scholarship essay contests

scholarship essay contests

The Importance of Scholarship Essay Contests

1. Advantages of Scholarship Essay Contests

Scholarship essay contests offer students an opportunity to stand out based on their writing. The contests will require the participants to write an essay on a specific topic. These essays will usually be brief, with a length of 700 to 1500 words. There will be cash or scholarships awarded to the top writers, which is really good news. The writers are also usually able to use their own style of writing for the essay. This may include taking a humorous, light-hearted, or serious tone. These are, no doubt, the best chances for the students to show off their writing abilities, as not only will they get experience out of it but also cash incentives. An important aspect is that the students will keep in mind what the sponsor organization is looking for. One reason is to find sponsors who will keep in mind the best interests of the students. This involves the writing of an essay on the given topic. This can be a great chance for students to show their abilities not only in writing and thinking but also to show their personality. It will provide the sponsors a rough idea of how you think and insight on a consistent basis. If you can portray this in a positive fashion, chances are the sponsor may select you for future endeavors. So, always try to make the best of your chance and you never know, you may be the next scholarship recipient. Oftentimes sponsors may give the topic right before the deadline. This is a great challenge for the student to continuously improve their writing style. This really puts the student into deep thought and on how they can accomplish what the sponsor is asking for. Being able to write on a whim and still be able to meet a certain standard is something very beneficial for any student.

2. How to Find and Apply for Scholarships

Start early, at least in the fall of your senior year. There are many scholarships available, and you will increase your chances of winning some form of scholarship with early and diligent searching. The scholarship application process is very similar to the college application process. Usually you need to be able to get some personal information together. This may include transcripts, essay style paragraphs, a personal letter of recommendation, or some other items. In addition, each scholarship will often require an essay and/or a personal interview. Read up on the scholarship that you are confident that you are eligible for. Once you know the criteria, you can tailor your application to that specific scholarship. Step in the shoes of the scholarship provider and think about why they are giving away this money. Think about what they would like to see in the applicant. Usually the awarding criteria at the bottom of the page can give you a good idea of what they are looking for in the winners. Some providers are looking for students with a good academic standing. If this is the case, then you will want to attach a copy of your transcript with a cumulative GPA printout. Any extracurricular involvement served as an addendum of well-roundedness and commitment could go a long way in this type of application. If the high school leadership role doesn’t reduce the value of the activity, then you could be in potential to win a leadership scholarship. This would apply for the above mentioned type of scholarship as well as a diverse assortment of community service scholarships. That is especially close to free money, given that seniors with graduation completions can view community service as voluntary. In the course of the year or next summer, it may not be too late to some major community service activity and receive recognition usually by award or reference. Any achievements along the aforementioned lines are to be detailed in an activity resume than atop the college entrance home page. Any scholarship is aimed at a specific group and standards will differ. All in all, no matter what scholarship it is, you’re trying to sell yourself. This is, you’re convincing a provider to invest in you. So, it’s plain and simple. Be organized and do not procrastinate. Have your applications finished and in good timing. This will ensure that it will be thorough and there will be time to correct any errors that may prevent you from winning that scholarship.

3. Tips for Writing a Winning Scholarship Essay

This is the most important rule: TAILOR YOUR ESSAY TO THE SCHOLARSHIP. This seems very obvious and unimportant, and yet it is really not. In your enthusiasm and urgency to apply for a plethora of scholarships, do not be tempted to use the same essay for different scholarships. If you do this, you are at great risk of having your essay overlooked by an essay reader who has already seen it. You will be weeded out of the selection process due to similar essays, and at worst, it could make you seem lazy or unmotivated.

Plan far in advance. Many scholarships have deadlines a year or more in advance. By giving yourself ample time to fill out and complete scholarship applications, you will avoid being stuck with subpar work. Make sure to include time to get advice from educators or those helpful to you. They can not only help you avoid mistakes and contribute to your work, but they can also tell you if your response to the essay prompt is sufficient. With plenty of time to spare, you will be more relaxed and have enough time to follow up on any additional requests from an essay reader that could potentially win you a scholarship.

Pay attention to the prompt. On the other hand, do not acquire the scholarship essay topic lightly. Take into account the essay instructions and specifications. For example, an essay focusing on you (or your child) dealing with a disability and how you (or your child) have triumphed over hardship may be in need of an account of personal experience. On the other hand, an essay questioning a narrative about any one moment of your (or your child’s) educational journey up to this point looks for a lot less. With the competition being so tough, this puts you at a disadvantage if you have poured your heart into your essay to tell a story when the essay readers are looking for something more mechanical to be the topic of an essay (i.e. something based on a career where you will make a change for a whole group of people).

4. Common Mistakes to Avoid in Scholarship Essays

Scholarship essays are a very important factor in the selection process. Many times, it is the only way a student can get his or her voice heard. The applicant should use the essay to elaborate on an achievement, understanding, or plan that he or she has experienced. An applicant’s essay should be direct, focused, and specific. Unfortunately, scholars fail to achieve all those objectives when writing essays. They may be circumlocutory, verbose, and overly verbose. Often times essays are disqualified due to basic grammatical errors. Spelling, typographical, and grammatical errors are the written equivalent of having wrinkled clothes and bad breath on a job interview. They can create a very negative first impression. This is especially true for students whose first language is not English. If English is not an applicant’s first language, the applicant should ask an English teacher or a friend who is a native English speaker to review the essay and check for grammar errors. Finally, many essays fall short because they do not effectively answer the writing prompt. It is crucial to understand what the prompt is asking and fully address the question. An essay that is unique and answers the prompt well has a much greater chance of winning an award. A great way to learn what a good essay is is to study winning essays. Be sure the essay fits the length and topic requirements. Often times an essay that is too short and vague may fail to even get a rating. The topic does not satisfy the readers. Many are the reasons students fail to win. With the increasing tuition fees and severe competition for scholarships, many readers do not have the time to read an essay that does not have a point. Thus, it is imperative to write a good essay. Successful scholarship earner Michael E. Schiller offers some more advice, saying “It is important for the writer to understand himself or herself. One should take time to brainstorm, pre-write, and find some sort of meaning behind the experience they wish to write. This way, they can write a paper that reflects who they are or that they will be proud to read at the end.” High school teacher Vincent Barry says, “A writer should write an essay that is theirs and theirs alone. I have to believe they mean what they say.” This is valuable advice as the personality and genuineness of the writer is often conveyed well to the reader. Ultimately, writing a good scholarship essay is all about listening to the prompts, being genuine, and being concise. Now that we’ve covered some common important things to keep in mind, let’s talk about the “do”s of writing an effective scholarship essay. At this point, students should understand how to decide what experiences are most meaningful and how to convey who they are to the judge. Given that the deadline is not looming, students completing a scholarship should take some time each day to read the criteria of the scholarship and reflect on how they meet that criteria. The essay should then reflect how the student satisfies those criteria while staying true to the writing prompt. An effective essay is then written over several days or weeks, refining the answer to the prompt. This helps the writer meticulously select what they write about and what experiences they elaborate on. A writer can then ask a teacher or guidance counselor to review the essay and consider their advice while reviewing and revising said essay. This is the standard systematic approach to writing effective scholarship essays.

5. Maximizing Your Chances of Winning a Scholarship

Think about this, in case you spend 50 hours working a typical task at $6.50 in step with hour, that is $325. A modestly successful semester spent applying for scholarships will be worth commonly that. What might be the usage of an additional $600 in your pocket? Now recall the common fee for a semester hour of university credit is $202.25. You can effortlessly calculate the blessings of scholarships.

At this factor many college bound kids turn to tutorial scholarships. Consider scholarships are not simply handouts. In truth, many are simply earned. They do require effort and time. They are still well worth your while when you recall the reward. What do I suggest after I talk over with well worth it slow? Let me explain an effective manner to have a look at scholarships. Final time spent in alternate for lots of greenbacks in unfastened university schooling is a excellent trade. One you are probably willing to make.

Looking absolutely confident and committed is not an easy task. It needs time, homework, potential, and desire. And, more importantly, it needs cash, frequently masses of it. How can you get cash to help finance your college education? Numerous college sure youngsters look to their sports activities talents and desire for an athletic scholarship. Although this may be a excellent route to take, do not rely upon athletic scholarships to pay on your complete college career. The fact is that most athletic scholarships do not offer a complete journey to college. What is left? You continue to want cash.