As about 3,500 members of the MCPSS Class of 2026 graduate this week, Mobile County Public Schools is celebrating a new record: The MCPSS Class of 2026 has earned $1.1 billion worth of college scholarship offers, nearly eight times as much as last year.
That’s due to a partnership that counselors in the district’s 12 high schools formed this year with a new statewide initiative called Alabama Possible and its Alabama Direct Admission program.
MCPSS students earned the highest amount of college scholarships in Alabama through this program.
Students were invited to apply to multiple in-state and out-of-state colleges and were matched with admissions offers and scholarships. This streamlining of the application process made postsecondary education a more easily accessible and less daunting goal.
“The program made the college decision process feel less overwhelming and more organized,” said Abigail Tolbert of Baker, who is heading to Spring Hill College. “It gave me confidence in my decision and helped me take an important step toward my future.”
Madison Abrams, a graduating senior at Williamson High, wasn’t expecting to go to college. She was already in the process of earning certification as a nursing assistant. But then she received scholarship offers from multiple schools through Alabama Possible’s Alabama Direct Admission program, and she now plans to enroll in a four-year college this fall.
“I thought I was going to get a regular CNA license, that’s it, and I was going to be a CNA for the rest of my life,” Abrams said. “I didn’t really have any hope for going to college, until I received the matches and received the scholarships.”
The program has been a confidence-booster for students who may have once thought a four-year degree unattainable. Last year, 650 MCPSS students who received college scholarships were the first in their families to attend college.
“This shifts the mindset of our students,” said Dr. Monica Motley, MCPSS Director of School Counseling Services. “They understand that receiving a postsecondary education is not only possible, but that now it’s a reality.”
Across Alabama, students have received more than $7.2 billion through the program.
“This milestone reflects what’s possible when we remove the traditional barriers that have held too many students back—no application fees, no essays, no complex forms. Just opportunities,” said Chandra Scott, Executive Director of Alabama Possible. “Alabama Direct Admission is sending a clear message to every student: You are wanted, you are capable, and your future is within reach.”