SCHOOL COUNSELING

Financial Aid Night For MHS Seniors is: October 15th @ 7:00 p.m. Virtually with Ed Zamora! Please Register.

The "College Aid Presentation" will cover the financial aid process and the important items to consider while applying to college. Also, our scholarship program.

-New Changes to the Fafsa form

-Changes to the Federal loans

-Where to Find Scholarships

-The New NJ Garden State Grant Programs

-Rutgers New Tuition Free Program

-State Financial Aid Changes

-The Impact of Early Decision and Early Action on Financial Aid

-New Deadlines for the College Process

Parents can send in questions to this email before the program begins so I can address any questions they have during the Zoom presentation.

You are invited to register for a Zoom webinar!

When: Oct 15, 2025 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: The College Aid Presentation for High School Families

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1Mn6WIoxRFqTXu59F6IDHQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

SCHOOL PROFILE

25-26 School Profile.pdf

College Application Checklist

College Application Checklist Class of 2026.pdf

NON Common App College Form

25-26 Non-Common App College Form

FAFSA WAIVER FORM

2026 FAFSA WAIVER.pdf

NJ Required Graduation Benchmark

New Jersey public schools are transitioning to a new required statewide graduation assessment called the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA) for all students in Grade 11. Students in the classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 will take the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA) in grade 11. The assessment will be aligned to New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) for grade 10 ELA and NJSLS for Algebra I and Geometry. The assessment format will be familiar to students and educators, as it will be delivered on the same platform students use for the current New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA).

The state is collaborating on the final accepted pathways for the Class of 2026 and will share that in a Memo come Fall of 2025. As of July 2025, students in the Class of 2026 are expected to meet the passing pathway through the NJGPA or a Portfolio Appeal process (packet of detailed Math /English work for completion during the winter of 2026.) More details will be shared to those students waiting on secondary pathway state updates.

NJ Required FAFSA Completion or Waiver Form

Attention Class of 2026, here are recent updates to your Graduation Requirements as of January 19th, 2024.

Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Requiring High School Students to Complete Financial Aid Applications

If you do not qualify for the FAFSA/NJAFAA or request to be waived from this graduation requirement, parents/guardians should complete the FAFSA/NJAFAA Waiver Form.

NJAFAA: Complete the NJAFAA application if you are NOT a United States citizen or eligible non citizens.

Important Links:

Senior Information

College Rep Visits at MHS:

Representatives from colleges across the country will visit MHS (both in person and virtually) to meet with students during the school day. To see visiting colleges, please log into your SCOIR account. These visits will take place during the school day; therefore, you are responsible for informing your teacher and receiving approval from them directly to attend. You are not dismissed of any missed classwork and will need to make up anything missed. If you choose not to attend a Rep visit, please be sure to cancel your appointment in SCOIR. For step-by-step instructions watch this video.

Scholarships

The Guidance Department continues to update an active list of scholarship opportunities available for the Class of 2026. Seniors must refer to SCOIR for more details and should reach out to Ms. Redmond with any questions.

College Application Tracking in SCOIR

Seniors, please remember to input college application results in SCOIR as you begin to hear back from your applied schools. This helps Guidance track trends occurring each year with college acceptances and plan for future years.

Midyear Transcripts

Midyear Transcripts for senior students will automatically be sent to colleges when grades for the second marking period have been finalized. Seniors do not need to request their midyear transcript be sent. Benchmark assessments will be included in the final grade of any semester course. They will not be included in the semester average of a full year course, but will be included in the final grade at the end of the year.

Marking Period 1 Report Cards

For those seniors who wish to send their Marking Period 1 Report Card or are Required by a school to send, complete this Google Form (using your Madison School Email Address) after the Marking Period has concluded on November 13th (all of your final grades will be reflected). This form will open at the end of the marking period. Please see your school counselor for further guidance.

College REP Questions Guide

get college fair ready.pdf

Questions to Ask College Representatives

What makes your college unique?
For what academic programs is your college known?
How would you describe the students at your college? Where are most of them from?
Where do students hang out on campus?
What happens on weekends—are there things to do on campus or in town, or do most students go home?
Are fraternities and sororities a big part of campus life?
What are the housing options for first-year students?
Do many students live off campus?
Is there a sports complex or fitness center?
What are the most popular clubs and activities?
What’s the security like on campus?
What’s the surrounding area like? Is it easy to get around?
What are the most popular majors?
How would you describe the academic pressure and workload?
What support services (academic advisers, tutors, etc.) are available?
Do I need to bring my own computer?
What’s the faculty like? Are they accessible outside of class?
Are there opportunities for internships?
Is there job placement help for graduates?
Are there any big changes in the works that I should know about?

College Board Big Future

College Board Big Future Scholarship Opportunities What are BigFuture Scholarships?

BigFuture rewards you for doing what you already are doing: planning for life after high school. With no essay, minimum GPA, test score, or citizenship requirements, BigFuture makes it easy to enter drawings (yes, plural!) each month.

Click Here For More Information

Programs, Trade School, Career Exploration

**See your School Counselor for More Post High School Pathways, Programs, & Opportunities

Universal Technical Institute Programs

Welding, Mechanics, CNC machining, Marine, Motorcycle, Collision Repair

Parisian Beauty & Cosmetology Programs

Culinary Institute of America Associate's Degree Programs

Lincoln Technical School Programs

Automotive Technology, Electrical and Electronic Systems Technology , Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

Eastwick College

AAS in Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonography, AAS in Occupational Therapy Assistant, AAS in Surgical Technology, Medical Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding

Muhlenberg Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder School of Nursing & Digital Imaging

Associate in Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Diploma in Radiography