Guidance

State Financial Aid

The Commission for Higher Education is dedicated to making college affordable through need-based financial aid awards and to allow choice by granting awards to those attending public, independent, and proprietary colleges.

Award notices contain information about a student's eligibility for Indiana student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the approved tuition and regularly assessed fees at the college the student will be attending, the type of high school diploma the student earned, and the number of credit hours the student has successfully completed.

Indiana ranks fifth in the nation in the need-based grant aid per undergraduate full-time equivalent enrollment, making higher education more accessible and attainable for more Hoosiers. Indiana has two primary grant programs: The Frank O'Bannon Grant, Indiana's primary need-based financial aid program, and the 21st Century Scholarship, Indiana's early promise program where students sign up in middle school.

Please visit the Indiana Commission for Higher Education website at https://www.in.gov/che/ for more information about Indiana's grant programs.

Diploma Type Verification

Scholartrack is used to facilitate the reporting of eligible Academic or Technical Honors graduates to the Commission. Graduates not reported through ScholarTrack may not receive the full financial aid award for which they are eligible. To report this information in ScholarTrack you need to create your own account. If you have not already created your own ScholarTrack Account, please visit https://scholartrack.che.in.gov/Login?ReturnUrl=%2f#/RegistrationAccountType

FAFSA

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is available for the Class of 2023. The FAFSA must be completed by April 15th to qualify for Indiana state aid, but it is recommended to file as soon as possible. Many schools have deadlines as early as January 1, and some types of aid are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. You will need:

• Student's & Parent's Social Security numbers

• Student's driver's license number

• Parent's 2021 federal taxes and taxes for student if filed

• Information on untaxed income for students and parents

• Information on cash, savings, and checking account balances, and investments for student and parents

Go to https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Need help filling out the FAFSA? College Goal Sunday takes place on November 6, 2022, at Ivy Tech in Fort Wayne from 2pm – 4pm. This event is for all seniors planning to go to college (YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE GOING TO IVY TECH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT). Your family will be able to sit down with a financial aid representative and completely fill out the FAFSA on this day.

As we enter the season of college applications and scholarships, remember that many of these applications will require letters of recommendation from school personnel. Make sure you give some time and consideration to those you choose to write your letters of recommendation. Please consider the following when requesting a letter of recommendation:

1. Ask someone who knows you well

2. Ask early and provide appropriate time to construct a well-written letter (at least two weeks)

3. Ask before assigning them as a recommender

4. Ask in person

5. Provide your resume or counselor information sheet (see attached) to the recommender

6. Send a thank you letter

What does “Test Optional” Mean?

Colleges that are test optional de-emphasize the importance of the SAT and ACT by making the tests an unnecessary component of the admission process. So if you took the SAT or ACT but didn't score as highly as you'd hoped you would, you can apply to test-optional colleges in order to avoid having to send in any unsatisfactory test scores that could potentially hurt your application. https://blog.prepscholar.com/test-optional-colleges-list

Important information regarding college applications:

Students must allow counselors/teachers at least two weeks to complete applications and letters of recommendations. Recommendation sheet (purple sheet) for students to complete and provide to recommenders.

Here are instructions for sending your transcripts through Parchment. It is important you list Homestead High School (Fort Wayne, IN) as your school. Please make sure to enter your year of graduation correctly.

Although SAT and ACT scores are on your transcript, most colleges want them sent directly through College Board or ACT. Students have to make this request; counselors cannot request official scores to be sent.

If applying to colleges using the Common Application, make sure you have email addresses for your recommenders and counselor. You do NOT have to have your portion of the application completed in order to submit the application to your counselor. Common Application allows students and counselors to work simultaneously.

Although colleges might offer multiple ways to submit information and transcripts, you should only use one. Priority should be given to Common Application and Parchment.

FAQs for College Applications

Common App FAQs

What is my class size (Class of 2023)?

590

Do you report class rank?

No (unless you have officially released your rank)

Do you have weighted grades?

Yes

Are you on a block schedule?

No

Have you ever attended another college or university?

Check with individual colleges as it varies by college. For example, Indiana University reports wanting students to mark “No” if it is dual credit or higher education. Whereas, Purdue University prefers students to mark “Yes”.

What is your school graduation date?

June 11th, 2023 at 4 pm

How should I send my high school transcript?

Electronically-Parchment unless applying with Common Application

What is Early Decision?

Early Decision is an early admission policy indicating that the college you apply to Early Decision is your top choice. Applying Early Decision is binding, meaning if accepted, you are expected to attend that particular college. Students and parents should read the policy entirely before applying Early Decision to understand the terms of the commitment.

Scholarships

A few featured scholarships with upcoming deadlines for Homestead High School students are listed below. For a full list of all available scholarships and their detailed eligibility criteria, please visit the Homestead High School General Scholarships page on our website.

Students are encouraged to review scholarship opportunities for incoming freshmen at their colleges and universities of interest. More information about these opportunities at some of our most commonly attended post-secondary institutions can be found on our Collegiate Scholarships page: http://homestead.sacs.k12.in.us/guidance/scholarships/collegiate_scholarship_listing.

• MileMark Media Legal Scholarship: A $1,000 scholarship for those interested in learning more about the law and legal system. Deadline 12/31/22.

• Lasting Impression Annual Scholarship: A $1,500 scholarship for a student with an interest in studying regenerative medicine. Students with other backgrounds welcome to apply. Deadline 12/31/22.

• Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship: A renewable scholarship of up to $7,500 each year for four academic years to students interested in pursuing a career in education. Deadline 1/31/23.

• Health Professions & Nursing Scholarships: The Lutheran Foundation has scholarships starting at $1,000 to award to students pursuing degrees in nursing or other healthcare professions. Deadline 2/1/23.

• The Coolidge Scholarship: A full-ride, 4-year, merit scholarship that may be used for undergraduate study at any accredited college or university in the U.S. Open only to high school JUNIORS who plan to enroll in college in the fall of 2024. Deadline 2/23/23.

• Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne: All scholarships listed (with the exception of a few) require students to be residents of Allen County, Indiana. Scholarship deadlines will vary by institution.

• MadeByMe Scholarship: $1,000 award for residents from Allen County pursuing a certificate or degree in a skilled manufacturing or trade program.

• The Next Level Jobs Workforce Ready Grant offers free job training from Ivy Tech or Vincennes for Hoosiers in high-demand sectors, including Advanced Manufacturing, Building & Construction, Health & Life Science, IT & Business Services, and Transportation & Logistics.

Additionally, students can peruse national scholarship search sites, such as the College Board Scholarship Search or Fastweb to widen their scholarship search.

Again, for a full list of scholarships and eligibility information, please visit the Homestead High School General Scholarships page on our website.