As a school of gifted students from across Mississippi, these students pursue one goal: to secure a future college education with the lowest cost. The University of Mississippi  is a popular choice for MSMS students every year considering its prestige and the availability of cheaper in-state tuition. For other students, life in Mississippi included growing up as an Ole Miss Rebel from a young age. Ole Miss offers a variety of scholarships for people who are willing to pursue them and seniors this year, as seniors before them have done, are looking to take advantage of these opportunities.

Nathan Methvin is a recipient of one such scholarship, the Penelope W. and E. Roe Stamps IV Leadership Scholarship . “There were six others who also won the scholarship. I had to do two interviews one with a selection committee from Ole Miss and one with Mr. Stamps, a member of the Stamps family who sponsor the scholarship,” Methvin said.

The Stamps Scholarship package — valued between $98,000 and $138,000 according to the Ole Miss website, covers the full cost of attendance including tuition, books, room and board and a $12,00 stipend. In addition, to the Stamps scholarship, Methvin has accumulated other assorted scholarships which he plans on using for study abroad opportunities.

But Methvin is not the only student with financial gains at Ole Miss. Liz Lanford, though she is receiving money from the university for her GPA and ACT score, is receiving vast amounts of money thanks to her status as a National Merit Finalist.

“It has gotten the MSMS National Merit Finalists a lot of attention from recruiters at Ole Miss and Mississippi State who have felt compelled to buy us dinner and give us free stuff like jackets and backpacks. It’s pretty nice to be offered a debt-free undergraduate education,” Lanford said.

Through her National Merit designation, Lanford will have all expenses paid when she attends the university, including stipends for travel, books and study abroad.

Scholarships such as these make college less of a financial strain for many families. With the cost of tuition rising, scholarships such as these remain a significant part of an MSMS student’s high school career.