How to Stand Out as a Scholarship Applicant

How to Stand Out as a Scholarship Applicant Image via Isorepublic.com Follow directions and ensure you are qualified It’s amazing the number of applications that are disqualified because the applicant did not follow the directions or the prompt (or because they missed the due date!). Not answering the prompt completely can cause you to miss out on the award! This mistake can easily be avoided if you take a few extra minutes to read the prompt and ensure that your essay responds to everything the prompt asks you. If it helps you, make it into a checklist and check off questions as you address them in your essay. That way, you will know exactly what the instructions are asking of you, and you know that you’ve answered all of them. Also, applications can be discarded when the applicant is not qualified. For example, if the scholarship award is only for graduate students, don’t apply for it if you are not a graduate student. Don’t waste your time applying for a scholarship that you are not qualified for. Instead, spend that time searching for a scholarship award that you ARE qualified for. These are simple mistakes that can be avoided if you only spend a few extra minutes making sure that you’ve responded to the prompt entirely and that you are eligible for the award. Submit a unique essay It’s tempting to submit the same essay to multiple scholarship applications, but I would encourage against this. Using the same essay for multiple competitions is a risky move. Instead, take the time to tailor each essay for the specific prompt. When you submit a unique essay, it will show that you are passionate about the subject, and it will impress the scholarship application judges. You will stand out among those who used the same essay for multiple competitions. For this reason, submit a unique essay each time you enter a scholarship competition. Yes, it requires extra effort, but it is well worth it. Have someone else review your essay Whenever you write something, it’s a good idea to get someone else to read it over, too. Sometimes, we get so used to reading our own writing that we overlook some minor mistakes we make. But if you have someone else reading your work, they will catch these mistakes and will give you feedback to improve your essay. Also, they might give you some ideas that you might not have thought of on your own. Go to your school’s writing center or ask your English professor to double check your essay. Their feedback will be very valuable and will increase your chances of winning the award. Submit it (and start writing it) earlier, not later It’s not always true that your chances of winning a scholarship essay contest will increase if you submit your essay earlier. Still, it’s definitely worth the extra effort to get your application in earlier rather than later. It will give you peace of mind and relief to know that your application has already been turned in. It will even give you more time to look for the next scholarship essay contest to enter! Starting it early is a good idea, too. The earlier you start writing the essay, the more time you have to craft a unique essay. You need time to write a winning essay, and starting earlier will give you that time. You won’t need to modify an existing essay you already have, because you will have time to tailor an entirely new essay to this specific contest prompt. Submitting your scholarship essay earlier rather than later might not increase your chances of winning, but it will give you great relief. The same goes for beginning the essay writing process earlier. Scholarships are a common way for students to pay off their college tuition. However, the scholarship application process can be a bit tricky, especially if an essay is involved. Still, as long as you give yourself enough time, have someone else proofread the essay, and follow all the directions, you have a good chance at standing out as a scholarship applicant.