Tips for Writing Your Scholarship Applications
Ready to apply for college scholarships? Reduce a scary process to a manageable one with these five tips on writing your scholarship applications.
- SEARCH AND FIND
First, you have to find scholarship opportunities for which you could qualify. Locate the possibilities (try the internet, e.g., www.fastweb.com and don't forget your guidance office). Find scholarships for which you might qualify based on the particular qualities, subject areas, or interests that the grantor supports. - UNDERSTAND
Once you have found some appropriate possibilities, study the application process as if you were about to take the most important exam of your life. Understand the requirements, the details of what to submit, and above all, the deadlines! Comply with them all. - BE DISTINCT
In your application, essay and recommendation letters, distinguish yourself. The basics (like great grades) will not be enough. What makes you someone the grantor would be proud to sponsor? What makes you distinct and uniquely qualified? What have you already accomplished and what are your dreams? Claim your achievements and speak in your own voice. - RELY ON RECOMMENDATIONS
Choose your letters of recommendation and references with care. What they say and how they say it reflect directly on you. If you chose a reference who writes an illegible letter in poor grammar, look out! Your references need to live up to the importance of their role. - WRITE. REWRITE. WRITE AGAIN
If your application includes an essay, then write, rewrite and write it again. You must rigorously flyspeck your spelling and grammar, ruthlessly undo the passive voice or too many adjectives, boldly delete redundancies. Do your own critical editing and do not rely solely on automatic spell-checkers or rewrite programs. When in doubt, check it out at resources such as www.askoxford.com.
Now all you need is a little luck!
