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Unless money is not a concern for you, you’ve probably spent a lot of time looking for scholarships you may be eligible for. After you compile a list, either alone or with your counselor’s help, you’ll have to start applying. While some funds only require the information about your finances or family circumstances, most of them will ask for an essay. How do you make your writing truly stand out though? Here is a simple guide to perfection.
Find out what the Theme is
Sometimes the quality of your writing is less relevant than the thoughts you’ll try to express. If the fund you are applying to works with at risk youth, don’t write about garbage disposal methods or, even worse, about how much you hate unfortunate young people. You may not be given a particular theme by the organizations, but think about the purpose of the scholarship and the topic, they expect you to write on, will become obvious.
Answer the Unasked Questions
In the polite society, people rarely ask and say directly what they want. The principle also holds true for scholarship essay writing. If the question they asked you is “Why is history relevant in today’s society?”, they really don’t want to hear your broad musings on the topic. What you need to write about is why educating you will be a contribution to the study of history. When you are applying for scholarships, you need to expect that other applicants will come from very similar backgrounds and be just as eager to win some money. This is why you must write exactly what the assessors are looking for.
Express your Passion in Writing
You’ve probably written plenty of essays during your academic career. That is why the process itself may start to feel a little automated and impersonal. Nothing wrong with that! After all, it’s pretty hard to get excited about the advanced styles of middle management every single time. However, when you are writing a scholarship application essay, passion is the key. If the committee sees how truly enthusiastic you are about studies, it will be much harder to refuse you.
Be Very Specific
General statements are all fine and dandy, especially if you need to finish a 4,000 word essay in an hour or two and you have no idea what else to write about. However, in scholarship writing, you should avoid generic phrases like the plague. Instead, include specific happenings and information about your life. Not only will it give the judges a better understanding of who you are and why you deserve their award, but it will also make you essay more interesting.
Look for feedback
Editing is hard, especially when you’ve already poured so much energy into the writing process itself. What you need to do is ask other people for help. There is no shame in that.
Most importantly, keep writing and applying! One of these scholarships definitely has you name on it.
