I don’t want to graduate with any debt. Is it wrong to apply for extra scholarships if I already have a full ride somewhere? I just want to be sure I don’t end up with any debt or lose the scholarships I have. Anything could happen… Even if I get more scholarships, what would happen to the extra money? Thanks for your help!
You should ask your school about this. Personally, I think it’s a bit morally gray unless you don’t have anyone who can financially support you.
Feng said:
You should ask your school about this. Personally, I think it’s a bit morally gray unless you don’t have anyone who can financially support you.
I can’t ask anyone to support me financially. My household has a good income, but the head of the house has made it clear they won’t help with anything related to college. Without going into too much detail, I’m trying to save up for some other expenses and get enough scholarships so I don’t have to pay anything out of pocket, or at least not a lot.
@Ripley
Why not ask your school what happens to the extra money from external scholarships? Most of the time, they go directly to the school. You don’t need my permission to do what you think is best, I’d do the same in your situation.
@Feng
There’s a misunderstanding. I’m saying I don’t have anyone to financially support me. Hope that clears it up.
Ripley said:
@Feng
There’s a misunderstanding. I’m saying I don’t have anyone to financially support me. Hope that clears it up.
Got it. I’m in a similar situation. Congrats! If you need more options for full ride scholarships, check my comment history. Tuskegee’s full ride deadline has passed, though, so apply as soon as you can.
Some schools will adjust (reduce) their own scholarships when you get external ones, so there might not be any extra money. You should talk to the financial aid office to find out what they do with external scholarships.
Can I ask what school you got the full ride from?
Rin said:
Can I ask what school you got the full ride from?
Mississippi College. I misspoke earlier when I said full ride. It’s actually just full tuition, and it doesn’t cover room, board, or food.
@Ripley
If you need a real full ride and have the right stats, check my post history!
Check with your student account or financial aid department to see if you’re allowed to accept more scholarships than your cost of attendance. Some schools have a cap on this, but others might give you the extra money as a refund. Congrats on your full ride!
Hey! I have a full ride too, but I still ended up in a situation where I had to take on some debt. You’re right, nothing is guaranteed, and you have a great opportunity right now! If it wasn’t for the extra scholarships I got in my first year (I’m a senior now), I wouldn’t have had an emergency savings account to rely on when I needed it. Go ahead and apply for more, you’re doing great!
Is your full ride just for tuition, or does it cover room and board too?
BookWarmer said:
Is your full ride just for tuition, or does it cover room and board too?
The letter I got says it will cover up to full tuition if I’m a full-time, residential, undergraduate student. The housing is nice, but I don’t want to pay for anything if I can avoid it.
@Ripley
Is this for undergrad or grad school?
BookWarmer said:
@Ripley
Is this for undergrad or grad school?
Undergrad. I’ll be graduating in May of next year.
BookWarmer said:
@Ripley
Is this for undergrad or grad school?
Undergrad. I’ll be graduating in May of next year.
Did you do any work-study, or did you skip that? If not, would you be interested in applying for a research grant to earn some money related to your interests?
@BookWarmer
No work-study for me yet. If I can, I’d love to apply for a research grant and do something related to my field for some extra cash.
It’s fine to apply for more scholarships, but keep in mind that some colleges don’t allow financial aid to exceed the cost of attendance. They may not give you any extra money beyond that.