High School Resources
College Prep Resources
MICS uses a program called Naviance to support career/college research and college applications. Although Naviance is used to manage transcripts and letters of recommendation, the Common App or CFNC are the websites that students are using to complete the actual applications. School counselors conduct individual and large group lessons on the information below.
Click here to go to the Naviance login screen.
Click here to go to Common App.
Click here to go to CFNC to apply to NC community colleges and send transcripts to any NC college.
If the Common App is being used to apply to college, students must pair Common App with Naviance. Click here to watch a brief video on how to pair them.
The Residency Determination Service (RDS) must be completed by anyone attending any college in North Carolina in order to receive in-state tuition.
The FAFSA should be completed by all seniors. It is a free application where parents are requesting financial aid for college. The application opens December 1st. Click here to learn more about why to complete the FAFSA and how you can get help completing the application. MICS is hosting the Financial Aid Night on November 6th at 6:30pm in the atrium for all seniors. Please RSVP via ParentSquare.
CFNC has a variety of college and career YouTube videos to assist families with post-secondary planning. Click here to browse these videos.
Through NC Promise, the state will significantly reduce student tuition cost at four UNC system institutions - Elizabeth City State University. Fayetteville State University, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and Western Carolina University. Click here for more information.
Private Colleges - Approximately 25 private NC institutions have created a simplified application where you can apply to all of the participating private schools for free, using a 5 minute application. Seniors must have a 2.8 weighted GPA to apply. Click here for more information.
Scholarships
As local scholarships become available, they will be posted here and sent to students and parents via StudentSquare.
In the meantime, students can research scholarships on the following sites and through the colleges the students are applying to:
- Going Merry-Gaston County Scholarships
- Gaston College Promise Scholarship
- CPCC Scholarships
- Gaston County Foundation
- CFNC-North Carolina Scholarships
- FastWeb-national Scholarships
- Ron Brown Scholarship (High-achieving African-American students)
- The Gates Scholarship (minority students in top 10% of senior class)
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund
- NC Scholarship - for families earning less than $80,000
- Elks Most Valuable Scholarship
- Charlotte Knights Scholarships (STEM, Healthcare, Education, HBCU)
- Jack Kent Scholarship Foundation - High achieving, low-income students
- Burger King Scholarship - 2.0 GPA
- Jackie Robinson Foundation
SAT/ACT Information
Testing Timeline through MICS:
- 10th Grade: PreACT, PSAT is optional
- 11th Grade: PSAT and ACT
Students can register for all remaining test dates on their own. If students qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch, please see your school counselor to request a fee waiver.
Earn College Credits While In High School
Gaston College
Students have the opportunity to earn credits from Gaston College. This is a great opportunity to get ahead on college credits and coursework while still in high school. Click here to see the requirements, steps to enroll, and what to do after enrollment! See Mrs. Matthews with any questions.
Gaston College Promise Scholarship pays for tuition and fees for any dual enrollment student who has met certain criteria. Click here to see how you could get your college paid for by Gaston College!
Central Piedmont Community College
MICS also has a partnership with CPCC where you can take college classes as a high school student. See Mr. Cathey for more information.