Preparing to write the essay.
Writing a good essay for a scholarship can be crucial to your receiving financial aid.There may seem to be some general ideas relevant to all essay writing, but the scholarship essay has some very specific aspects that can make the difference in your receiving the financial assistance you want.
The Organization Offering the Scholarship
The purpose of the scholarship application essay is to convince members of the scholarship committee that they should invest their money in you. You need to consider the persons who will read your essay and the organization he represents. Find out about the organization offering the funds.The emphasis of the essay will not be the same if it's for the Daughters of the American Revolution or an Optimist Club. Find out what the scholarship is about. Why is this organization providing the money? What are they looking for? Address their purposes and concerns.
Topics
If you are given a specific topic such as "Who Has Had the Greatest Impact on Your Life?" or "What Do You Hope to Achieve in your Personal Life After College?" you must focus your essay on this. In the case of your professional goals, they want to know your plans after graduation so they can be sure their money will be put to good advantage. You should ask if the scholarship is named after a particular person. In that case, you might want to write on how you have the same traits as that person or why you want to honor her. Be specific.
Structure
It's always a good idea to incorporate your high school accomplishments if appropriate to the essay topic. Mention leadership experience, extracurricular activities, travels and community service. Be sure these characteristics are specific to the organization or topic and not appropriate for any general essay. For example, if an athletic organization is offering the scholarship, emphasize your sports accomplishments. These are the areas that show you as the special person the organization is looking for. For example, if your scholarship is from a charitable organization and you organized a food campaign for the needy, describe this activity.
Organization
Use an outline. Write one to three paragraphs, each with a topic sentence. Develop and explain your ideas. Use anecdotes when appropriate. If a patriotic organization is offering the scholarship, describe the incidents your dad told you about his military experiences.
Be sure to use transitions from one paragraph to the other so that your essay flows. Avoid phrases such as "Secondly." Try repeating a previous thought to connect to the new paragraph. An example would be, "Once I learned ...... " Be sure that this is specific to your topic. Another example for a service organization would be, "After working for the Boy Scouts, I decided...."
Further Tips
What the scholarship committees want is brevity, sincerity, enthusiasm and originality. Mechanics such as correct spelling and grammar are essential. Do not fabricate or exaggerate. Show that you are focused and have some concrete thoughts of where you want to go from here. Meet any and all deadlines.
