Random!!

Every school seems to have different variations on what scholarships can cover. I just looked at a couple of websites and there seem to be a number of variations on what happens to scholarship money.

One of the posters here talks about schools deducting the amount you get in outside scholarships from the scholarship the school awards. Other schools just let them total up. It looks like the scholarship money is sent to the school for administration in most cases, though as one poster comments "your mileage may vary".

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/316183-what-do-scholarships-cover.html

For the first two years, I did live in a dorm. My parents paid for that (it's called "room and board") along with tuition, books & fees. A lot of scholarships only apply to tuition & fees. But as ehBeth said, they all vary. If you get good enough grades and test scores, you may be offered better scholarships. They never cover stuff like clothes, gas, phone bills, medical expenses and entertainment money, though.

I got married during the summer after my second year. You can't live in a dorm if you're married...that's why I was in an apartment. Apartments and rental houses are often cheaper than dorms anyway, but you do have to pay for food, utilities, internet access, etc. separately. Those are included in dorm rates.

A lot of this will be your dad's problem to figure out when you're ready to start college, so there's no need for you to worry about it now. But you can see why it's a LOT cheaper to live at home and attend a local college or university!

When I applied for a california scholarship, and had top grades, my application was rejected since my father had had something like one great quarter of earnings in the previous months (I forget the timing, but that was probably his last best earnings ever). Of course I should have applied for more scholarships, but I was too dumb about that - this was 1960 and my family didn't know either. Later on, after I was at the university and working my buns off on both school and work, my grades fluctuated, sometimes first in the class, sometimes dumbo on parade. I was only counseled once, and it seemed to be a newbie person that I knew more than, unbelievable as that may seem. Things have changed, at least re women in school from then until now. Aggressive study and seeking of scholarships seems a great idea to me now, of course, though I assume that with so many people in great financial straits that competition will be increasingly high.

There are a lot more scholarships available now, Osso, and they're not necessarily limited to top students. But most of them are nickel-and-dime types. $1,000 (typical) doesn't go very far. That's why students pursue multiple scholarships these days.

Yes, I agree. I think a lot of folks with parents in financial stress won't find even a few of those scholarships enough. Very troubling to me - at a time when states are massively troubled financially themselves, I still believe in free state universities, not so people can freeload, but so that we have a more educated general populace.. end of soapbox.

Hmm. Yeah I'll just let my dad figure this out. Or I'll just worry about it when I need to. I still have 2 more years.

Was it hard having all that stuff to pay for and not having money and stuff? Did you sometimes wish you didnt go to college?

And why did you get married? If you didn't get married your dad would've kept paying for some stuff, right?

Am I asking too many questions? Sorry, I can't help it sometimes.

Okay! Thanks ehBeth!

Yeah but I think getting into college will be easy for me. Lol. The colleges will see that Im 15 while the other college people'll be 18 and they'll think I'm super smart. Which I'm not honestly, I just have a good memory and catch on tk things quickly

you've got pretty good reasoning skills, as well, gracie.

you're gonna go far...

did you see my trike?

A good memory is at least half the battle when it comes to smart.

Yeah, fer sure - tofu is fine uncooked but you gotta fry them cockroaches nice and crispy.

Thanks!

Nope, havent seen it. I'm gonna check it out though.

Haha! Great! Whats the other half? LoL

EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! Thats so gross!! Yuck!

Oh, I think you'll sail in - I was addressing the question of living away from home and necessity of funds, which includes the possibilities of scholarships.

What's wrong with tofu?! It's good stuff.

Oh! Thanks!

HaHa! Your soo weird!

The other half is knowing when to keep our mouths shut