how to head a scholarship essay

how to head a scholarship essay

Tips for Writing an Effective Scholarship Essay

1. Introduction

A scholarship is a form of financial aid given to students to help further their education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award. These criteria may include one or more of the following: academic achievement, financial need, campus and community involvement, leadership, athletic ability, and field of study or subject. Because a scholarship is financial aid and does not have to be repaid, it is highly sought after by many college students. With the economy the way it is today and student loans putting students in thousands of dollars of debt, the sooner a student can find a scholarship to further their education, the better. This eBook is targeting various students of different backgrounds looking for ways to earn free money (scholarships) to further their education. Whether you are a high school student planning to attend college or a current college student aged 17-22 years old, this eBook is for you!

The goal of “The Ultimate Guide to Writing an Effective Scholarship Essay” is to provide a strategic method students can use when writing powerful application essays. This eBook will give students the opportunity to understand what a scholarship committee is looking for in a candidate and how to write an essay to help get them free money! With clear and concrete examples, the authors will show students how they can apply the tactics to their own essays. By the end of this eBook, students will be able to write a powerful and competitive essay that will increase their chances of winning a scholarship and ultimately furthering their education. Now that you know what the ultimate goal is, we can start with some basic information on what a scholarship is and what type of students this eBook is targeting.

2. Understanding the Prompt

Develop an initial plan. Start thinking about what areas need breaking down, what areas of the topic your research will need to concentrate on, and what sort of resources you might need to explore. Initial thinking can help by the creation of questions which need to be answered. This can highlight areas for the need of further research and can crucially identify what is not relevant for the essay question.

Essay questions can be broken down into parts so that you can better understand what you are being asked to do. Highlight these directive words in the question and make sure to understand what they are asking you to do. For example, if you are asked to compare the R.G. Collingwood’s and Michael Oakeshott’s theories of civilization, you should identify what aspects of their theories and what the concept of comparison is so as to address it.

Underline the words and phrases in the title which are crucial. There may be certain key words that will help direct the investigation and understanding of the topic.

Read the title aloud. It might not seem important, but it is hard to read something aloud without processing it. If the title is in the form of a question – this might seem obvious – try answering the question out loud, as if someone has asked you it. This will focus mind on the precise area of the topic in ways reading it silently might not.

The first stage of writing an essay is to understand what you are being asked to do. Investigate the essay topic for the assignment as follows:

3. Crafting a Compelling Introduction

Rather than beginning your essay with a dry opening statement, consider posing a question to your readers. Just be sure to answer the question in your essay. You could open with a generalization about the topic and then begin to narrow it down until you have the question itself. A question will leave the reader thinking about the essay even after reading it. The question also has a clear purpose. The issue must be understood easily by a wide audience. You can then give information on both the sides of the issue, then your unique perspective on the topic after that. Another method of starting your essay is with a quote. This is a tried and true method of starting any essay. It has a great effect on the reader. You quote the person in context with the topic of your essay and the quote will serve to fuel the interest of the reader as it will show to him/her that the author of the essay has knowledge of the subject and is aware of various opinions. The quote will resonate with the reader. It will also give him an idea of the standpoint of the author of the essay and whilst the essay may be inconsistent with the quote, it will ensure the reader that the author is clear in his mind as to what he wants to achieve with his expression.

4. Showcasing Your Achievements and Goals

Supporting the health of a population and that of the community in which we work, live, and play is one of the core philosophies of public health. This is an idea that I apply when working to improve the health of a community through physical therapy. I have volunteered with a group called Special Olympics of Orange County. Currently, I am in the process of planning a health and fitness day for the athletes and am hoping to make this into an annual event. This experience has provided me with a better understanding of the needs of this community. Through your support, I can continue to apply my experiences and knowledge to enhance the health and quality of life for those with whom I have worked and hope to work with in the future.

This can be the most difficult part of your personal statement. It’s easy to tell that you have goals, but have you shown this to the reader? One way of assuring that you have clearly communicated this is by answering the question of how do you plan on using the scholarship money. In stating this, you should include a brief outline of your career goals and how they will help further you along with what you’re going to be studying, i.e. use of the scholarship money. By including a bit of your personal background, it can also show the reader how you’ve gotten to where you are today. Outlining some of your achievements can help to provide the reader with evidence that you are committed and passionate about your field. Make sure what you include here can also act as a transition to the next paragraph.

5. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Essay scholarships provide an opportunity to stand out based on a community who otherwise would not receive an education. Scholarships are based on classifications such as personality, writing ability, and life experiences. With example essays that follow, each of these essays allows a scholar to stand out with every paragraph written. This can be the easiest way to understand what the school is looking for in a student. It gives an opportunity to write so when an application is reviewed, it can be differentiated from those that are similar to it. This is not the best way to earn some cash, but it is a good way for a student who has hopes to achieve something with their life. No brilliant essay will take an individual from the gutters to the palace, but for those who have the art of the written word and an ability to convey a sense of sincerity, this is the money for you.