Real Talk: Should I Apply for a Scholarship?

Should I apply for a scholarship

Writing the Other instructor K. Tempest Bradford has some advice for anyone hesitating to apply for a Sentient Squid Scholarship.

We want lots of people to apply for our scholarship opportunities, and to that end I’m going to bust through all the excuses you have for applying. Ready? Okay.

First, if you can afford to take the class truly and without hesitation, then yes you should go ahead and register. Our classes sometimes fill up fast, and we often make scholarship determinations long after the open enrollment spots are gone.

However, if paying for this class is usually beyond your financial means, then you should definitely apply for a scholarship spot.

If paying for this class is something you might technically be able to do–you have the funds in your bank account today–but you don’t feel you can afford to spend the money on this class even though it would be beneficial, you should apply.

I’ll say that again: YOU SHOULD APPLY.

This scholarship is not just for writers who can in no way afford the class, it is also for writers who don’t have a ton of discretionary money or who have to budget “extra” money carefully. Some folks will choose to spend that money on the class because they decide it is worth it. Some folks will make the decision not to, not because it isn’t worth it, they just can’t afford to drop that chunk on this at the time.

This scholarship is for those folks, too.

If you’re in this situation, don’t stop yourself from applying because you don’t want to take the opportunity away from someone else who needs it more. Apply and let us sort that part out!

If you’ve already received a scholarship for a class (or two or more) and are hesitant to apply, know this: you should apply. We understand that financial situations may not get better right away. We don’t ding applicants who’ve gotten scholarships in the past. That’s not part of our decision making process. We value alumni students just as much as new students and we want to extend financial aid to as many people as we can and, if needed, as often as we can.

If you think you might have the funds to take the class sometime in the future but don’t at the moment and there’s a class that will fit into your schedule coming up: you should apply.

Financials wax and wane, and often time writers have to grab opportunities for professional development when they can. If the funds are tight right now, apply. If you get the scholarship, and then down the line find yourself in a better financial situation, pay it forward by donating to the scholarship fund at that time.

But in the present time: APPLY.

The Bottom Line: don’t NOT apply because you think there are other people who deserve the scholarship more than you or because you don’t think you merit one. Apply, and let us make the determination. We’re going to look at your writing samples and reasons for applying and make decisions based on those and some other factors. We’ll have some hard decisions to make, I’m sure. But we signed up for it!

Ready to apply for a scholarship? Here are the classes currently open for registration (check the app deadline!):