Mobile County Public School students get record college scholarships in one day

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile County Public School System students received a record amount of college scholarships in one day, Monday, an MCPSS news release said.

A record $250 million in college scholarships was offered Monday through a new state-wide initiative.

The initiative allowed students to apply for multiple in- and out-of-state colleges through a portal. They were then “matched” with admissions offers and scholarship dollars.

From the school system’s 12 high schools, 1,189 seniors received 12,082 admissions offers and $250 million in scholarships from Alabama colleges and universities, according to the release.

Those numbers are expected to grow on Oct. 20, when out-of-state colleges and universities’ responses will be received.

Mobile now leads Alabama in scholarship offers because of today’s offers.

“This is a game-changer,” Dr. Monica Motley, director of School Counseling Services for Mobile County Public Schools, said. “This is going to make it easier for students to have access to higher education.”

It also gives confidence to students who may have been concerned about getting accepted to college or worried about paying for it if they did get accepted.

Of the MCPSS students who received scholarships last year, 650 of them were the first in their families to attend college.

“This lets our students know that they have what it takes to go to college,” Motley said. She credited school counselors and teachers for encouraging students to apply.