Class of 2019 Topped 2018 Total By\u00a0 $100 MILLION<\/p>\n
BALTIMORE\u00a0 \u2013<\/strong> Maryland\u2019s class of 2019 received more than $1.635 billion in college scholarship offers, surpassing the class of 2018\u2019s record total by more than $100 million, according to the results of a new Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) survey.<\/p>\n \u201cEducation is our administration’s top priority, and we would like to congratulate Maryland\u2019s students for setting a new record for scholarship offers,\u201d said Governor Larry Hogan. \u201cThe hard work and commitment of our students will help pave the way for even greater achievements in their postsecondary education and future career.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools, reflected on the importance of these scholarships to support students\u2019 access to higher education. \u201cScholarships help students pursue their dreams. As higher education costs continue to rise, this support is vital to allowing every student the opportunity to reach their goals.\u201d<\/p>\n The survey found that 17,629 graduates received at least one scholarship, with 413 of these graduates offered scholarships for Ivy League Schools. There were 339 National Merit finalists, an increase from last year\u2019s total of 223 finalists. The\u00a0National Merit Scholarship Program\u00a0is a\u00a0United\u00a0States academic\u00a0scholarship\u00a0competition for recognition and university scholarships administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.\u00a0 Across the nation, the 2,500 finalists judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies received a $2,500 scholarship.<\/p>\n For more than a decade, the MSDE has been collecting data on college and university scholarship offers received by graduates. Over the years the total dollar amount of those offers, as well as the number of students who benefit, have risen dramatically.\u00a0 In 2007, Maryland graduates received less than $500 million in scholarship offers. Scholarship offers passed the $1 billion threshold for the first time in 2013 and have risen every year since.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"