<p>So I've got a dilemma. I'm a nontraditional student in community college right now and since I had to quit my full-time job to return to school, finances are low. Very low. Like "0 EFC" low. "Made much, much less than $10,000 last year" low. Between part time jobs, a state need grant, federal loans, and a scholarship from my CC, I am holding things together, but I've been applying to various outside scholarships hoping to lower my debt load, which is already making me hyperventilate. (It's going to be over $4000 by the end of this year . . . Most of it goes to rent. I am trying not to think of what my debt might be by the time I get my BS.) </p>
<p>The thing is . . . I am hesitant to apply for scholarships that aren't renewable because I feel like I'll need them much more (if I can get them) when I'm at a four-year. I mean, my tuition at the community college is not bad, about $3600 a year (or a little more if I take some summer courses.) On the other hand, any money I can get will lower the amount of loans I have to take out. Plus, what if I apply for ten non-renewable scholarships and only get one of them? That would leave nine I could try again when I'm at a 4-year.</p>
<p>Any thoughts on this? Should I hold off or go for everything I can find? I'm particularly struggling with a scholarship I found that is for my field, specific to my state, and actually from an organization I belong to. <em>angst</em></p>