It's that time of year when high school students begin to explore their options for college. One possible first step for Indiana students with disabilities (and their parents!) is the Postsecondary Education page of the Center on Community Living and Careers (CCLC) website.
For students leaving high school with a Certificate of Completion, the Postsecondary Education page lists all of Indiana's college experience programs and contact information for each. Students searching for an academic degree at a four-year university will find links to information for Indiana programs offering additional supports on the Ball State University, University of Indianapolis, and Vincennes University campuses.
And for one-stop shopping, the CCLC Postsecondary Education page also links readers to the center's popular Is College for You?and "Indiana Diploma Decisions" resources.
On a related note, Indiana families are beginning to see reminders in their inboxes about filling out the Federal Application for Student Aid, more commonly referred to by its acronym, FAFSA. For eligible students with disabilities who are interested in postsecondary education, completing the FAFSA is not only a way to tap into possible tuition and housing assistance, it may also help them obtain funding for other supports like tutoring and assistive technology.
Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) requires VR-eligible students to submit the FAFSA before they determine if a student may also be eligible to receive additional assistance from VR while they're attending a community college or four-year university. Keep in mind that the FAFSA considers parental income of students who are younger than 24 before determining aid eligibility. For more information, talk to a guidance counselor and see the FAFSA website.
