Hi everyone, I’m facing a dilemma and would like some input. I worked hard academically and built a strong resume, which earned me a full-ride scholarship. I’ve also won other scholarships in the past and believe I could win more. However, I currently have enough to cover all my school expenses. While people say I should keep applying for more scholarships since it’s essentially free money, I feel like I might be taking opportunities away from others who need it more, like I did before. Should I continue applying?
Haha, you’re right about that 
. I’d suggest applying for scholarships that cover indirect expenses, as mentioned in another comment, so you don’t raise any concerns. Congrats on the full ride—I wish I had that kind of opportunity!
Most schools won’t award more than the Cost of Attendance, so they’ll start reducing your aid as you receive additional scholarships. Eventually, applying for more scholarships might become a waste of time. At this point, you should focus on scholarships that provide funds directly to you for personal expenses, rather than sending the money to the institution.
You can still apply for external scholarships to cover indirect expenses included in the cost of attendance, such as books, supplies, transportation, and personal costs, which may not be covered by your institutional aid.
I’m in a similar situation, and I’d suggest stopping the applications. I’m not applying for any more scholarships myself—it’s a lot of work to keep submitting applications, and others likely need the funds more than you do. However, if your situation changes in the future and you find you need more support, then you can reconsider applying.
Likely case is the institutional scholarship will decrease for every amount that you win from private scholarships. If you want, you keep applying for scholarships that send a check directly to you, that way you actually gain some money. Or you could relax and stop applying, since your costs are covered