Columbia, S.C – State Superintendent of Education Molly M. Spearman announced that for the fourth consecutive year, South Carolina students have earned more than $1 billion in college scholarships.

“This is a great accomplishment for our students,” said Spearman.  “Teachers, principals, and parents are encouraging our students to take that next step in their education, and our students continue to meet the high expectations we have set for them.  I am very proud of what the class of 2015 has achieved and wish them the very best as they continue their freshman year,” concluded Spearman.

The class of 2015 earned a total of $1,344,307,493 in college scholarships, which includes the amount awarded in state lottery scholarships and the amount awarded for other scholarships. Lottery scholarships accounted for 34.6 percent of the total amount of scholarships earned, while all other scholarships accounted for 65.4 percent of the total amount.  The previous five years’ scholarship totals were $917 million (2010), $966 million (2011), $1.063 billion (2012), $1.15 billion (2013), and $1.11 billion (2014).  Since 2010, South Carolina students have earned $6.546 billion in college scholarships.

The scholarship totals came from an annual survey of South Carolina school districts, the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics, and the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.

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