When you start researching scholarship opportunities, you will quickly find out that many of the scholarship programs for which you qualify involve writing a scholarship worthy essay. Very few programs are based strictly on an application form or transcript. Scholarship committees like essays because they are able to get a better sense of who the applicants really are from reading their original writing than from simply looking at a form or seeing a listing of completed classes and grades.
College scholarship essay contests actually level the playing field so that students from different backgrounds with varying levels of accomplishments have equal chances of winning college scholarships. Essays offer great opportunities for all students who meet the stated requirements for a scholarship program.
When you are faced with the challenge of scholarship essay writing, remind yourself that the effort you put into writing your essay represents the chance to sell yourself to the scholarship committee. A winning scholarship essay is one that truly sets a particular applicant apart from the others. If you tell your story clearly and persuasively, you just might find yourself receiving a congratulatory letter from the scholarship committee!
1. Read the instructions and make sure you understand them before you start writing.
2. Think about what you are going to write and organize your thoughts before you start writing.
3. Begin the writing process by writing an outline.
4. Make sure your outline touches on every aspect required per the instructions.
5. Write your essay by elaborating on each of the points in your outline.
6. Use clear, concise and simple language throughout the essay.
7. State your accomplishments without coming across as if you are bragging.
8. Make sure your grammar and spelling are impeccable.
9. Read the question again and then read your essay to be certain that the essay addresses every point.
10. Have someone with strong writing and editing skills proofread the essay before you submit it
If the scholarships you are applying for are also asking you to submit a resume consider checking out our PSU Career Center site - https://www.pdx.edu/careers/writing-resume which includes sample resumes, additional resume writing tips, and more.
Choose appropriate references (academic, personal) based on the instructions on the application.
Contact your references ahead of time and ask them if they are willing and able to provide a reference for you. Some references may decline, if they feel they do not know you well enough to make a recommendation.
Make sure your references have the information they need to provide a good recommendation. It can be helpful to provide them with a copy of your personal statement or resume. Also, let them know what they are providing a reference for (scholarships, mentorship), so they can direct the recommendation appropriately.
Give your recommenders time to complete the reference. You should give them several weeks' notice. In the case of the online scholarship application, complete the reference section early so the references will receive the email link and have plenty of time to complete their section before the due date.
Remember to thank your references and let them know the outcome of your application.
Starting an essay for a scholarship application can be super intimidating, but the good news is a lot of scholarships are usually looking for the same kind of answer. We've broken our essay-writing process into smaller steps here to help make it easier. Let's get started:
Write Your Profile: Jot down a list of things that describe yourself. What are you good at, what have you accomplished, what are your future goals? How about any unique characteristics? Have you overcome any significant obstacles in life? The longer your list, the more ideas of things to write about. It’s important for you to talk about yourself using a clear story. This will shine through in your essay.
Develop an Outline: The hardest part is just getting started! Once you have the essay prompt, brainstorm a couple of ideas of things you can write about. This is the foundation of your essay. Preparing your outline before you get into the meat of your story will help you visualize your story from start to finish before putting too much time into writing the specifics. This will help the writing move forward with purpose!
Fill In Your Outline: If you have a good outline, it will move along much faster. Elaborate on your story, provide examples of your achievements and experience that are fluid and concise.
BEGINNING: HELLO!
Begin your essay by addressing the scholarship committee directly. Be as specific to the scholarship name or agency as you can. A direct address with a specific scholarship or agency name will personalize your essay and level up your application!
Dear [Scholarship name or agency] committee,
Thank you for taking the time to read my application. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to introduce myself and present my accomplishments.
Your essay is your chance to introduce yourself and make a first impression so make sure that your essay is clear, concise and quickly gets into your story. Read your essay out loud. If you’re not past your greeting and introduction within a few seconds, circle back to edit.
MIDDLE: THE BODY OF YOUR ESSAY: YOUR STORY
The story of each essay will be different, depending on the essay prompt, but here are a couple of things to keep in mind while you are writing:
You are here! But why? Why PSU? Why are you choosing to study your major?
With your past experiences informing your current goals, where are you headed? This is an opportunity to tell your story. How will college help you achieve your next big step?
Think about if you were in the position to give a student a scholarship, what kind of characteristics would you look for? Make sure to highlight any events where you went above and beyond expectations or did the right thing even though it was hard. You are in a position where you are selling your skills, so it’s important to be confident! Don’t sell yourself short. It’s okay to boast here!
With that in mind, it is also important to be gracious and honest. Try to avoid the feeling of entitlement or over-confidence. The people giving the scholarship will want to know that the money will go to good use. How do you plan to use your degree to improve the world? Explain how this scholarship will help you achieve your goals. Don’t go generic here, list specific goals that will help you get to where you’re trying to go.
END: THAT’S A WRAP!
Re-read the prompt and make sure your essay actually answers the question. This is a common mistake students make. You can also have someone else read your essay and then have them tell you what they think the question is. This might be obvious, but double and triple check for any spelling and grammar issues. Details matter. Once you have completed one essay, you can save it and tweak it to fit other scholarship applications.