#1 Way to Make Scholarship Hunting More Bearable

TLDR; Look for scholarships that make you learn about something you didn't already know about.

The best part (other than being awarded the money you need to pay for college, obviously), is when the scholarship in question requires you to research an interesting subject you wouldn't otherwise look into. Earlier this year, I discovered a scholarship from an American company that specialized in managing gold assets. The question was open-ended, and in order to answer it meaningfully, I needed to research American economic history related to the value of gold. I also learned a substantial amount about investment philosophy and currency, and whether or not I receive that scholarship, I am a more knowledgeable person for having applied.

I have changed my major many times before this point, but no matter where I go from here, the classes I took and the effort I put into them will stay with me in my future career as an ESL teacher. An ESL teacher must be well-rounded and adaptable. My college courses, my current and future ESL students, and the best scholarships all have one thing in common: I get back what I put in.

The worst part of applying to a scholarship is trying to gauge how likely you are to actually win it. This mental math is taxing. It drains your motivation to apply, and motivation is a valuable resource. One can hardly afford to squander it by looking for excuses not to apply to a particular scholarship, seeking red flags and indications that you are unlikely to be rewarded for your efforts.

The best way to circumvent this is to find a source of compiled scholarships that is up-to-date, trustworthy, and well-organized. Use all your skepticism and scam-detecting skills at this stage. Then, once you have your source, focus all your energy on writing the best applications to the most relevant scholarships it lists.