To Do
Contests/Programs
SAT/ACT
College Search
Scholarships
Recs
Take advantage of exciting Indiana College Go! Week news.
Apply to many Indiana schools for free during the week of September 21-25.
IU and Purdue are on the list this year and will allow free applications through the Common App. I am checking whether USI will do this as well or will still require a USI portal application. Will update soon!
Register for upcoming help and information sessions.
Saturday College App Work Sessions on September 5th and 12th, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Parents/guardians are welcome. These are drop-in sessions for individual questions. Register here by noon on the Friday before the event.
College Information Night on Tuesday, September 15, 5:30 to 6:30, KC Commons. We will review general application steps and scholarship strategies to help you stay on track with early applications. Please register here.
Class of 2027 Financial Aid Night on Monday, September 28, 6-7, KC Commons to answer questions about the financial aid process and to explain the FAFSA and CSS Profile just before they become available on October 1. This event is for all families, regardless of whether you think you qualify for aid. Register here.
Complete the Class of 2027 College Counselor Information questionnaire now. The information you give me will help Faculty Selection committees make informed decisions and help me understand your ACT/SAT testing plans so that I don't submit your transcript before you are ready. Click here for a list of those who've submitted as of 8/28 at 3:20 pm.
Take Advantage of PowerSchool Reports for Teacher Recommendations:
Review your transcript credentials; see PowerSchool Reports, 2026 Transcript--All Tests.
Review your Profile (it is ready!); see 2026 Working PowerSchool Reports, Student Profile, Fall 2026 Onward.
Did you complete summer coursework for the Indiana Diploma Enrollment with Honors Plus Seal? Update ManageBac with the 15 CAS hours and send for review, supervisor Shannon Hughes. If you've sent this once with no result, please send again along with an email to me with subject line, "ManageBac Supervisor Review."
Set up your Common App.
Make sure to assign shannon.hughes@signature.edu as your counselor. Not sure if you've done this? Here's a list of those who have as of 8/28 at 3:20 PM.
Need a fee waiver? You must have the Free and Reduced Price Lunch form on file with Ms. Farris (stacie.farris@signature.edu)!
Create your FSA ID (see Scholarship and Financial Aid Information below).
Register for Parchment to send official transcripts. You must use the link in the email invitation last sent on 8/6/2026. Can't find the email? See Ms. Hughes ASAP. Here's a guide.
To ensure your scores arrive by November 1 early application deadlines, you should complete all SAT and ACT testing by the end of September. Applying for a fee waiver? You must have the Free and Reduced Price Lunch form on file with Ms. Farris (stacie.farris@signature.edu)!
September: September 12, 2026 (Registration Deadline: August 28)
Registration & Calendar: College Board SAT Dates
Fee Waivers: SAT Fee Waiver Eligibility. In addition, eligible students must have a Free and Reduced Price Lunch application on file with the school. See Ms. Cirino to obtain a fee waiver.
July: July 11, 2026 (Standard Registration has passed, Late Registration Deadline: June 24)
September: September 19, 2026 (Registration Deadline: August 14)
Registration: ACT Registration
Test Prep: Free ACT Test Prep
Fee Waivers: ACT Fee Waiver Eligibility. In addition, eligible students must have a Free and Reduced Price Lunch application on file with the schoolSee Ms. Cirino to obtain a fee waiver.
Get your website documentation ready.
Update your CAS page.
Update your PowerSchool profile by August 11 for the August 13 data upload. Links needed: Power School profile questionnaire, personal statement examples
Obtain your recommender's consent.
If the recommendation is for a 2026-2027 college application or scholarship:
Register your recommendation request here. Complete the form for each request. You may upload or link files to the form. (A recommendation request for the Common App is considered one request.) Print a hard copy of the form and any additional documents for your recommender's files.
Complete the Teacher Recommendation Questionnaire. You may upload or link files to the form. Print a hard copy of the questionnaire and any additional documents for your recommender's files.
Complete the Counselor Recommendation Request form for each new request or set of requests needed.
Scholarships and recognitions requiring/allowing a school nomination due September 15.
DAR Award (pending official notification), IU's Wells Scholar, U.S. Presidential Scholar, UVA's Jefferson Scholar, Davidson's Belk Scholarship, UNC-Charlotte's Levine Scholar, University of Toronto's Pearson Scholarship
The Gates Scholarship due September 15: Highly selective award for outstanding minority, Pell-eligible student leaders.
Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship due November 11: Up to $55,000 per year for high-achieving seniors with financial need. Submitted via the Common App.
Coca-Cola Scholars Program due September 30: An achievement-based $20,000 scholarship recognizing students for their capacity to lead and serve.
Hagan Scholarship: Need-based merit award helping rural and public high school students graduate college debt-free. Opens September 1, was due December 1 last year.
Foundation 649 Scholarship: Disburses $4,000 awards to Asian American and Pacific Islander students dedicated to community involvement. Opens in the winter.
QuestBridge National College Match: Connects high-achieving, low-income seniors with full four-year scholarships to top-tier universities. Opens in late summer.
Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship due November 12: Awards 500 four-year scholarships ranging from $4,000 to $30,000 based on academics, leadership, and financial need.
NHS Scholarship app due November 20. Many substantial awards offered. See the FAQ.
Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship: Provides up to $10,000 per year for high-achieving Indiana students who commit to teaching in Indiana for at least five years after graduation. Opens October 1 and closes February 27.
Explore Scholarship Databases
BigFuture’s Scholarship Search
Financial Aid Information Guide (includes FAFSA info)
Programs--No University Affiliation
Become a Schoolhouse tutor in many topics, including the SAT, deadline dependent on program. Don't delay if you want to volunteer over the summer.
Receive training, develop leadership, accumulate service hours!
To become an SAT Bootcamp tutor you need a score of 700+ on SAT Math or SAT Reading and Writing.
IU's Kelley Sprint Case Competition application due August 28.
This free event is held on October 3.
Only 50 team spots of 1-3 people available, first-come, first-served.
U.S. Senate Youth Program Application due September 18
Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS). November 5 2026 (Applications open June 2026). Cost: Free. The nation's oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school seniors. Focuses on original, independent scientific research across all STEM disciplines. Requires a comprehensive research report, transcripts, and recommendations.
Davidson Fellows Scholarship. Early February 2027. Cost: Free. Awards scholarships up to $50,000 for students who have completed a significant, graduate-level piece of work. Focus areas include STEM, Literature, Philosophy, or Music. Eligibility: Open to students aged 18 or under attending any traditionally accredited public or private high school in the United States.
Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI). Rolling submission. Cost: $49 submission fee (100% waivable upon request for financial need). A peer-reviewed journal publishing original, hypothesis-driven STEM research by middle and high school students. Submissions undergo an authentic review process by graduate students and faculty. Note: Submissions must be uploaded by a teacher or adult mentor.
The National High School Journal of Science (NHSJS). Rolling submission. Cost: Free. A student-run, peer-reviewed journal with a professional advisory board designed to make academic publishing accessible to high schoolers. Focuses on STEM original research articles and comprehensive literature reviews. https://nhsjs.org/
The Thomas Wolfe Scholarship (UNC Chapel Hill). October 15, 2026 (UNC general application) and November 15, 2026 (Wolfe portfolio submission). Cost: Free. A full-merit scholarship covering all expenses for student writers who apply and enroll at UNC Chapel Hill. Focuses on creative writing portfolios in prose, poetry, or playwriting.
National YoungArts Competition. Mid-October 2026. Cost: Free. The premier national platform for young artists. Focuses on Creative Nonfiction, Novel, Play/Script, Poetry, or Short Story portfolios. Requires a substantial multi-page portfolio compiled over the summer. Winners receive cash prizes, national mentorship, and exclusive consideration for the Presidential Scholar in the Arts nomination.
Bennington College Young Writers Awards. November 1, 2026. Cost: Free. Highly prestigious national competition judged by Bennington College faculty. Focuses on Poetry, Fiction, or Nonfiction/Academic Essays. First place wins $1,000 and eligibility for four-year undergraduate scholarships up to $60,000. Students must submit a Common Application to Bennington College first (non-binding, no application fee) to receive the portal link to submit their writing. Because you must wait to receive this link via email, you should submit your Common App well before the November 1 deadline (ideally in September or October). All entries must be reviewed and approved by a high school sponsor teacher.
The New York Times Student Writing Contests. Rolling throughout the year. Cost: Free. Short, creative prompts with strict word limits that teach precise editing skills. Focuses on short-form opinion writing, reviews, and 100-word personal narratives. The Summer Reading Contest runs weekly from June through August. Winners are published on the NYT Learning Network.
Technology/App Development Contests
Congressional App Challenge. October 26, 2026. Cost: Free. Hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives, this competition encourages middle and high school students to learn to code and create their own original applications. Students compete against peers in their specific congressional district. Winning apps are eligible to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and on the House.gov website.
Presidential AI Challenge. Annual cycle starting in August, according to the website. Cost: Free. A national initiative from the White House challenging students to develop artificial intelligence-powered tools that solve real-world problems in their local communities. Students can compete individually or in teams, with national champions earning recognition in Washington, D.C.
Attend the College Essay Guy Live Workshop series either live or on demand:
Invitation in your school email
All sessions recorded and available on your dashboard
Interested in attending a Service Academy for a full ride plus room, board, and textbooks? Applications for a congressional nomination to the four Service Academies requiring such a nomination are due on October 1 of senior year. Here is some more information:
Congressman Mark Messmer is accepting applications through this form. He provides a checklist, and a Service Academy fact sheet.
Sign up for College Fairs Online and enter a drawing for a $1000 scholarship. The more you engage, the more chances you earn.
Admissions Beat, a podcast wherein an Ivy League Dean demystifies the college search and application process
The College Tour is a free video series providing an inside look at over 110 college campuses through the perspective of current students. Use their website to access their complete library and guided search tools that filter featured colleges by state, public or private status, size, and acceptance rate.
Free College Search Classes: Self-guided, 45-minute video courses designed to help you identify what you want in a university. The core class covers four pillars: location, campus culture, college type, and majors. They also offer a dedicated course for first-generation college students.
Big Future's College Search Guide