<p>I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but how do I deal with classmates when I receive several scholarships and they receive very little? Since I was in 9th grade, I have worked hard knowing that my parents can't afford to pay for college for me. They are awesome parents, but both are public school employees. I don't qualify for need based financial aid so I knew I needed to work hard. I've spent every summer at merit based admission academic programs, taken the most difficult course load I possibly could, and spent many, many hours doing volunteer work and taking on leadership roles at the school, district, and state level.</p>
<p>Now should be the time I reap the rewards of my hard work. I have received 6 scholarships thus far on the state and national level for a cash value of about $25,000. I have applied, though, to 85+ scholarships so I have heard my fair share of "No." I attend the same school presentations as my classmates that talk about building a healthy resume, academic course load, and scholarship opportunities. All of the scholarships I have received were ones that I found on my own.</p>
<p>Now the difficult part begins where I have received some scholarships (with the hope of more to come) and my classmates have received very little or nothing. I know that they haven't done half of the work I have done over the past 4 years and also in searching/applying for scholarships. I am a modest individual and feel this growing pressure of my senior awards program that is about a month away. Will I win more scholarships (which would be awesome)? Will I have to listen to my classmates who complain that I received too much? How will I respond?</p>
<p>Looking for suggestions. If I receive more scholarships that I have to self report to my school for the program, should I not tell my school to minimize "talk?" I just want to hold my head up high and be proud, but how do I deal with the mean people in this world and not let them stomp on my joy/success?</p>
<p>Your classmates might be a little jealous, but they know you’ve worked hard. I’d respond with, “It was a lot of work to finish that ___ project, but it was worth it because without the scholarships I couldn’t afford college.”</p>
<p>You shouldn’t feel guilty. Scholarships tend to focus on particular situations, identities and areas of interest. Many kids are lucky to find a handful they even qualify to apply for. Some kids can fit into many and that is great for them. </p>
<p>Reality is, you are going off to college and what these kids think doesn’t matter a lick.</p>
<p>My younger D received a merit scholarship from her college but didn’t receive any other scholarships she applied for but some of her best friends did. While she was a little jealous, she was actually very happy for them because they needed the scholarships as much as she did. In addition, her friends had slightly better grades and after pointing that out, she realized a scholarship committee would most likely pick someone with the best grades. They all took the most difficult HS course load so at least they weren’t getting the better grades by taking non-AP classes (their HS doesn’t weight GPAs). Also, a lot of the scholarships her friends won were things she wasn’t qualified to apply for such as a mathematics scholarship to an in-state school (she went out-of-state). Be proud of your scholarships and have a wonderful time in college!</p>
<p>I completely agree with @turtletime. Even though I have applied for a lot of scholarships, there were a lot of scholarships that I didn’t qualify for. I am a white male so everything that is minority focused was out. Sifted through tons of teaching, engineering, female only, nursing scholarships… </p>
<p>Applying for scholarships can be a full time job. I have been fortunate to have supportive parents who would help me search, make copies, run applications to the post office, proofread, etc. I can understand why students don’t apply because it is a lot of work just for the application part- not to mention the years of work to be a strong contender. </p>
<p>So far I got 5 Scholarships, 2 interviews, and still waiting for 11 more to reply. I basically have enough for my 1st years (1 out my 5 is renewable), but im still applying. Some of my friends went to the distance to rip up my applications (jokingly). But you should keep applying and never say no to money. </p>
<p>You have bigger fish to fry than worrying about someone being jealous of your winning scholarships.</p>
<p>Have you won enough scholarships where your college is now an affordable option for your family?</p>
<p>Are these all one time scholarships or are they renewable for 4 years?<br>
If they are not, how are you going to pay for your remaining 3 years?</p>
<p>How is your college going to handle these scholarships?
Do they first reduce the self help portion of your financial aid package?
Are they tuition only scholarship?<br>
Can you use them to defray the cost of room and board (remember that all scholarships over the cost of tuition fees and books are taxable income)?<br>
Can you use them to purchase a computer?</p>
<p>Honestly, the easiest way to deal with this issue is to smile and say how lucky/blessed you were to receive the awards you have. You and I both know the work that you put in, but that will not make this conversation simpler to point that out. My D has a full ride to a school not known to give out a lot of merit. I have had many similar conversations with other confused/concerned parents.</p>
<p>The cost of attendance for my school is approximately $19,000 per year. One of the scholarships is worth $2000 x 4 years, another is $2500 x 4 years. The rest $1000, $1000, $1000, $2000 are only for the first year. The funds will be VERY helpful, but don’t cover the complete cost. If I receive more scholarships, my student loan package would be reduced. If I do receive scholarship funds over the cost of attendance, my school will give me the money to use another semester/year.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids- I haven’t said anything to anyone thus far except for 1 trusted teacher who has done all of my recommendations. Modesty mostly but also not to keep individuals making scholarship decisions from thinking I have won enough. </p>
<p>Should I report everything to my school for announcement at awards program? I have friends from my summer academic programs who have won full scholarships. Strangely, to me, hearing one large scholarship for one student feels less “in your face” than 12 scholarships for one student (even if they are smaller amounts). I mainly feel bad for one other student who attends my school. She has done close to what I have done, but has only received $1200 thus far. I really respect her and feel bad for her that she hasn’t received more. I don’t want to throw my success in her face.</p>
<p>If you don’t want your scholarships announced at the awards program, or only want certain ones mentioned, tell whoever’s in charge. I think the whole process of announcing private scholarships, ones that had nothing to do with the school system, is tacky. They’re your personal awards, and if you want to keep them to yourself, do so. I still remember how at my D’s senior awards night one good, but not great, student had, under the guidance of a paid consultant, applied for and been awarded a ton of very small, obscure scholarship. The school announced them all one by one, as if she was the most outstanding student in the class. They also announced the awards students received from all the schools they got accepted to, instead of just the one they were attending, and mixed merit and need awards. I’m sure the intent was to make it appear that the school was so fabulous that most of its college-bound students got “scholarships”. My D had only attended because she was getting a book award administered by the school, then was embarrassed to hear her college merit scholarship announced to the world. </p>
<p>I can see the merit in announcing scholarships so that, hopefully, younger students will be inspired to work hard and earn multiple scholarships. We do it as a large school assembly. Hope students will think that if Johnny Student can do it, I can, too. I do see some advantage in that, especially at my school where it is almost unheard of for a student to receive scholarships outside of our county.</p>
<p>So, right now you have 8500 of the $19,000 that you need to attend.
If you continue to take the direct loan amount for freshman year, you will have $14,000. You still need 5k not including any start up funds. Will your parents be able to fill the 5k remaining on the table?</p>
<p>Congrats on what you have received thus far, however, you do not have time to worry about what someone else received or did not receive in scholarship money. Be on your grind and make sure that you have enough $$ to go to college in the fall. Talk to your parents to find out how you are going to make the next 3 years work (as most of the scholarships that you are receiving are only for one year and it will be harder to get outside scholarships next year).</p>
<p>Be like a horse; put your blinders on and run your own race. If you are worried about what people will say because you won all of these awards, imagine what they will say if you won all of these awards but still did not have enough to go to college.</p>
Well, I suppose that would make sense if all the students attended the ceremony, but at our school it was held in the evening and only attended by the seniors who were on the award list and their families (by invitation). </p>
<p>@sybbie719- the $19,000 price I quoted was everything including incidental money, gas, etc. Just tuition and fees is $14,000. I have a few more 4 year scholarships that I have applied for that I feel I should be a strong contender. I am also going to college with a lot of credit hours that if I need to graduate in 2 years because of money, I can. My goal is Georgetown for graduate school and that is about $53,000 per year not including room/board. My parents have some money saved (less than $15,000) but I would rather save that for graduate school since it is so expensive. I did get approved for the $5500 per year in unsubsidized loans, but I would rather not have loans if possible. I will keep plugging along and hope for the best! Thanks!</p>
<p>If you still need more money to cover your college costs, I see no shame in applying for more. You have worked hard; you deserve the scholarships you recieve. Applying for scholarships can also be a hassle, and finding them can be difficult, too (depending on if you qualify as a minority; if you’re going into fields such as engineering, nursing, etc. that offer a lot of scholarships). If your classmates are talking bad about you, just let it roll off. Their opinion doesn’t help pay for college; scholarships do.</p>
<p>I recently was awarded a scholarship as well (in my junior year, so not many to apply for…). My classmates were so jealous. I told them to apply next year, all you have to do is write one essay… They decided they were too lazy to write one 250 word essay. Really?! And then they had the audacity to say I didn’t deserve it. Just disregard classmates’ opinions; you will be happier that way.</p>