Scholarship Preparation
Preparation for scholarships is something many students and/or parents ask about. For underclassmen (non-seniors), there are very few scholarships that are sent out to schools. The vast majority of scholarship offerings for younger students come in the form of essay contests or programs, and there are literally thousands of such opportunities available online with millions of dollars awarded each year. So, for younger students, working on establishing good writing skills is of utmost importance.
Something else underclassmen can do in preparing for scholarships is to build an activity resume. It does not need to be elaborate, but should include a list a student's high school activities, honors or awards, volunteer or service activities, and even past employment history. A link to a sample of an activity resume is available below.
If students wish, they can copy this sample and use it as a template for their own activity resume by simply changing, adding or deleting items, changing the font, or changing the layout in some way. Students who might wish to build their own style of resume are encouraged to be creative! The more attractively unique, the better!
Nearly all scholarship opportunities available through the high school guidance office are directed specifically to seniors. Seniors who want to be as prepared as possible for scholarships should complete the following items:
● Take the ACT or SAT Test. Having a college test score to use for scholarships is essential. It is best to test by early Fall of the senior year.
● Complete your Activity Resume (see sample above). The Activity Resume, or information from it, can be used for MANY scholarships.
● Get letters of Recommendation. Most scholarships will ask you to include at least 1 or 2 letters of recommendation. It is wise to get 3 letters of recommendation for scholarship purposes - at least 2 from teachers, administrators, counselors, other school staff, etc., and AT LEAST 1 from an adult outside of school (i.e., employer, 4-H leader, pastor, or other community member) who knows you well and can write knowledgeably about your character and positive attributes.
Also, when you ask people to write letters of recommendation for you, ask to have them written in a general format (not geared to a specific scholarship), and with a generic salutation line such as "To Whom It May Concern". That way they can be used for many different scholarships.
● Write a couple of brief essays. Just 2 or 3 paragraphs is generally enough. Important topics that are used over and over include:
1) What are your plans after you complete high school? This might include listing any colleges or training you plan to pursue, a specific job or career you are going into, and perhaps what sort of experiences or skills you have that helped you choose this occupation.
2) List 3 personal attributes you possess that will help make you successful in college. Common types of attributes might include a positive attitude, good work ethic, independent thinker, strong organizational skills, good at time management, being a hard worker, willingness to take risks, or any other attribute unique to you that will help in your success.
● Work hard in school to get the best grades you can. There is no substitute for good grades. They figure into nearly every kind of scholarship you can apply for.
● Apply to college as early as possible. Many of the scholarship opportunities students will get will come from the college they plan to attend. Most colleges now begin awarding scholarships as early as October, so applying early is essential to being eligible for as many scholarships as possible.