Teen accepted into 113 colleges, awarded $4.5M in merit 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-TV. "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-TV, 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-TV, she hopes to become a NICU nurse.