<p>I think this has been covered before, but how does outside scholarships effect your aid package? Do it make sence to apply for scholarships?</p>
<p>There are so many out there that I wonder sometime if it is worth it?</p>
<p>Outside scholarships usually reduce the less desirable parts of a financial aid package, which are loans and work study. Financial aid is composed of grants, loans and work study. If you are fortunate enough for loans and work study to be completely replaced, after that there is really no point to additional outside aid, because the college will just reduce its grant aid by the same amount.</p>
<p>This is the general rule, to which there are several exceptions I am sure. But to answer your question, yes it probably makes sense to apply for awards that you have a reasonable shot at getting.</p>