There is great discussion among parents about whether or not scholarship applications are worth it. I happen to be one who believes they are. My daughter attended an expensive private university based on the scholarships she won from outside sources and from the university itself. Those scholarships allowed her to attend a school that was financially out of reach. Hence, I’m a firm believer in the value of scholarships.
Here are 3 reasons I believe ALL college-bound students should apply:
- Scholarships help reduce the cost of college-Free money is always better than money you have to repay.
- Many times, the effort required on your part is minimal-Numerous employers hand out money to worker’s kids without requiring much more than a one-page application. Grab that cash!
- Your family might not qualify for need-based aid-In this case, scholarships can eliminate the need to dip into savings or retirement to fund college expenses.
Applying for scholarships, in my mind, is a no-brainer. But the BEST of the scholarship money train is the full-ride scholarships. If you can tap into that money, your student can attend college with little money woes and graduate debt free.
Our friends at LearnU, an education news site that strives to help people stay current on the most newsworthy topics in education, education technology, education legislation and the private education marketplace, has compiled an extensive list of full-ride scholarships (competitive, academic, and National Merit Finalist). Use the list, plug your son or daughter in, and start looking at these colleges to tap into that FREE money!
Applying for scholarships is like playing the lottery, except you don’t have to pay to have a chance to win, and only a certain subset of the population is allowed to play which greatly increases your chances of winning (compared to the actual lottery).
In other words, you’re crazy if you don’t apply for scholarships!