MCHS Guidance

Private, state, federal, and institutional funds that do not have to be repaid are called scholarships. Scholarships are awarded to students based on academic, athletic, artistic, or other success. Many scholarships are offered by local businesses, individuals, religious organizations, and other civic groups. Some scholarships may be awarded based on financial need.

When searching for scholarships, please be sure to do the following:

• Check the MCHS Guidance Office for local scholarships.
• Register with FastWeb, or StudentScholarships to fill out a profile and be matched with scholarships for which you are eligible.
• NEVER pay for scholarship information

The Mifflin County High School Local Scholarship Guide is available. Please note that scholarship applications are still coming into the MCHS Guidance Office. As those applications are available, the deadline dates and the guide will be updated.

MCHS Local Scholarship Guide 2026-2027

If you have questions, please reach out to your high school counselor.

• Loans: Loans are money that must be repaid with interest.
• Grants: Grants are money that does not have to be repaid. It is usually based on financial need.
• Scholarships: Scholarships are money that does not have to be repaid and is awarded based on academics, talents, or other special interests.
• Work Study: Work Study programs award money that does not have to be repaid. It is typically money earned by working on campus while attending school.

• The best place to begin with all financial aid is the FAFSA. The FAFSA is the federal form used to determine how much a family can afford to pay for college.
• By filling out this form, students may be eligible for financial assistance for college from federal and state governments as well as post-secondary institutions.
• Filling out the FAFSA does not necessarily mean one has to go to college; however, it gives the student the possibility to receive money to be used for college.

The FAFSA can be found at StudentAid - FAFSA.

Up-to-date information can also be found at StudentAid.

• During the month of September, the MCHS Guidance Office sponsors a Financial Aid Night. On this night parents and students are provided with a general overview of the financial aid process as well as the different types of financial aid.
• This financial aid event is held in the MCHS Cafeteria.

• In early October, our PHEAA representative will be in the Guidance Office all day to assist students and parents registering for their FSA ID. Since the FAFSA is an online application, students and at least one parent must register for an FSA ID to use to sign the FAFSA. Students and parents can drop in to meet with our PHEAA representative that day whenever it is convenient for them.

• During the month of October, the MCHS Guidance Office sponsors a FAFSA Completion Night. On this night parents and students are assigned to various computer labs in the Mifflin County High School Library in which there will be local financial aid officers from various colleges and universities available to help them walk through the process of filling out the FAFSA.
• Parents and students are asked to sign-up for the event in advance so that they can get a list of documents needed to fill out the FAFSA and so that we know how many labs to reserve. Sign-ups can be done by calling the Guidance Office at 242-0240 or by stopping by the Guidance Office between 8 AM and 3:30 PM.
• The FAFSA now opens on October 1st of each year.

Academic courses that receive high school graduation credit in one or more of the following areas: English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, religion, or philosophy. These courses are college prep, taught at or above the high school's regular academic level, and by a qualified instructor.

A * indicates a half credit course.

English

• AP English Language
• AP English Literature
• English 9,10,11,12 Honors
• English 9-II, 10-II, 11-II, 12-II
• Speech Communications *
• Elements of Debate *
• Communications *

Social Studies

• American Cultures
• World Cultures
• Democracy in Action
• AP Government
• AP US History
• AP Psychology
• Geography *
• Psychology *
• Famous Trials in American History *

Math

• AP Calculus AB
• AP Statistics
• Advanced Algebra II Honors
• Algebra I, Algebra II, Algebra III *
• Calculus Concepts
• Geometry
• PreCalculus Honors
• Probability and Statistics I *, Probability and Statistics II *
• Trigonometry *

Science

• Anatomy and Physiology Honors
• AP Biology
• AP Chemistry
• AP Physics C: Mechanics
• Biology
• Chemistry I, Chemistry I Honors
• Physics I
• Global Environmental Science
• Ecology of Mifflin County

Additional Core Courses

• Arabic I, Arabic II
• Chinese-Mandarin I, Chinese-Mandarin II
• French I, French II
• German I, German II
• Japanese I, Japanese II
• Latin I, Latin II
• Russian I, Russian II
• Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV

To be considered eligible through the Clearinghouse, students are required to take either the SAT or ACT. When registering for the SAT or ACT, students should request that scores be sent to the NCAA Clearinghouse (CEEB code: 9999). Scores must be sent directly from the testing agency as TEST SCORES THAT APPEAR ON TRANSCRIPTS WILL NOT BE USED.

To qualify with the NCAA Clearinghouse, students must earn a certain GPA in each core course they take. The GPA is determined based on a scale that awards points for various letter grades earned. See your counselor to determine your GPA in each of your core courses.

The NCAA Clearinghouse will decide the amateurism eligibility of any potential Division I or II student athlete. When registering with the NCAA Clearinghouse, students will be asked to enter information regarding their athletic participation. That information will be reviewed and used to determine if students' amateurism status is accepted or if a penalty is assessed. Students will have the opportunity to appeal the penalty should this happen.

• Students in 8th grade should work hard to earn good grades. Grades earned in middle school classes help determine placement in 9th grade classes.
• Good study habits and a positive work ethic should be established at this time before high school begins.
• Getting involved in sports or activities is a good idea. Maintaining continuous involvement in extracurricular activities is impressive on a college application.
• If a student is thinking about playing sports at a Division I or Division II college or university, he or she along with his or her parents should attend an NCAA Clearinghouse informational meeting; normally, this meeting is held in the spring. This will give an idea of what students must do academically to be eligible to participate in sports at the next level.

• Students in 9th grade should work hard to earn good grades. It is in 9th grade that calculation of one's GPA begins. One low grade can drop a cumulative GPA and make it difficult to bring it up again.
• Final grades of courses begin showing up on official transcripts in 9th grade.
• Students should begin thinking about which career field they may be interested in pursuing. Knowing the career field one wants to enter may determine the types of and levels of classes taken in future years.
• Students should begin keeping a log of activities in which they participate.

• Students should continue to strive for high grades during their sophomore year.
• Students in honors level classes or fast track math classes should consider taking the PSAT. Though they will not be eligible to be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, the PSAT is a good indicator of how students would perform on the SAT if they were to take it at this time. The PSAT is normally given in October, and sign-ups begin at the beginning of September.
• Students should continue to log all activities in which they participate.
• If a student is considering taking an Advanced Placement course, he or she along with his or her parents should attend an Advanced Placement course informational meeting; normally, this meeting is held in the spring. These courses are demanding, and students and parents should be aware of the challenges that will be faced in Advanced Placement courses.

• Students should continue to strive for high grades during their junior year.
• All students considering college after high school should consider taking the PSAT. Not only is this good practice for the SAT, but students whose scores are exceptionally high may be eligible to be considered for National Merit Scholarships.
• Juniors are encouraged to start meeting with college admissions representatives as they visit MCHS. This is a good opportunity for students to find out if a school has the characteristics and major(s) they are looking for in a college or university.
• Counselors encourage students to wait until the end of their junior year to take the SAT. Because the SAT math section contains Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Probability and Statistics concepts, students are generally more confident when they take the SAT after they have completed most of these math courses. The SAT verbal also includes vocabulary that is normally not introduced until the junior year of English class.
• Juniors are also encouraged to start planning college visits. Taking tours of college campuses, meeting with admissions counselors, and meeting with financial aid officers are good ways to determine if a school is right for the student.
• Continue to log involvement in activities both in and out of school.
• Begin searching for scholarships. Students/parents should never pay for any financial aid information. This can be obtained for free; please check with the Guidance Office.
• Attend a financial aid informational meeting to get an idea of the financial aid process.
• Establish a permanent email address to use to communicate with colleges and universities. Do not use your school email address as that will be deleted after you graduate, and you will need to access this email in the future. Be sure this email address is professional.
• Set up college visits for the summer as well to help narrow the choice if necessary.
• Student athletes who are planning on playing sports at a Division I or Division II college or university need to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at the end of their junior year of high school.

• Seniors should continue to do their best to earn good grades in all classes and not just the ones needed for graduation.
• If they wish to do so, seniors can register to take the SAT again during their senior year--it is offered in the fall at MCHS. In some instances, colleges may even encourage this.
• Students should begin completing college applications early in their senior year. Pay attention to due dates. Be sure to understand the differences between Early Action, Early Decision, and Regular Decision. Early Action is not a binding decision to attend a specific school, but it allows students to receive an admission decision early. Early Decision will give a student an acceptance decision sooner, but the student is bound to attend that school if he or she is accepted. Regular Decision is not a binding decision to attend a school. Students who choose Regular Decision will be considered for admission when other applicants are considered. Thanksgiving Day is a solid deadline to give oneself to have applications completed and turned in.
• Seniors must request that official transcripts be sent to their school of choice. This can be done by creating a Parchment account with the help of the Guidance Office or by filling out the appropriate form in the Guidance Office.
• If they have not done so already, seniors should visit the colleges to which they have applied so that an accurate decision can be made in case there are multiple acceptances.
• Attend Financial Aid Nights in the Fall. At MCHS a Financial Aid General Information Night is held in September. During this event a general overview of the types of financial aid and the financial aid process is covered. Another Financial Aid Night is scheduled in October; this is a FAFSA Completion Night. On this night, parents and students go to computer labs in MCHS where financial aid officers from local colleges and universities are on hand to help them fill out the FAFSA. The FAFSA opens on October 1.
• Seniors should begin researching and applying for scholarships. The bulk of the local scholarships are available from February to May in the MCHS Guidance Office.

• Keystone Exams are state mandated tests that students will take upon completion of certain courses. Results of these courses are used to determine ABP for MCHS.
• These exams are scored using Advanced, Proficient, Basic, and Below Basic indicators. If students score Basic or Below Basic, they are required to retake the test.
• Beginning with the class of 2021, Keystone Exams will be used in determining whether or not a student will graduate.
• As of the 2012-2013 school year, Keystone Exams are given in Literature, Biology, and Algebra. Keystone Exams in additional subject areas may be given in future years.
• Students will take the Keystone Exams in the Spring at the end of the trigger courses (English 10 is the trigger course for the Literature Exam; Biology is the trigger course for the Biology Exam; Algebra I and Algebra IB are trigger courses for the Algebra Exam).

• Students who opt to take AP courses are required to take the corresponding AP exam at the end of the course.
• These exams do cost money, and the student is required to provide that payment unless he or she receives free or reduced lunch prices.
• AP exams are given on specific days. If a student misses the exam, he or she will need to make arrangements with the Guidance Office to retake the exam.

• Students who are planning on enrolling in a four year college/university or even some two year schools should take the SAT or ACT. Students can register to take the SAT at CollegeBoard. The cost is $47.50 for the SAT, and the cost for the SAT with essay is $64.50; however, if a student receives free or reduced lunch, he or she can obtain a fee waiver from his or her counselor. The SAT is offered at MCHS during the following months: August, October, November, March, and May.

• Students who are planning on enrolling in a four year college/university or even some two year schools should take the SAT or ACT. Students can register to take the ACT at the ACT Website. The cost is $50.50 for the ACT and $67.00 for the ACT with essay; however, if a student receives free or reduced lunch, he or she can obtain a fee waiver from his or her counselor. The ACT is not offered at MCHS.
   

• Students interested in joining a branch of the military will need to take the ASVAB.
• The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is an exam that measures four critical areas: Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, and Mathematics Knowledge.
• Scores in the above named areas count towards a student's AFQT (Armed Forces Qualifying Test) score. This score determines whether one is qualified to enlist in the U.S. military.
• The score one receives in other areas of the ASVAB determines his or her qualifications for specific jobs in the military.