Narrowing down your options, filling out applications, writing personal statements, and applying for financial aid are among the many things on a typical student’s college admissions To Do List. With the rising cost of college, however, you’ll want to add another critical item: apply for scholarships. In contrast to financial aid, scholarships provide money for college that doesn’t have to be repaid. Previously, we explored the different types of scholarships and how to find and apply for them. Now, we want to take a closer look at the essays you will be required to write as part of your scholarship applications. You’ll discover the types of questions you’re likely to answer and tips to craft responses that inform and impress your essays’ readers. Let’s get started!
Prepare for Common Prompts in Advance
One way to make your scholarship essay writing process go quickly and smoothly is to get a head start. Of course, until you’ve narrowed down which scholarships you are eligible for and can apply for, you can’t know the exact questions you’ll have to answer. However, you can get a general idea taking into account past years’ questions and common questions.
Biographical Questions
These questions seek to draw out details about your personality, interests, background and goals. Common examples of questions of this type are often either stated bluntly and broadly (“Tell us about yourself”) or go deeper and more specific (“What inspires you?” or “What are your goals?”).
As you brainstorm and respond to these questions, make sure to include specific details and stories that bring alive key moments in your personal development. Don’t just say you were inspired to become a lawyer because one of your parents is a lawyer. Instead, describe a time you witnessed your parent make an impassioned argument in court or get justice for a worthy cause. When talking about yourself, keep in mind that your goal is to illustrate the kinds of values and attributes you have demonstrated in the past—qualities such as service to others, creativity, and perseverance—and your commitment to those values in the future both in terms of college courses and activities and in terms of your career. Tailor your answers to each unique scholarship (e.g. if it’s an engineering scholarship focus on engineering topics and themes), and show them that you are someone worth their investment.
Experience Questions
These questions ask you to explain a period of growth with a focus on your accomplishments and your triumphs over adversity. You could be asked about how you have dealt with personal, academic, or professional challenges or how you have demonstrated leadership ability or benefited your community, for instance.
Well-written responses will typically involve describing a moment of truth in which you experienced either an internal or external conflict and took steps to resolve that conflict that ultimately transformed how you will think or act in the future. In other words, take care to explain some version of cause and effect, before and after, or problem and solution that illustrates the stages of change you underwent. Avoid being vague, generic, or painting too perfect a picture of yourself. Instead, reflect deeply and authentically.
Scholarship Questions
These questions ask more directly about why you need and why you deserve scholarship money. You might see questions like these: How will this scholarship make a difference for you? How are you planning on paying for college? Why do you deserve this scholarship?
Answering these questions requires you to explain either your academic goals or your plans for the scholarship money. Be as specific as possible. For example, explain how the scholarship funds will help cover the cost of something as small as a laptop or something as big as housing. Help scholarship committees understand your need for their scholarships by providing an overview of your financial circumstances and demonstrating that you are doing everything possible to secure funds, including exploring part-time jobs and work-study programs. Prove you deserve scholarships by honestly describing not only what you’ve accomplished, but what challenges you have overcome to achieve your goals, paying special attention to circumstances and goals related to the scholarship to which you are applying.
The Six Do’s and Don’ts of Scholarship Essay Writing
DO THIS!
- Do your homework. Know what you are going to write before you write it. Research each scholarship to better understand its history (e.g. origin, ethos, and past recipients), and make sure you brainstorm and outline a response before jumping into your first draft.
- Do what is asked of you. Review all instructions (e.g. font size, word limit, spacing) and the prompt itself so your essay’s style and substance are correct.
- Do more showing than telling. Grab your readers’ attention with a compelling hook at the start of your essay, with strong verbs that are active and accurate (e.g. gathered supplies vs. helped prepare), and with vivid details (e.g. dialogue, sounds, smells). Provide specific examples (names of people/places/activities, anecdotes) when possible for a more credible and compelling essay.
DON’T DO THIS!
- Don’t delay. Make sure you know when your scholarship deadlines are and give yourself at least a few weeks per scholarship to get your work done before your due date. You want to give yourself plenty of time to research, plan, draft, revise, and proofread.
- Don’t be afraid or inauthentic. You may be tempted to portray yourself as someone you think a particular scholarship committee wants you to be, but the truth is they want you to be yourself. When you show vulnerability and personality through rich detail, sincerity, and even humor, you will make a stronger impression on readers who will know you and like you more than if you sound like any other high-achieving student.
- Don’t be sloppy. When you finally hit submit, you want your essays to be free of spelling and grammar errors, so proofread with care. Ask friends, family members, teachers, or tutors for feedback.
How A+ Can Help
Whether you’re applying for one or many of the wide variety of scholarships available, A+ Test Prep and Tutoring is here to help you get organized, brainstorm ideas, write, and revise the essays that you need to apply. These essays are important. With the right response, you can earn valuable funds to put towards your college education. If you would like some support as you complete your scholarship essays, reach out to A+ and ask us about our College Essay and Editing Services. When you lower your bottom line, you relieve stress and reduce debt. Your future self will thank you for putting in the effort now!
At A+ Test Prep and Tutoring, our practices are based on the latest developments in educational theory and research. We have an excellent team of tutors who can help you with standardized testing, executive functioning, or achievement in any other school subject. If you want to find out more about our services, contact us here.
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