<p>What's the point of applying to numerous scholarships, a few thousand here and there, and slaving through ANOTHER round of applications, recommendations, and essays, if outside scholarships are just going to be deducted from the financial aid you get from your school?</p>
<p>It depends from school to school. My daughter attends Vandy and any outside scholarships are deducted from loans first, not grants. No waste there. Check with your institution.</p>
<p>there really is no point. Plus, it's not good form since you'll be taking money from other people that are just as deserving. The only thing I can think of is if you can move that scholarship to other academic years to pay for future expenses</p>
<p>lol, well, i was talking about merit scholarships, which does NOT care if you "need" it</p>
<p>At my school, the system is that they first cover the amount of money you're supposed to contribute (at my school, the minimum is $1500), then they take your work-study, then they take your loans, and then and only then do they touch your grants. I don't think they ever touch scholarships, either. </p>
<p>If you have a loan-free full ride, then yeah, there's really no point applying for scholarships. If not, it's useful.</p>
<p>Some kids don't qualify for financial aid due to high EFC, so merit aid is all they can get!</p>
<p>But it does depend on your school. If they will take away other grants, then there is no point. However, if the scholarship is renewable, and your other financial aid might decrease in future years, a scholarship might be a better deal in later years.</p>
<p>If you end up at a school that will take away other grants, then there is not a reason. However, when you are applying to schools, and starting the process, you don't know where you will be accepted and what your financial aid package is going to be. The more scholarships you have, the more leverage and more options you have. In the end, you may want all of the private aid you got to put towards a school that did not give you much or any in aid, and not any of the financial aid/merit packages you got from your school.</p>
<p>can the school deduct and alter your pell and acg grants..my guidance counselor said those are the two grants they cant mess with... any others like the supplemental can be altered</p>
<p>many of the well endowed schools allow your to use outside scholarships to offset student self help first...loans, student contribution from summer employment, work study job. If you are an incoming freshman you may even be allowed to use the funds to by a laptop and/or help with health insurance coverage or an extra travel money to and from home. JUST ASK do no assume, each school is different.</p>
<p>Pretty, your gc is correct. Pell and ACG are strictly based on the EFC that is calculated from your FAFSA. Outside scholarships do NOT affect these funds ... so they are icing on the cake, if you have no need based grants from your school!</p>