• Age: 18

• Address: Fort Thomas

• High School: Highlands

• College status: Freshman at University of Kentucky, writing-related major

• Estimated cost: $8,000 a year

• How she'll make it happen: She received Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarships, so her cost will be $5,700 a year, which her parents will mostly pay, possibly with a low-interest student loan.

• How high college costs are affecting her: Ohio State University was her first choice, but her out-of-state cost was about $25,000 per year.

So she opted for University of Kentucky.

"I figured it was kind of a blessing because it's closer to home. I'm very family-oriented. I think it would have been very hard for me, and I probably would wind up changing anyway. My family has always been big UK fans."