Fitting the Puzzle Together: Writing a Great Scholarship Essay

Why Do I Have To Write This? • Once scholarship committees have weeded out applications that are incomplete or obviously inaccurate, they depend on the essay for the final decision • Scholarship committees want to feel like they know you to be an intelligent, articulate person • Scholarship committees want to feel that you are genuine and creative • Scholarship committees remember essays that are different and creative instead of traditional and expected • Answering like a Miss America contestant will get you nowhere

How Do I Write This Essay? • Just like any other essay, a good scholarship essay has an introduction, a thesis statement, topic sentences, and transitions • MAKE SURE YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION! • You should put your own spin on it, but make sure that you answer the essay question • Read the question several times • Take note of every part of the question • Plan how to infuse your own personality into the essay

Include Yourself in the Essay • Make sure that you are front and foremost in the essay • Show confidence, but not arrogance • Include a personal anecdote or accomplishment • Don’t exaggerate – this type of error stands out • Don’t sell yourself short – this is not the time for false modesty, either!

You Try It • Think of something from your childhood that is special to you • Brainstorm about this object • What makes it special? • Who gave it to you? • Did it comfort you through a rough time? • Does it provide great memories of happy times? • Write a short paragraph that is full of rich detail about the object

Make Sure You Analyze • Analyze the question: • What parts are there to the question? Is the question in a particular order? • Do I have to do research? • Can I find a famous quote or statistic that relates to the question? • Analyze the organization or company: • Why did this group ask this question? Is there a rationale that gives me a clue for what they are looking for? • Why was the scholarship started? • Can I predict who the judges will be? • Is there a website I can look at for this information, or is there a phone number so I can talk to someone directly?

Some Typical Scholarship Essay Questions • How would this scholarship impact your education? • If your education had no limits, you could stay as long as you wanted and money were no object, what would you hope to get out of your time at college? • You have just retired. What would people say about you at your going-away party? • What legacy do you hope to leave with your life? • Who is your hero and why? • Describe a personal experience that has profoundly changed your perspective on an issue of regional, national or international importance. In what way has this event impacted your previous perspective? How will it change your approach to this issue (or similar issues) in the future? • Describe how a work of art, music, dance, theatre or literature has inspired you. • Who speaks for your generation, and what are they saying? If you answer “no one,” why? What needs to be said? • Pearl S. Buck once said, "You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings." Tell us about an experience where you felt that you did the right thing in spite of your feelings. (Next Step: Your Life After High School. http://www.nextstepmagazine.com/nextstep/articlePage1.aspx?artId=25&categoryId=44)

Make Sure to Use Energy • Show confidence – you need to sound like a can-do person • Even if you are talking about a difficulty in your life, put a positive spin on it • Use energetic words – you need to sound like the Energizer Bunny • Show what you can do and how you can keep going with a little assistance

Accomplish Award Build Commend Create Define Discover Design Earn Empower Enhance Expand Explore Express Generate Help Influence Implement Impact Innovate A Short List of Buzz Words – A to L

Justify Motivate Mediate Navigate Participate Persuade Promote Pursue Raise Recommend Recruit Represent Start Steer Spark Tackle Teach Tutor Understand Verify A Short List of Buzz Words – M to Z

Avoid the Whine • Everyone has tragedies or difficulties in life • Avoid talking about your own in the essay unless you can put a positive twist on the story • These tragedies or difficulties often help get a scholarship – so how do you let the judges know about these situations? • Use the letter of recommendation • Discuss the situation you want revealed with the person or people writing a letter of recommendation for the scholarship • If the person or people don’t know about your particular tragedy or difficulty, offer some proof so they feel comfortable including the information • Make sure the letter of recommendation explains how this tragedy or difficulty has not stopped you from being energetic and enthusiastic towards life’s challenges

The Problem Of Passive Voice • Avoid Passive Voice – passive voice makes it sound like you are unsure of yourself. 10% of the essay can be in passive voice, but 90% should be not be • Passive voice occurs in two different ways: • The subject receives action instead of taking action:The plans were made by me. Instead, say, I made the plans. • Use of words that sound unsure: I would use the scholarship to better my education. Instead, say, I will use the scholarship to better my education. • Avoid would, could, should – instead, use will, can, must

This is Not the Time to Procrastinate • A mediocre essay will take a couple of hours, but will not win any money • A good essay will take a couple of days, but still won’t win any money • A great essay will take a couple of weeks, but will more than likely win the scholarship • Don’t put off writing the essay – start working on the essay as soon as you decide to apply for the scholarship • Revise, edit, and then revise and edit again and again • Make sure that your essay is read by at least 5 other peoplethat you trust. Don’t ask someone who will tell you what you want to hear; ask someone who will tell you what you need to hear • Weigh the advice each person gives you – but make final decisions on changes yourself

Other Things to Keep in Mind • Most scholarship essays limit the number of characters, words, or pages – honor this limit exactly • Avoid an unconventional format – you do not want to confuse the judges • Don’t tell the judges, show the judges • Use vivid examples – tell a story • Be concise – use vivid verbs and nouns • Avoid adverbs and indefinite pronouns • Spend a lot of time on the introduction – hook the reader immediately

An Important Warning • Plagiarism is so easy to commit today, but you will get caught! • If you use someone else’s work without permission or if you improperly cite the source, it is plagiarism. • Plagiarism may not only cost you the scholarship, but may keep you out of the college of your choice. • There are many websites designed to help institutions catch plagiarism: • Turnitin.com

Great Websites for Additional Help • Scholarship Help - http://www.scholarshiphelp.org/index.htm • Winning Essay Samples - http://www.essayedge.com/contentpartners/content/samp_scholarship.shtml • Next Step: Your Life After High School - http://www.nextstepmagazine.com/nextstep/articlePage1.aspx?artId=25&categoryId=44 • Scholarship.com: Find Money for College - http://www.scholarships.com/ScholarshipsEssay.aspx

Fitting the Puzzle Together: Writing a Great Scholarship Essay