Scholarships are a great way to help pay the exorbitant costs of higher education. However, obtaining one is not an easy process and generally requires a lengthy application, along with a bevy of financial documentation, transcripts and of course, an essay. The scholarship essay is your opportunity to communicate what the award would mean to you and to outline your educational goals. A good essay could be the difference between a significant financial award or no scholarship at all, so it is prudent to take your time and generate a solid one.
Instructions
1. Start your essay with your name and the name of the scholarship. This is such a simple point, yet, it is often overlooked in a scholarship essay. The committee must know who you are and what scholarship you are applying for in order to move forward. Forgetting to include this information shows a lack of attention to detail, which can be points against you during decision-making time.
2. Draft a strong action statement at the beginning of your essay. Avoid sob stories. Yes, you may have had a hard life growing up, but scholarship committees see many applications from kids down on their luck and it does nothing to set you apart. Start off your essay with a show of strength. An action statement that sums up where you intend to go if given the opportunity. Solid examples include "With the XYZ scholarship, I will graduate from ABC Medical School and go on to become the chief resident of EFG Hospital in Anytown, USA." This statement is strong, impressive and makes the committee want to consider you based on merit and your goals rather than on a sob story.
3. Write in a concise manner. Don't get too wordy and don't ramble on about how much the award means to you; instead, make the committee want to award your scholarship based on what you will do with it. But do so very succinctly, to avoid a long, drawn-out essay that no one wants to read.
4. Highlight your academic credentials in the opening paragraphs. In addition to letting the scholarship committee know where you plan to go if given the chance through this scholarship, give them an idea of what an outstanding student you are already. A good example of this might be: "I currently have a 4.0 grade point average and am president of the Alpha Alpha Alpha club, which has a similar set of goals and priorities as the XYZ Scholarship Foundation. We strive to focus on communicate service, academic excellence and during my tenure, we've instituted a number of programs to help fellow students struggling with academic issues." Not only does this establish a like-mindedness between you and the foundation, but also it communicates what a strong candidate you are for the scholarship.
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