Getting into college is one of the most rewarding experiences anyone will ever have in their life, but college can be incredibly expensive. As such if you qualify for it you should try to apply for a scholarship.
In applying for a scholarship, it is customary to write an essay on a specific topic and also reinforce why you deserve a scholarship over someone else. There is extreme competition for scholarships, so you want to put your best foot forward. In order to help you, we have compiled a list of eight tips to help you write the perfect scholarship essay. You really want to put your best foot forward because companies like Tech Live Connect offer $2500 scholarships!
1 Understand the essay topic before you begin
Make sure you are 100% certain on what the essay is asking for before you break ground. Re-read the question as many times as you can and also ask your parents or friends to read the question as well. Bounce ideas off of them to make sure that you are understanding and have a general consensus on the question being asked.
2 Make sure you highlight the question in your essay
A perfect essay has the question mentioned in it. At the very least at the beginning of the essay, as a way to springboard into the answer. You should mention the question several times throughout the essay to re-enforce the answer and keep your writing on track.
3 Get the inside scoop
See if you can get your hands on the marking criteria that the oversight committee uses when grading scholarship essays or speak to a teacher so you can have a competitive edge. Also, if appropriate see if the campus library has essays on file for you to review in order to get a sense of how winners write. Tech Live Connect is an organization that gives out scholarships and you can review their outlines to get a feel for what they need from your essay.
4 Map out your essay
Sit down and plan an outline of your essay. Make sure you write a strong introduction and a strong conclusion based on your understanding of the question. With a strong understanding of the initial and final thoughts, it will make it 100 times easier to write the middle and flesh the essay out.
5 If there is no set question make sure you choose a familiar topic
Many scholarship essays will give you free rein on what you wish to write about. If you are lucky to get one such choice, make sure you put your all into it and write about something you know. Your writing will be much stronger and give you a better chance at winning.
6 Edit, Edit. Edit!
If after finishing your essay the first time you feel you have a masterpiece on your hand, then you are doomed to failure. You have to edit it and have the essay read by someone else and then edit some more.
7 Don’t be afraid to have some negativity in your essay
Many people write essays that are full of hope and positivity, but if the topic you have been asked to write on is the story of your life and you haven’t had a very good one then don’t be afraid to write the truth about your life. Don’t tell the reader about your life avoid using passive verbs and show them your struggle. Show them your fears and show them how you persevered and came out on top.
8 If you are not a good writer, pay someone else to do it
There are several essay writing outfits out there and you can pay to have someone write an essay for you if you are not very good at writing. But be warned that there is no guarantee by paying someone to write the essay that you will get the scholarship. At the end of the day it is up to you whether you put your own foot forward or pay someone else to write the essay for you and hope that you will get the scholarship.
The Takeaway
Scholarship essay writing can be hard but as it’s also a very exciting opportunity to showcase your skills as a writer and to sell yourself in the hopes of receiving a scholarship. With careful planning and the right attitude, you will surely get the scholarship you deserve and go on to achieve great things at University
