With $0 EFC you would qualify for Pell grant of about $5,800.
The student loan you can take is $5,500.
@mommdc Thank you for your input. Is the Grant yearly? Am I to apply each year so I can maintain it?
https://www.tn.gov/collegepays/article/tennessee-hope-scholarship
Apparently there is a TN hope scholarship and possibly other state aid. With your 21 ACT you might qualify.
Ask your high school guidance counselor about TN state aid for low income students.
Yes the Pell grant is per year. You file FAFSA every year. If your EFC is $0 you get maximum amount. They adjust it periodically. If your EFC is higher then your Pell would be lowered.
@mommdc I checked my TSAC account. I applied for hope but it says I’m ineligible, I’ll check up on that. However my TSAC says I’m eligible for some TSAA grants. The thing is, what if I don’t get them, that’s what scares me. I’ve been successful throughout all of my years of schooling (not 1 B,C,D, or F on my report cards) and have given it my all. I don’t want to be backed into a corner because of money 
For class rank 9 and GPA 4.0, the ACT 21 seems low.
Not necessarily. I’ve seen that many times in the small town I come from. All depends on the school district.
Do check with guidance counselor at your high school or call TSAC to f ind out about hope scholarship and other aid you can qualify for.
In a few months you should get a financial aid award notification from the schools that you listed on your FAFSA, that let’s you know how much aid you qualify for.
Hopefully with Pell, student loan, state grants you will have enough to go to college.
ACT of 21 should qualify you for the HOPE; you may also qualify for the ASPIRE depending on parental income (take a look a the TN Hope website for more info on this). UTC has the Chattanooga YES! scholarship that you may also qualify for. If you are in middle TN- take a look at the community foundation of middle TN scholarship site (www . CFMT . org)-- small scholarships-- but every penny counts.
@Madison85 I actually agree. Some people in my school scored higher than me and their effort and grades don’t come close to mine. I took the ACT again on December 10, I’m waiting on those scores