Forty seniors at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High school received the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship this year.

A merit-based scholarship that awards students with high performing MCAS scores in their sophomore year, the scholarship provides free tuition to state colleges as long as the student maintains a 3.0 grade point average.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity,” said interim principal Margaret (Peg) Regan at a recent school committee meeting where the scholarships were announced. “It’s for four years, my daughter took that scholarship and she, for four years at UMASS, had her tuition free every semester. It’s significant when you’re writing the checks.”

High school guidance director Mike McCarthy said the school does not track how many students take advantage of the scholarship each year, but he believes many do.

“I’d say a significant number who go to the state schools [take the scholarship],” Mr. McCarthy said.