Bricelyn Harrelson didn’t plan to spend six months applying to college. The New Smyrna Beach, Florida, high school senior sent in seven applications starting last September and expected to know by now where she’d be enrolling this fall. Instead, she blasted out six fresh applications in the last two months — all to cheaper state universities.
“I feel like we’re agreeing to buy a car or a house without knowing how much it costs,” said Natalie Alvarado, whose son, Roman, committed in March to attending MidAmerica Nazarene University in the family’s home state of Kansas, to secure his spot on the soccer team. The family doesn’t know how much money may come through beyond the athletic scholarship the university is offering to cover half of Roman’s tuition.