~Student Services~
Welcome! This page offers the tools and support you need to succeed — from study ideas and FAFSA help, to college visits and career exploration. Whatever your next step is, we’re here to help you get there!
Studying 101 : Reading is Not Studying
Simply reading and re-reading text is not actively studying. Re-reading leads to forgetting, so effective studying requires a higher degree of engagement.
Ideas for Effective Studying:
Create a study guide - Come up with your own questions and write complete answers.
Say the information aloud - teach your parents, sibling, friend, or dog all about the content.
Create diagrams to help connect the information.
Work the problems out - don't simply look at the answers.
Organize - lay it out by concept and make small clusters of study material.
Space it out - study in several small increments leading up to the exam.
Take advantage of downtime - Less busy weeks allow for more preparation.
Location, location, location - Find an area that works for you.
College & Career Events
College & Career Calendar
Throughout the school year, we will host a variety of college, military and career representatives. Some of these visits will be during High School lunch, while others will be at the end of the day during Student Achievement Hour. The above calendar is our upcoming visits. It will update regularly as more visits are scheduled. If there is a college, career, or military not listed that you are interested in learning more about, please contact Mrs. Griffin at egriffin@mgschools.com.
Visiting colleges and meeting with representatives can be overwhelming! We've created a helpful PDF to provide students with a list of questions to ask when visiting colleges or meeting with any representative. Students are encouraged to use this template for college visit days as well.
What Career Vibes With You?
Not sure what career is right for you?
This quick quiz will help you learn more about your personality and uncover careers that might be a great fit for your future.
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
The following is a summary of important FAFSA information. The FAFSA typically opens in October of each school year, and MGHS hosts a FAFSA completion night for seniors and parents of seniors. Here is a checklist to keep in mind moving forward:
All graduating seniors will need to complete the FAFSA application - it is a graduation requirement per the state of Illinois
Different types of aid: Need-based vs. Merit aid (Students can receive one or both types of aid)
Need-based: provides funds for students based on their level of financial need
Merit aid: offers financial support based on a student's academic achievements
Grants, loans, and work study jobs are all ways to fund a college education
Foundational and Institutional scholarships may require a FAFSA to be filed in order to qualify for either scholarship
FSA IDs are required to file the FAFSA - these IDs must be acquired at least one week prior to filling out the FAFSA.
Students and parents will need their own FSA IDs. If parents are married, filing jointly, only one parent will need a FSA ID. If married, filing separately, both parents will need a FSA ID.
If a parent already has an FSA ID from a graduated student or personal account, it will be the same ID used for this filing as well.
Students - please be sure to use a personal email address - not a school email address
Use the following link to create your ID - https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch
Scholarship Opportunities for Seniors
Throughout the school year, there will be several opportunities for seniors to apply for scholarships. Scholarships provide an excellent opportunity to help cover the cost of education after high school. Each year, there are enough scholarships available for several students to benefit, and every award—big or small—can make a meaningful difference. Rather than sending a separate email each time a new scholarship becomes available, a shared Google Sheet will be updated periodically.
Mrs. Griffin is available to assist students in navigating applications or proofreading essays. For those wishing to get an early start, drafting a short essay about personal background, accomplishments, and reasons for choosing a career or field of study is a great first step. This draft can later be edited to fit the requirements of specific scholarship applications.
If you have any questions about a scholarship or the application process, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
ISAC (Illinois Student Assistance Commission)
Ms. Mickelson will help support our students in their post-graduation goals! She has office hours where she can meet with students individually regarding financial aid, scholarship application, post-secondary applications, and so much more. She is also presenting workshops for students on financial responsibilities, career development, college exploration, etc.
ISAC Rep- Hayle Mickelson
Contact Info: Hayle.Mickelson@illinois.gov
Managing College Costs (Parent)
All About Scholarships