The due date for schedule change requests will be Monday August 31. The counseling office will not accept changes after this determined date (except in the case of new students / classes missing that are needed for graduation). If you would like to make a schedule change request, you will use our Google Form (emailed to students on Tuesday August 25). You must use your MCHS email in order to access the form. Otherwise, you will receive an error message. Do NOT email your counselor your schedule change request. Doing so will impede your request being processed.

Schedule changes will be based on class sizes/availability. For certain schedule changes, we may need written permission from your parent/guardian. Your school counselor will contact you if that is the case.

Last Names A - L --> Macey Ehman macey.ehman@murray.k12.ga.us

Last Names M - Z --> Jay Ashlock jay.ashlock@murray.k12.ga.us

Google Calendar for BeginnersCreate an event on Google Calendar, add details, and invite other people to your event.

9.5 Google Drive

Teaching Students to Set Goals — Illuminos Academic Coaching & TutoringAs a new academic year dawns, there's an almost palpable energy of renewal and reinvention in the air. Students everywhere set out with the intention to change, to improve, and to be better. Yet, as the weeks go by, these resolutions often dwindle, not due to a lack of desire but a lack of direction

Weighted GPA

- This type of GPA factors in a higher "weight" for certain classes such as Honors/Advanced Placement/Dual Enrollment classes.
- Honors classes are weighted at a 4.5, and Dual Enrollment/AP classes are weighted at a 5 compared to "regular" classes that are weighted at a 4.
- Essentially, this means that your GPA is boosted whenever you do well in these "weighted" classes. Likewise, your GPA suffers whenever you do not do well in these "weighted" classes.
- We use the weighted GPA whenever we are calculating:
  1. Honor Graduate List**
  2. Scholar Graduate List**
  3. Valedictorian
  4. Salutatorian
- Scholarship applications may also ask for your weighted GPA.
Unweighted GPA
- Your unweighted GPA is when your classes are factored using a 4.0 scale only.
- Your unweighted GPA is often requested by colleges, scholarship applications, etc.
HOPE GPA
- HOPE GPA is a GPA that only includes your grades in classes that are deemed as English, Science, Math, Social Studies, and Foreign Language credits.
- HOPE Scholarship is based on a HOPE GPA calculation.
- Some colleges use HOPE GPA for college admission.

**GRADUATES WITH DISTINCTION (per MCHS Handbook)

Scholar Graduate – GPA greater than 4.0

Honor Graduate – GPA of 3.5 - 4.0

HOPE Scholarship (this information is as of the 2025-2026 school year)

To be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship in Georgia, students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA at designated checkpoints:

At the end of each spring semester
At 30, 60, and 90 attempted semester hours
At the end of each spring quarter
At 45, 90, and 135 attempted quarter hours

If a student's GPA falls below 3.0, they will lose the HOPE Scholarship and can only regain it once. Students can check their academic eligibility through their GAfutures account.

Other requirements for the HOPE Scholarship include:

Graduating from high school with a 3.0 cumulative GPA
Being enrolled in a degree-seeking undergraduate program
Completing the Georgia Tech Application for Scholarships and Financial Aid (GT App)
Completing the FAFSA every year or the Georgia Student Financial Aid Application (GSFAPPS)

Zell Miller Scholarship (this information is as of the 2025-2026 school year)

To be eligible for the Zell Miller Scholarship in Georgia, students must graduate from high school with a minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA as calculated by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC). This GPA is usually based on the HOPE GPA, which takes into account certain weighted courses.

Students must also maintain a minimum 3.3 college GPA at the following checkpoints to continue receiving the scholarship: 30 attempted credit hours, 60 attempted credit hours, 90 attempted credit hours, and Every spring semester.

Students can check their HOPE GPA on the My High School HOPE GPA page of their GAfutures account.

Other requirements for the Zell Miller Scholarship include:

Meeting the requirements of the HOPE Scholarship
Being enrolled in a degree-seeking undergraduate program at an eligible Georgia postsecondary institution
Being a legal resident of Georgia for tuition purposes
Registering with Selective Service (men only)
Complying with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990

NSHSS isn’t a scam, per se—it’s a legitimate organization and even has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. That said, there are several things NSHSS does that lead people to call it a scam.

For one, they intentionally chose a name that could be easily mistaken for the NHS—an older, better established, and more prestigious competing organization. A quick scan of the complaints against NSHSS filed with the BBB shows that it’s common for people to jumble the two organizations.

The invitation letter sent by NSHSS also lists the high school of the student, leading to students and parents to believe that the organization is endorsed by the school (and creating further confusion with NHS, which operates in school chapters).

More importantly, NSHSS doesn’t return on the $75 investment it requires members to make. The huge membership of the NSHSS means involvement with the organization isn’t particularly impressive, doesn’t add value to your college profile, and will do little to set you apart from other college applicants.

NSHSS also offers regalia for sale to be worn during graduation, but many high schools don’t recognize the organization or allow it to be worn during the ceremony, leading to further wasted money. This regalia cannot be worn at MCHS graduation.

While NSHSS provides a variety of scholarships—NSHSS and its partners offer more than $2,000,000 in scholarships annually—the large number of members means a high probability of fierce competition for the awards.

The NHS is a more reputable honor society to join, due to its higher standards and association at the school level. Also adding to the NHS’s credibility is its lack of a membership fee, which makes it feel less of a quid pro quo.