Should I Apply for Scholarships?

A lot of students are probably wondering if they should even bother going through the application process. I admit that it is a lot of work, but it does pay off. Scholarships can range anywhere from $200 to $20,000. If you think about it even the smaller awards are worth the trouble. When I applied for scholarships, I liked to think of the process like a job. I show up for work, put in the hours and then I get paid. Even if you spend 5 hours (which is a lot of time) on a $200 scholarship and win, this means that you were getting paid at $40 per hour! I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of a summer job that pays that well. Your chances of winning these small awards are pretty good too. Most people aim for the big bucks and tend to ignore the smaller ones. This leaves all the money for you!

You should definitely apply for the large scholarships too. I’m just saying that you should mix it up a little bit. Apply for all different amounts and you will probably get several of them. If you are going to go after the big fish, you should make sure that you match the requirements exactly and that your essay is great. Invest a little more time on the scholarships that are worth more and the ones you think you’ve got a good chance of winning. These are the awards that are really worth it.

If you are worried about the grades… don’t worry too much. There are lots of awards out there that are so specific that you may be the only one that fits the requirements. Focus on your ethnicity, your interests, your skills, and you will be able to find something. It is definitely helpful to know your heritage and where you come from because there is tons of money set aside for those who have a diverse background. If you are a young white male, then you will have to either get creative with your skills or really focus on the academics because there are no awards specifically for you. I know this because I searched… long and hard! There is always a scholarship that will fit you. All you’ve got to do is spend the time finding them.