Writing a Scholarship

Essay

Making the essay work for you!

Reasons to Write the

Scholarship Essay

Some scholarships go unclaimed because

of lack of applicants.

Someone is going to win…why not you?

Everyone has a story to tell!

There are resources to help you with every stage

of the writing process

Once you get started, the essay won't be as hard

to write as you think. (Starting is the hardest part!)

Isn't scholarship $ worth a little effort?

Reasons why students don't write

scholarship essays (and lose out

on scholarships!)

You hate to write.

You don't think you’ll win anyway.

You don't think you have anything

to say.

You don't think you can write very well.

You can't get started (writer's block.)

Why is the Scholarship Essay

Important?

Scholarship decisions are made very quickly; you need to immediately make yourself standout.

The judges can read all the “facts” about you on the application; the essay is where they discover your heart and soul.

The essay is an introduction to who you are, what you value, how you see the world, what you hope to accomplish, and why you need the scholarship.

Provides an opportunity for you to stand out in a crowd.

Commonly Asked Essay Questions

How will your study contribute to your immediate or long

range career plans?

What do you consider the single most important societal

problem? Why?

Describe how you have demonstrated leadership ability both

in and out of school?

Describe your most meaningful achievements and how they

relate to your future goals?

Describe a challenging family or personal circumstance that

has affected your achievement or participation in school,

work or community activities. How did you overcome this

challenge and what did you learn from the experience?

State any special personal or family circumstances affecting

your need for financial assistance.

What Should I Say?

Think about this: What would the judgesfind memorable and/or unique about you?

Be positive!

Include concrete examples to illustrate larger themes. Don't just tell the judges that you are a dedicated student; show them through an example instead.

Concrete Examples

(Bad) “I am a very hard-working

individual.”

(Good) “At my current job, there is a lot

of down-time. Instead of just sitting around,

I stay busy by dusting, cleaning, taking out

the garbage, and doing other chores. I try

to look for things that need to be done

instead of waiting to be told what to do.”

What Shouldn’t I Say?

Your bad behavior, even if you have learned lessons.

Your travel diary, unless you have done community

service abroad.

Excuses for failing grades or lack of community service,

unless a clearly legitimate reason such as a major illness.

Your best jokes.

Controversial or divisive tirades.

Your great accomplishments presented in a bragging and

arrogant style.

That Pesky Opening Paragraph…

Recall the most cherished memory with your father figure. For some it may be when he taught you how to ride a bike, for others it may be memories of him taking you out for pizza when mom said the family has to eat healthy, for others it’s the ability to confide in somebody that won’t judge or stop loving you because of the mistakes you have made. On my birth certificate I have the name the name of my beloved mother, but right above her name is an empty space where my father’s name should be.

Being part of a minority is very conflicting for me as I feel both empowered as a part of a Haitian minority community but also disconnected from my non-immigrant peers. Coming from a background of poverty in Haiti, I knew that, even at a very young age, I had to be a good student in order to succeed.

I’ve danced ballet since I when I was seven-years-old. But, even after almost eight years, I could still barely extend my legs as high as my peers nor could do as many pirouettes as them. My flexibility was incredibly subpar and I easily wore out my Pointe shoes, making them unwearable after a couple of months. After a humiliating recital, wherein my pointe shoe ribbons untied in the middle of our group performance, I all but gave up on dance.

Organizing the Essay

Create an outline before you begin to write.

A complete outline is the key to writing an organized, clear, effective essay.

Outlines can be formal or more casual—it doesn't really matter as long as you write one!

Your outline should include every key point you want to say in your essay.

Your Outline

I. Introduction

I. Attention grabbing first sentence / paragraph

II. Brief explanation for opening

III. Thesis statement (address the prompt)

II. Body

I. Elaborate on your thesis

II. Describe any obstacles you encountered

III. Describe how you overcame these

III. Conclusion

I. Explain how this experience mirrors your audience and their values / beliefs

II. Emphasize any lessons you learned

III. Thank the committee reviewing your essay

Stylistic Concerns

Adhere to all page, length, and font requirements.

Don't be disqualified for this reason!

Make sure you edit and proofread carefully.

Ask someone else to read your essay and give you honest feedback. Does this person laugh or cry?

Give yourself some time away from the finished essay before you submit the application.

Read aloud. You utilize several senses instead of justsight.

Keep it simple, standout from the crowd and speak withemotion/passion.

What Next? Practice your writing

Keep your grades up

Get involved in extracurricular activities, including leadership positions

Volunteer / internships on weekends and during the summer

Plan for a career

Save awards and honor certificates

Make college visits

Search for scholarships

Schedule an appointment with a College Connect mentor

Getting Started Exercise Take 5 minutes to discuss one of the following topics with

someone next to you:

o How will your study contribute to your immediate or

long range career plans?

o What do you consider the single most important

societal problem? Why?

o Describe how you have demonstrated leadership

ability both in and out of school?

o Describe your most meaningful achievements and

how they relate to your future goals?

o Describe a challenging family or personal

circumstance that has affected your achievement or

participation in school, work or community activities.

How did you overcome this challenge and what did

you learn from the experience?