Applications must be meticulously filled out, and the college essay must be impeccable. Students often heave a sigh of relief once they receive their acceptance letters, grateful part of the process is over. Most college bound seniors need financial assistance beyond what federal financial aid will cover. Scholarships require separate applications and demand unique essays that answer the most basic question: why should we give you money for your future? for most college applications, students must compile a list of extracurricular activities, awards and achievements, jobs, and volunteer work. Having that list available will make it easier to remember all of the things that make you a unique and involved individual. Too often, students think they can simply take their college application essays, tweak a few words, and send in essentially the same essay. Although college application essays and scholarship essays may have similar prompts they both ask you to describe yourself in a positive light , the wording is often different enough that the same material will not transfer from one prompt to the other without major revision.

For example, most of my students apply to state schools, for which the prompt is, how will your presence enrich our community? however, our local scholarship prompt is, describe how your past accomplishments will contribute to your future success. While many students find they want to speak about similar meaningful activities and accomplishments in both essays, they still need to ensure that the heart of their essays address the prompt fully and correctly. This may seem like obvious advice however, an overwhelming majority of my students tend to get self deprecating come scholarship essay time. Perhaps you are a student who isn't particularly athletic or didn't make it onto the student government. While teachers tend to push students to become more involved in school activities, it is often the interests outside of school that make each student an individual. So if your passion is music, and you taught yourself how to play guitar freshman year, discuss the challenges of learning an instrument on your own and how music shapes your life today.

While you should choose to talk about activities, experiences, and interests that make you stand out, you do not want your essay to turn into a list of all the things you have ever participated in. Many students fall prey to the idea that their essays should say, look at all the things i did! instead, your essay should explore some of the things you did and go into more detail about how those activities, experiences, and interests made a lasting impact on your life. Although you should not include an itemized list of your impending college expenses, you should mention the college you plan on attending and your intended major, if it is appropriate for the prompt given. Scholarship committees want to see that you have goals and a plan to achieve them. If you are currently undecided, feel free to discuss a career area of interest or two, and address what you have done so far to explore your career options. While i advise my students to address their futures in their essays, i warn them against complaining too much about their pasts. There are many scholarships available to students with true financial needs, but that information will be filled out in a separate section of the application.

Scholarship committees know you need the money that's why you're applying for the scholarship. Also, if you're addressing obstacles in your past that challenged you to grow and change, make sure you stay away from wording like, i've been through so much in my life, or, i've had it really rough. There are ways to discuss how you have overcome obstacles in your life without coming across too negative or needy. Many students tend to get secretive about their writing and are embarrassed to have others look over essays for them.

An error filled essay says the writer didn't care enough about the essay to take the time to proofread it. If you don't take the time to proofread, the committee won't take the time to read it. While you should have an adult look over your essay, don't let that adult make changes with which you are uncomfortable. Sometimes the adults that want to help end up adding too much wording that they think sounds better. In addition, don't stress yourself out over a super formal introduction and conclusion. Many of my students ask for a list of quotes they can use to begin their scholarship essays, and while this is an age old strategy appropriate for other essay forms, starting with a quote can come across as staged and pretentious in the scholarship essay.

No essay required! youre on the home stretch! the fall semester is half way overwhich means registration for the spring semester is open for current and returning students at scc. Its not only time to pick what classes you want, but its also time to start figuring out how to pay for those classes. If you havent already started applying, here are a list of scholarship opportunities at scc.

The trick about landing a hefty scholarship is writing a killer scholarship essay. Pay attention to details of the application. be sure to provide all of the information they ask for otherwise you are just setting yourself up for failure! 2. Get organized. brainstorm to generate some good ideas, then create an outline to help you get started writing. Demonstrate originality and creativity. to catch the attention of the reviewers, find a hook that will get the reader interested right away. Show, don’t tell. for example, if you’re describing an activity you participated in, don’t describe it in general terms.

Be specific! what duties did you perform? what affect did it have on your life or the lives of others? 5. Develop a theme that fits scc or the scholarship. what sort of student is the college or the scholarship program looking for? include elements in your essay that complement the college’s or sponsor’s expectation without pretending to be someone you aren’t. Turn in a professional looking essay. write a second draft to catch mistakes and better organize your thoughts.

What tips do you have for writing a scholarship essay? comment below! there is an overriding notion within the professional world that today's crop of students are not able to write as effectively as they should. This is only one of the reasons why the scholarship essay has gained so much recognition within the college recruitment process. More than ever, college admission boards and scholarship committees are looking for students with the ability to communicate effectively through the written word. Picking the topic the topics for scholarship essays vary widely from college to college. Some colleges have pre selected topics that they require all of their applicants to write about, while others give applicants some leeway and allow them to choose their own specific topic within a specified, broader range. Regardless, you will find that virtually all colleges and universities wish for the scholarship applicant to write an essay that will illustrate his or her own unique qualities and talents, and will allow the board to understand why they should award a scholarship.

How to Set Goals for Writing An Academic Paper

However, some students find it difficult to put into words exactly why they are special or why they should be awarded with a scholarship. This is totally natural after all, not everyone is a complete egomaniac! they following tips will allow you to narrow your focus on your special qualities and abilities, and thus increase your chances of receiving a scholarship. Brainstorming tips if you are given the option of choosing your own topic to illustrate your merits for a scholarship, the following tips should help you decide which route to take. These are by no means the only angles available, but they can give you an idea of what to consider. consider your extracurricular activities the extracurricular activities you choose to engage in during high school can tell a scholarship board a great deal about you as a person. By focusing upon your extracurricular activities, you are able to illustrate your personal priorities and let the advisory board know what you consider to be important. For example, if you are applying to a university with the intentions of eventually enrolling in medical school, discussing your volunteer time at the nursing home and explaining how much it affected you personally could be a great essay angle.