Graduation

Graduation for the Class of 2024 will be on Sunday, June 9th at the War Memorial Coliseum Expo Center.  The ceremony begins at 4:00 pm, but seniors must arrive at 1:30 pm for a MANDATORY rehearsal. No tickets are needed for parents, family members, or friends to attend the event, but parking at the Coliseum costs $8 for everyone (including seniors).

Graduation Information & Itinerary

The Graduation Ceremony will be in the Coliseum's EXPO-Center on Sunday, June 9 at 4 PM. There is a mandatory Graduation Rehearsal on the same day at 1:30 PM. Handbags, backpacks, etc., are not to be carried into the ceremony, and there are no secure areas to leave any items. These items should NOT be brought to the rehearsal, so come with everything done & ready before rehearsal, wearing your cap & gown*. Lifetouch Photographers will take photos of students with their diplomas between the rehearsal and the actual ceremony. The Memorial Coliseum EXPO Center doors will open at 3:15 pm for families, and the ceremony will be approximately one hour and 15 minutes. No tickets are needed, but parking at the Coliseum costs $8.

Please note, seniors do not receive their actual diplomas at the Graduation Ceremony. Each graduate (or parent/guardian) must pick up diplomas from Homestead High School; ID’s will be required. Pick-up will be from 10:45 am to 2:45 pm on June 25 and 26 (enter at new Door #33, off of Homestead Road). For more information, look at the graduation letter that was sent out to seniors and their families.

*If you still need to order a cap & gown, please call Jostens directly at 260.483.1825 before May 15th.

Senior Activities

A Senior Fact Sheet was sent out listing all the events seniors should be aware of and their details. This includes Prom, Academic Awards Night, Graduation Activities Day, Final Exams, Graduation Ceremony, and Diploma Pick-Up. Look at the Senior Fact Sheet HERE.

 Remember to Transfer Your FIles

Once seniors graduate, they will lose access to their SACS accounts including email and Google Drive.  In order to keep the information and materials that they want, please complete the following by June 28th. 

--Transfer all of your email contact information and archived emails to a personal email account.  

--Transfer all Homestead Google files to a personal Google Drive.  

All SACS accounts will be deactivated after June 28th. 

Photos for Graduation Slideshow

If you’d like any photos of you and your friends to be seen during the playing of the Senior Slideshow Video at graduation on June 9th, please upload them HERE. We are looking for original, high-resolution photos in any format or orientation that feature seniors from Homestead only. The deadline for the photos to be included is Friday, May 17th. 

Why Common App?

The Common App makes college applications stress-free as everything is all in the same place. This application is used broadly by 950 universities and colleges and has helped many students accomplish the first steps needed to begin the process of the next step of pursuing their education.

Not only can the Common App be used for applying to schools across the country, but it can be used to find scholarships and financial aid opportunities!

**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.

What are the Application Requirements?

Many universities and colleges will have the same requirements, which entails filling out the information that provides details about your background, extracurriculars, and just essential information about you. Some schools will require that the student provides an essay that is a minimum of 250 words with a maximum of 650 words. 

Many students are intimidated by the essay requirement, but do not stress! Start off with one of the seven prompts below:

1.  Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to our success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

If you are unsure of your essay's quality or what college admissions look for in the requirement essay, ask for a teacher, family member, or counselor to help review and provide feedback on your essay before submitting your final application!

FAQs for College Applications

Common App FAQs

What is my class size (Class of 2024)?

557

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 9th, 2024 at 4 pm

How should I send my high school transcript?

Electronically through 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.

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

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 2023-2024 Scholarship Information Page on our website.

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

• BigFuture Scholarship Search: Students in the class of 2024 who use BigFuture Scholarship Search and save 3 scholarships to their list will earn entries in monthly drawings for $500 and $40,000 scholarships. Deadlines vary.

• Army ROTC Scholarships: Full-tuition scholarships for 2-4 years available. Includes room and board with an additional stipend for books and fees. Deadlines vary.

• 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.

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 state financial aid awards. Eligibility is based on the data disclosed on the 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 program, 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/4514.htm 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 click here to get started ScholarTrack Account  

For more information on financial aid information, please contact Mrs. Lackland at the email below.

llackland@sacs.k12.in.us