Should You Apply for a Scholarship? 

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As a college student, you have multiple decisions to make in a short period of time: where to live, where to work, how many hours to work, what to major in, who to date, how many credits to take and more. Who can blame you for wanting a minute to relax without worrying about anything else?

Before you kick off your shoes and sink into a few guiltless hours of Netflix, you may want to consider applying for a scholarship.

But why? Is it really worth it to write an extra essay and send in your transcripts? The majority of the time it is. The question is: Is it right for you?

Ask yourself the following questions to decide if you should put it the extra work to apply for a scholarship:

Do You Need Extra Money for School or Living Expenses?

School is expensive. Even if you attend a school with relatively low tuition, $4 thousand dollars a semester is still $4 thousand dollars out of your pocket. Sometimes financial aid helps tremendously with this cost, but grants often don’t cover the full cost of tuition. You can always take out loans, but those will cost you in the long run. If you’re completely financially secure and have school and the cost of living covered, you may feel you don’t need a scholarship.

However, extra money always helps.

Most students find the extra money from a scholarship beneficial for multiple reasons.

  • It cuts down work hours. Let’s be honest, the less you need to work as a student, the better.
  • It allows for more flexibility in spending money. Money is usually tight as a college student. Having scholarship money to pay for tuition will leave more wiggle room for things you want.
  • It cuts down on student debt. While loans aren’t the worst things in the world, it’s best to avoid them if you have the option. Your 30-year-old self will thank you for it.

Is the Application Worth Your Time?

If you’re going to school, you’re likely very busy. Time is a valuable asset. Before you apply for a scholarship, you should decide if the process is worth your time.

Even with work, school and homework, most students have some downtime at the end of the day or in-between classes. While it’s important to recharge, devoting a few hours of your time can save you financial stress in the future. You could earn $2,000 by sacrificing just a few hours of your time.Before you write off applying, think of things you could sacrifice temporarily for that ultimate payoff. Nights out with friends or time in front of the T.V. will always be available at a later date, so don’t let a promising scholarship opportunity pass you by id you don’t have to.

Do You Have Experiences Worth Writing About?

Every single person alive lives a unique life with experiences no one else can replicate. Think back on what you’ve seen, been a part of or accomplished in your life. If you look carefully, there is something in your life worth sharing.

Scholarships like the Fox Pest Control Scholarship offer funds to students who share how they’ve been involved in building their communities through service. Do you have a cause you’re passionate about? Have you organized or taken part in a service initiative for that cause? If so, you should consider applying. Scholarships like these are often available to students who live in states the scholarship provider does business in. In this case, that’s Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia.

There are so many scholarship options for the multitude of experiences you’ve had in your life. Even if you can’t think of any service projects you’ve done, there’s something out there on one of the many scholarship websites that’s right for you.

Time to Make Your Decision,

If you’ve read this far, you probably can answer yes to at least two, if not all three of these questions — so why not take the leap?

Set aside a little time this week to apply for a scholarship. You have unique potential that could help you during your time in school. Why not take a chance — it could pay off.