Author’s note: This article is written to address students considering a scholarship not out of financial needs.
The idea of a scholarship sounds appealing, doesn’t it? Living allowance and school fees paid, exclusive opportunities, secured employment, prestige and seemingly better future prospects.
This list can go on.
But in reality, there's no such thing as ‘free money from the sky’. While a scholarship comes with all these perks, it might not be as exciting as it sounds.
Are you still contemplating whether to take up or apply for a scholarship? Here are four factors you can consider before making your decision.
#1 Nature and Type of Scholarship
There are plenty of scholarships available out there—some issued by the Polytechnic and others by companies or external organizations, some scholarships require you to serve a bond upon graduation, while others are bond-free.
When deciding whether to take up a scholarship, be sure to read through all the conditions of it before making a decision.
There are many “good things” in life, but not all are suitable for you.
If the scholarship is bond-free, I would go for it as it requires less commitment! But if the scholarship is tied to certain requirements (eg. vacation internships, employment bond to company, etc), then I suggest planning the next five to eight years of your life before making a decision.
Planning out your near future gives you more clarity as to what you want to pursue, whether the scholarship is suitable for you, and if you can truly benefit from it.
There are many “good things” in life, but not all are suitable for you.
#2 How Certain are You About Your Area of Interest?
For most bonded scholarships, you will be required to serve your bond at the company upon graduation. To some, this job security might be a relief. To others, they see it as a restriction of their freedom.
So before you even take on the scholarship, think about whether you see yourself studying a course in that field and working in that particular industry for the next five to seven years.
There are people who discover a new passion halfway through their studies and decide to switch tracks upon graduation or even change courses during Poly. If you are on a scholarship, you probably don’t have the flexibility of pursuing this new interest immediately as you might not be able to change your course, and still have to fulfill your bond.
Also, ask yourself if you have a good understanding of the company or organization you are bonded to. What is the culture like? How is the career progression there? How are scholars treated in that company?
If you don’t know any seniors who are on the same scholarship, don’t worry! You could reach out to people on LinkedIn to find out more or check out threads on Reddit or online forums.
#3 Why Do You Want a Scholarship
Be honest and ask yourself why you want a scholarship. What do you hope to get out of it?
I used to apply for scholarships with a try-my-luck attitude. I cast my net wide and applied for a bunch of scholarships to which ones get back to me. I would then attend the interviews that I got offered.
However, it was a very time-consuming process with applications and interviews. Furthermore, when interviewers asked me questions regarding my future or why I wanted a scholarship, I always answered sheepishly because I wasn’t sure what I wanted out of the scholarship aside from its benefits.
In one of my previous internships, I worked as a Talent Development Intern where my team groomed scholars and engaged them through events and programmes specially curated for them. The bosses had such high expectations for these scholars that maintaining good grades was simply the bare minimum.
Scholars were expected to actively participate in competitions and events related to the field they are in, to attend networking and engagement sessions organized by the company, and to be driven and initiate projects instead of passively going about their life in school. I suspect this might be the case for most companies.
After all, the company is sponsoring you thousands of dollars. They are grooming you to become future leaders so there is a certain expectation that comes with the title of a scholar. Will you be able to live up to its stakes?
Therefore, be sure to ask yourself if your reason for wanting a scholarship is superficial (like mine), or if you truly have a keen interest in a particular field.
Trust me—you can try to convince yourself otherwise, but you can’t smoke past the interviewers.
#4 Remove those Rose-Tinted Glasses
As much as a scholarship is great, it may be good to consider what you have to give up as a scholar.
To maintain your good grades requires sacrifices like lesser time to socialize or pursue your hobbies. To build up an impressive CV, you might need to participate in competitions or forums that will also take up time and energy.
These things are not bad in and of itself but it is important to count the cost before committing to anything. Are you prepared to make these sacrifices and do you have that mental tenacity to cope with stress and the high expectations of your lectures and the scholarship organization?
Unfortunately, I’ve heard from friends that serving your bond at the company does not automatically mean you will have a higher starting pay or rank than your peers due to your status as a scholar.
It differs from company to company, and in some cases, you are not even given the opportunity to negotiate your pay.
Needless to say, when you enter the company as a scholar, your colleagues and bosses often have higher expectations of you and might be more critical of the work you produce.
It may also be good to consider that should you find yourself disliking the job, you can’t just turn in your resignation letter. You would have to stick to it through your bond for the next two to four years.
At the end of the day, I am not here to burst your bubble or discourage you from taking up a scholarship. I’m just laying out the reality of a scholarship.
If you have the capabilities and you have thought through this decision then go for it! As a scholar, you are exposed to many great resources and connections that your peers might never have access to, and the benefits are great!
However, if you still have reservations, then I recommend that you speak to your lecturers, career guidance officers, or even with officers from the scholarship organization that you are interested in.
I used to think that being a scholar was the mark of a successful student and the perks that came with a scholarship were so enticing! But over the years, I’ve come to recognize that I do not need a scholarship to define my worth as a student or to prove myself.
Last year, I made it to the last round of a scholarship interview. During the interview, I realized what the company was looking for in a scholar was not aligned with my passion and I had to make a decision at that moment—to smoke up an answer that pleased the interview panel so that I might get the scholarship, or to stay true to my passions.
I chose the latter and did not get the scholarship. Yet this experience was rather liberating because I chose to be true to myself and content in my present circumstances, over the prestige and practical benefits of a scholarship that required me to pursue something that wasn’t my passion.
It is a privilege to receive a scholarship, but it is also a privilege to have the freedom to choose what you want to do.
So instead of succumbing to the societal pressure of the ideal model student, I choose to chart my own path, stay true to my values and self-worth, and have faith that I too, will someday succeed in my own way.
