Wednesday, February 21st, 2007...5:02 pm
Writing the Perfect Scholarship Essay
For me, writing essays is not an easy task. Coming from a computer science background, I didn’t have the skills necessary to write a quality essay. I eventually was able to pick up the writing skills necessary to work in the real world, so here are some essay tips I have learned along the day.
Pick an interesting topic
This is one of the most critical aspects of your scholarship essay. There are some scholarships where they have a predefined topic, however you will want to tailor these topics to address one of the following issues. I have found that focusing on these issues will greatly increase your chances in winning the scholarship.
1. Focus on a major accomplishment
You’re going to want to impress the reader of the essay, so when writing about a major acomplishment, you want them to say, “wow, this person really does deserve this”. Keep in mind that an accomplishment that YOU think may be major, may not be major to the eyes of the reader. For example, writing about how you were able to stuff 20 marshmallows in your mouth is probably something that you can forget (until college starts, then you can tell or demonstrate to all your college buddes).
2. Focus on an event where you took action
Readers of scholarship essays LOVE iniative. This means that you saw a need and you actively pursued to fill that need. Some examples of this are being the ASB President, starting up a club, helping out less fortunate kids, etc. People who do these types of activities are most likely going to succeed in life, and the readers know this, so use it to your advantage.
3. Focus on an obstacle you overcame
Here, I would like you to you focus on adversity that has occurred in your life and how your managed to overcome in. Some examples would be the loss of a parent, living in a world with divorced parents, having a disability. These are the types of situation where when you tell somebody, they give you this puppy dog face and say, “I’m sorry”. When you write about these events, it is imperitive that the focus is on how you overcame these obstacles and to stay positive. When a reader finishers your essays, you will want them to say, “Wow, this person has gone through a lot, this person deserves this scholarship”.
Fully research your topic
I know that when you start to apply for scholarships, you will realize that you will need to write a ton of essays! You will feel that you can skimp on all the essays and focus on quantity, and not quality, but SHOULD not be the case. This is an automatic path to rejection.
Give yourself 2 weeks time for research and the writing of the essay for each essay you do. This will allow you to fully think out the topic and have enough time for feedback and editing.
Remember to focus on QUALITY, not QUANTITY.
Write for your audience
When I talked about some of the topics you should write about, I said that when the reader is done with your essays, the reader should say, “wow, this person really does deserve this essay”. You will need to do this when you write your essay. Put yourself in a reader’s shoes and ask yourself if you really do deserve this essay. Keep in mind that the reader may have to read tens to hundreds of essays of varying quality, and it is his/her job to pick just ONE. Do you truly think yours will be the one chosen?
In addition, you can tailor the essays to the foundation that provides the scholarship. Say, you want to apply to your parent’s company scholarship. You could write a little bit on how your parent’s company has affected your life in a positive manner.
Make your essay different from the other essays they get
This comes back to the fact that the reader has to look at tons of essays and needs to choose one. One way to do this is to show, not tell, your reader about your topic. Focus on specifics so that you can avoid vagueness and you’ll be able to make an overall stronger impression.
Another way to do this is to take a totally different creative approach to writing an essay. I can’t find the link to it right now, but I remember someone won with an essays that went like this.
“I have never parachuted from a plane. I have never taken a canal ride in Venice. I have never seen the light as feathers snow in Russia. I have never won a scholarship.”
As you can see, this is a totally different way to write an essay. So be creative, and try something different. Your readers will notice it.
Get someone to proofread your essay and keep editing!
Too many students treat their scholarship essay writing like a regular essay for class. Students will write their essays a couple days (or on the day) it is due and proofread it themselves 1 or 2 times. They don’t show it to their parents, or other teachers. You must remember that this essay will generate between $100-$100,000, so treat it like that! Show it to your parent and at least 1 teacher before submitting it. This will greatly increase your chances in winning the scholarship
Technorati Tags: scholarship, money, college, university, essay, scholarship tips
28 Comments
March 9th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
thank for the tips. I have a hard time writtting a good essay. Its hard not being able to do that when u want to get scholarships. so thanks sent more stuff
here: malloryamber@hotamil.com or mallorywilliams_09@yahoo.com
March 19th, 2007 at 8:23 am
i am graduate from northeren areas of pakistan and now a days working with AKDN as social mobilizer.now i want to get my masters degree from any europaen country.So for this purpose i need scholarship.i want more information about scholarship.i will be thankful to you b/c i belong to hard area.
March 21st, 2007 at 12:33 pm
iam incollege of agriculture in the second year and i want to finish my study in any college in europaen country and specially in germany
April 16th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Thanks so much for this great website. I have a question I hope you can assist me with, and I’m sure others probably have the same question. Do you have a sample of a cover letter, specifically one addressing the question as to why I think I should receive this scholarship? I don’t think a simple answer of “because I need the money”, is exactly what they are looking for. As I look over many of the scholarship qualifications, many of them ask you to write a letter stating why you think you should receive this scholarship. I have no idea where to begin writing such a letter. Do you have any samples of this kind of letter you could send me, or a website that might help? Any assistance you can provide me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much. Trish Kane
April 18th, 2007 at 12:59 am
This may somehow seem to be a good website but then the fact is I wanna see what it has on store all in all thanks in advance hope to gat a reply from you guys
April 19th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
I like the advise on writing scholarship essays. You are really a helping in giving me knowledge concerning scholarships.
April 24th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
I like the tips that was giving on how to write a winning essay. Thanks so much, and keep the info comming we all needed it so much
April 25th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
Dear Ms. Andrea,
Thanks for providing this worthy piece of information about the tips for preparing a good essay if one really wants to win a scholarhsip. For me it’s really helpful and i do hope that it’s same for everyone to have some good ideas in writing an essay in the way the reader’s attention can be with drawn towards our essay at the first sight and first reading. Keep me informed with related informations and it is being appreciated all the times.
April 27th, 2007 at 5:41 am
just what i needed! thank you so much!
May 1st, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Hi Andre, i really appreciate your tireless efforts towards helping us achieve some of our dreams. Thanks
May 4th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Ibeen trying it for many time and nothing happened since then
thanks
Peter Marial
May 5th, 2007 at 12:19 am
My suggestion to everyone is to proofread your essays better than the author of this article did. If you have as many mistakes in grammar, punctuation and spelling as this article does, you will never get any scholarship.
May 14th, 2007 at 11:05 am
i apreciate your effort and idea in educating people on topic”scollarship essay”.for me i see it as an information that will boost up one`s ability in essay writing generally and not onlyon scollarship.it has really increase my knowlege on essay writing. i want to encourage you to keep it up because any one or society who is not informed will be deformed.
May 14th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
This information was very useful to me. It was hard for me to write a decent essay tat would win me a scholarship. Knowing that your’e going up against other tough competitiors can bring down your self-esteem .Thanks to you I was able to submitt an essay easily and confidently.
May 24th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
I really appreciate your website but pls you should try and increase the chances to 75%, so that others may equally have the opportunity.
May 27th, 2007 at 3:27 am
hi how are you?
my name is eric, i am from el salvador, i have 4 years in united states, my major is doctor and i’m looking for a scholarship, i’m in community college now, but i would like to transfer later, when i came here i didn’t speak english and now i do, i choose to be doctor because i have a big heart and that way i can help many people and give my attentition is my goal my e-mail is sandovale1@univision.com …
May 31st, 2007 at 3:58 pm
I really like this website I believe it can help me find some scholarships that I need.
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:33 am
I want to thank you for the tips they will help me in many ways to find scholarships for college.
June 11th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
WOW! I wish that I would have read this before I lost a $20,000 scholarship. Now I know what I did wrong and what I should do next time. Thank you so much! I really do hope that everyone gets to see your awesome website! Thank You
June 26th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I a Burundian and I live in Burundi a country what is located in the Great Leakes Region in Central Africa.
How can I have a scholarship.Is this for the US only?
I havent a website.Try to help me for not loose the amount.Try again to help me and tell me if Burundian can have that scolarship.I notifie that I live and I am a BURUNDIAN.Help me to get it for to make sure that it exist .Try to help me to show that poor people in poor country can have scolarship.
July 6th, 2007 at 4:07 am
Hey…I just wanted to thank you very much for the helpful tips you have given all of us. I do not know if making students aware of how to win scholarships is your job or if it is something you have decided to do on your own. I really appreciate it and I hope you continue to send us al these excruciatingly helpful tips.
Thank you very much!!!!!!!!!!!
July 26th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Dear Ms. Andrea:
If you could provide any information on cover letters, addressing the topic why I think I should receive this scholarship? Trish Kane asked the same question but I’m not sure what your response was. Please e-mail me back, If you have any samples pertaining to writing cover letters or a website.
Thanks,
Cedric Brown
August 8th, 2007 at 6:50 am
Dear Ms. Andrea
I am a ordinary student.I just wanted to thank you very much for the helpful tips you have given all of us. I do not know if making students aware of how to win scholarships is your job or if it is something you have decided to do on your own. I really appreciate it and I hope you continue to send us al these excruciatingly helpful tips.
I a Nepali and I live in Nepal a country what is located in the Southern east of Asia.How can I have a scholarship.Is this for the US only?
I havent a website.Try to help me for not loose the amount.Try again to help me and tell me if Nepali student can have that scholarship.I notifie that I live and I am a NEPALI.
Help me to get it for to make sure that it exist .Try to help me to show that poor people in poor country can have scolarship.
Thanks so much for this great website. I have a question I hope you can assist me with, and I’m sure others probably have the same question. Do you have a sample of a cover letter, specifically one addressing the question as to why I think I should receive this scholarship? I don’t think a simple answer of “because I need the money”, is exactly what they are looking for. As I look over many of the scholarship qualifications, many of them ask you to write a letter stating why you think you should receive this scholarship. I have no idea where to begin writing such a letter. Do you have any samples of this kind of letter you could send me, or a website that might help? Any assistance you can provide me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much. I want study a lot
but due to my low economic condition I am unable
study . I want to be a successful Physiotherapist, &
I want to help disable peoples. I hope Iwill get the chance to study. Thanks you so much Prakash Dhakal.
September 8th, 2007 at 7:03 am
I see this morning as a new beginning.The tips given for writing essay are fantastic and great,I believe you are a God sent to our generation.I’m a Nigerian who had wanted to study with scholarship right from my primary school days.Please, is there any scholarship i may put in for?if any,which one?I school in Nigeria in Lead City University studying Economics as a course.
November 19th, 2007 at 12:18 am
I’m a senior in high school and I want to thank you you for this important information. I know it would help me beacuse I believe that with your information I would make it good. I’m very new to these things. I would like to recieve more tips that can help me in the future. And agian thank you!
December 7th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
THANKS FOR INITIATING THIS WEBSITE.I BELIEVE IT WILL HELP MANY OF US SEARCHING FOR SCHOLARSHIP.I HAVE JUST GRADUATED FROM UNIVERSITY WITH A BACHELOR WITH HONOURS DEGREE IN PHARMACY.WE HOPE TO FIND A MASTERS DEGREE SCHOLARSHIP TO PURSUE FURTHER STUDIES.WE GOT[GAT] LOVE FOR YOU.GOD BLEE
SS YOU.
December 31st, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Your tips are helpful, They inspire people to find themselfs and tell their life story, I believe people should be who they really are and not try to be swomeone that they’re not. Be who GOD wants you to be, Be yourself live righteous and GOD Will take care of you.
GOD ALMIGHTY BLESS YOU,
Shaterrious Johnson
May 30th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Thank you very much for your information.I am a kenyan student and i just wanted to know if it is possible for akenyan to win this scholarship.
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