Teen accepted to 113 colleges, awarded $4.5M in scholarships

Receiving an acceptance letter to college can be one of the most exciting moments of a teen’s life. And one 17-year-old in Greensboro, North Carolina just experienced that moment 113 times.

Jasmine Harrison will graduate from high school on May 24th with a perfect GPA. Thanks to that projected 4.0 grade point average and her own initiative, not only did she receive more than one hundred offers of admission, she was also offered a combined total of $4.5 million in merit-based scholarships.

“When I got the first couple in the mail, I was like, ‘OK, this is really happening,'” Harrison told CBS affiliate WFMY. “I didn’t really think I’d be able to do that.”

Upon hearing that someone has been accepted into that many schools, the first thought on many people’s minds will likely be cost — especially since the application fees for certain U.S. universities now clock in as high as $80 or $90. However, according to WFMY, Harrison took advantage of common applications and a special opportunity in North Carolina to effectively circumvent those high costs.

Stunningly — with her mother’s help, as well as the advice of teachers at her high school, The Academy at Smith — Harrison applied to more than 100 schools for only $135.

In doing so, she took advantage of the College Foundation of North Carolina College Application Week, in which students can apply to a number of local schools for free. Harrison also utilized the Common Black College Application, which allowed her to apply to 53 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with a single click. 

Of those HBCUs, Harrison received acceptances from 26 and full rides from three: Ed Waters College, Mississippi Valley State University and Bennett College. She has decided to accept Bennett College’s offer and plans to enroll there in the fall with a major in biology. Ultimately, Harrison tells WFMY, she hopes to become a NICU nurse.