OHIO — The pandemic is putting a pinch on bank accounts for families across the country, and that's a big concern for high school seniors now worried about continuing their education.

Megan Harrison had her eye on going to college since she was in elementary school.

"I would say I'm pretty driven," she said. "I like to do well in academics, so I've always done that. Held myself to pretty high standards."

The volleyball player is definitely a goal-getter, and as a high school senior outside Columbus, she's chasing her dream of getting a degree.

Meanwhile, her dad is starting to feel the pressure of sending his first-born off to school.

"I was thinking with current conditions that we would have a little more time to figure everything out, but I'm kind of amazed at how quickly everything's moving," said Jim Harrison.

He admitted the fast pace for such a giant cost commitment is a little overwhelming.

"An eye-opener, for sure," he said. "Just to see, depending on what you're looking at, how much it really is to go to college for four years."

Across Ohio, the financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic is widespread.

"It has made college a much more difficult decision for families as they're facing a period of unemployment or continued unemployment," saidTodd Jones, the president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio.

The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio's 51 members include almost every private school in the state, including Oberlin College and Denison University — both of which announced scholarships for incoming students.

"One of the best things about our colleges at times like these is they're going to make the resources available (and) to make sure that those students who were potentially on the outside looking in, to be able to make their college dreams come true," said Jones.

Oberlin is giving a $10,000 scholarship to all new students applying and enrolling in classes this fall. That money is renewable each year.

Denison offered a $100,000 scholarship to be paid over four years to Ohio students who applied for admission by Dec. 1, 2020.

"You'll often see our colleges do exactly what Denison and Oberlin have done, which is to reallocate resources or go raise more money to make more scholarship dollars available to students who are coming in," Jones said.

He said sticker prices shouldn't shock students. Financial aid is always available at private schools in the state to help close the cost gap, Jones said.

"Our nonprofit colleges have a dedicated mission to serve in their communities and one of the ways that they do that is to provide aid to make college more affordable for those in need," said Jones.

The goal is to try to keep higher education within reach, something the Harrisons are keeping in mind when considering colleges.

"We're trying to be objective about what the colleges have to offer, but at the end of the day it does come down to dollars and cents," said Jim Harrison.

Jones said the best way to find out what financial assistance is available at Ohio's private colleges and universities is to reach out to the schools directly, as scholarship programs differ from campus to campus.