Should You Ask for a Scholarship?
Question:
Should I Ask for a Scholarship When Applying?
We always recommend not to do so. First, if schools want to offer you money, they will (more on that later). From a strategy perspective, if you ask for money, you’re requesting two things:
- Let me in
- Give me money
Since getting in is hard enough, it’s best not to ask for the second thing. Yes, they say it will have no impact on your admissions chances. But what they say, and what is reality, don’t always align. And it’s totally reasonable that if they consider you to be exactly equal to an applicant who doesn’t need money, they will choose the “free” option.
But most importantly, if schools want to offer you money, they will. You don’t have to ask for it. None of our clients asked for merit or need scholarships in Round 1, and they were still collectively offered over $600,000 in scholarships. This just means the schools REALLY want them. So if you do need scholarships, the best thing you can do is put together an amazing application and diversify your school list. Then, if you get multiple offers, you can choose the one that offered the best scholarship.
Lastly, while this should be no surprise, schools care about money. They ask how much you earn. They ask how much your family business earns. They ask what your parents do for a living. No, you cannot buy a building and get into a great school. That’s a myth. But money matters. If you can add to the quality of the program without detracting from their funds, they like that.
Need Help Paying for Your Degree?
If you DO need help paying for your graduate degree, you should also consider the numerous corporate and government scholarships available in Thailand.
KBank, PTT, SCG, all the MBBs, most government agencies (BoT has a ton). Fulbright is great.
Some of these are before you get in while others are after, but that’s another post. For now, just know that asking a school for money is a big ask. Think about all the potential consequences, as well as your other options, before clicking the “yes” box on merit or need scholarships in a school’s graduate application.
Whatever you decide, Elite Admit wishes you the best of luck.
