta and Bowling Green — so we are especially excited to be adding Louisville to this year’s tour,” she said. “It’s a treat for us to be able to tell the MTSU story, including news about some of our most exciting academic programs on the campus.”

Fall MTSU True Blue Tour reception sites are:

• Oct. 4: Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter Plaza, Chattanooga.
• Oct. 5: Crown Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravina, 4355 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta.
• Oct. 11: U.S. Space and Rocket Center, 1 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, Alabama.
• Oct. 18: The Millennium Centre, 2001 Millennium Place, Johnson City.
• Oct. 19: The Foundry on the Fair Site, 747 World’s Fair Park Drive, Knoxville.
• Oct. 26: Franklin Marriott Cool Springs, 700 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin.
• Nov. 1: Renaissance Nashville Hotel, 611 Commerce St., Nashville.
• Nov. 9: Esplanade Memphis, 901 Cordova Station Ave., Cordova.
• Nov. 10: Jackson Country Club, 31 Jackson Country Club Drive, Jackson.
• Nov. 15: Holiday Inn University Plaza, 1021 Wilkinson Trace, Bowling Green, Kentucky.
• Nov. 16: Marriott Louisville East, 1903 Embassy Square Road, Louisville, Kentucky.

Sells wants prospective students and their families to be aware of two key dates:

• Saturday, Oct. 1 — the new filing date for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) through https://fafsa.ed.gov. Previously, it had been Jan. 1.

• Thursday, Dec. 1 — the MTSU freshman scholarship deadline. Freshmen students, members of the Class of 2021, who meet all scholarship criteria and complete their application for admissions will receive guaranteed awards. Transfer students who meet all transfer scholarship criteria and who complete applications for fall admission no later than Feb. 15, also will receive guaranteed awards.

Fall Preview Days are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24, and Saturday, Nov. 5, both starting at 8 a.m. in the Student Union. High school and community college students and counselors, as well as parents, can register to attend any free MTSU Admissions events by going to www.mtsu.edu/schedule-a-visit/special-events.php.

— Randy Weiler (randy.weiler@mtsu.edu)

Allison Dennis, left, of Fayetteville, Tenn., talks about her academic background and potential for the MTSU Honors College with Dean John Vile during the November 2015 MTSU True Blue Tour visit to Huntsville, Ala., at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

College of Basic and Applied Sciences adviser Kristen Janson, left, shares information about various departments in the college with prospective students and parents attending the October 2015 True Blue Tour event in Memphis. This year’s Memphis-area stop will be at Esplande Memphis in Cordova, Tenn.