Scholarship essay: Why Your College Essay is Important
As was mentioned in our article, Writing the Application Essay , the essay part of your college application is important because it is the aspect of the process that offers you the unique chance to brand yourself.
When you sit down to write the application essay, you can choose to set yourself apart from the mediocre, so-so, and mostly bad, essays that end up in the rejection pile.
Scholarship essay: A Well-Chosen Topic
In some instances a college will assign a topic for your essay. Otherwise that choice is up to you. What will you write about? A more effective question is, what interests you most?
?What hobbies or extracurricular activities have benefited you most, and why?
?What has happened in your life that relates to your intended field of study?
?Did you have troubles with certain things growing up?
?Have you experienced any life changing events that make you look at the world through a different lense?
?Has there been a singular experience or set of experiences that have had significance in your life?
Jot words, ideas, events, experiences on paper. This is where fear of the blank page can really be an obstacle. Remember, this initial brainstorming is doodle paper. Feel free.
What you allow yourself to explore and ponder might surprise you.
?Maybe you were more moved by your Grandfather’s life than you had realized.
?Perhaps a volunteer group you work with has inspired you toward a particular career;
?Did a teacher stands out as having been a critical component in your drive to achieve;
?Maybe you have been influenced by the struggles of a close friend or family member with drugs or depression and as a result you are interested in studying psychology or social work.
Write about it. The sky’s the limit.
Most importantly, make the essay personal, a few paragraphs that really mean something to you and help define your application.
Most people fail because they blend in , not because they stuck out.
         

Scholarship essay: When Topics Are Assigned
Occasionally a college will assign an essay topic. This will likely be a very general or broad topic, such as, “Why education is important.” If you go with these general topics and just write “Education is important because it helps people learn…..” you are heading in the wrong direction.
Explore the guts of the assigned statement, break it down, make it real and personal. Once again, jot onto paper the first words or experiences the statement brings to mind. Find a personal experience in your education that has stood out and perhaps symbolizes why higher education is still important to your life. Write about that one thing.
Free Scholarship and Financial Aid Request Templates
Scholarship essay: Our Sample Templates
In order to get information from either a college or a scholarship organization, you will need to request necessary materials. We have provided:
?a Sample Letter to a College, and
?a Sample Letter for Scholarship Information.
The college sample letter could be used to request
?a catalog,
?financial aid information, and
?any other materials you might need.
The scholarship letter is an opportunity to prepare a short statement summing up why you feel qualified for the scholarship. You will want to also make sure you have the appropriate contact name and the full name of the organization that administers the scholarship.
 

             

Scholarship essay: Formatting and Proofreading
Most word processing programs come bundled with templates that allow you to choose a format for a letter. If you are using one of these templates, choose a professional format, avoiding artsy or overly informal styles.
Any correspondence you have with college or organization officials should be taken as seriously as the essay you write for your application . A letter leaves an impression.
Use the spell-check feature in your word processor or email to make corrections, and be concise. Ask a parent or school guidance counselor to proofread any letter before you send it. Also, for postal mail, it is customary to include a self-addressed-stamped-envelope, SASE, to cover the cost of return postage for materials you have requested.
Scholarship essay: Sample College Information Request Letter
Date
Jane Doe
Office of Admissions
College Name
Street Address
City, State Zipcode
Dear Ms. Doe,
I am very interested in [College Name] and would appreciate you sending me the following information: [this list should be modified for your needs]
• Course Catalog
• Athletic Program Catalog
• Scholarship Information
• Financial Aid Application
• Residency Information, On-Campus and Off-Campus
• [anything else you need]
Briefly, my academic career has been focused on [Subject area, or General College Preparatory] and I have consistently maintained a GPA of [gpa]. I have also successfully balanced my academic interests with the following activities: [athletics, hobbies, volunteer organizations, etc].
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Address
Phone Number
Email Address
Sample Scholarship Information Request Application
Date
Jane Doe
Organization Name
Street Address
City, State Zipcode
Dear Ms. Doe:
I am very interested in [Organization’s name, Scholarship Fund Name] or any other financial assistance opportunities available for [undergraduate, graduate] students.
[Briefly, craft a few statements that offer information about your academic and extracurricular activities that make you a suitable candidate for a scholarship with Name of Organization.]
Please send me the appropriate application and deadlines, including any other necessary information I would need to complete a proper application process with [Name of Organization].
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Address
Phone Number
Email Address

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