Scholarship Application
Positioning yourself to be a winner!
Tips for completing a successful scholarship application:
Looking for a genie in a bottle when it comes to applying for scholarships? Look no further than the mirror, because the responsibility lies squarely on your shoulders. A number of resources are available to assist you in this unfamiliar territory such as online scholarship and financial aid search engines (try fastweb.com or finaid.org), the Phi Theta Kappa scholarship website (www.ptk.org), and the transfer admission counselor at the school(s) to which you wish to transfer.
How do you position yourself to be a winner? Due to large numbers of people applying for a particular scholarship, selection committees are looking for ways to eliminate you. Read directions carefully; ensure all required elements are included in your completed packet (e.g. an official college transcript, president's signature); and never send an incomplete scholarship application.
There are many different components of a scholarship application, all of which are important. Begin working on an application at least five to seven weeks before the deadline. This will give you sufficient time to find the support you need to make your application successful. For example, you will need proofreaders and people to write letters of recommendation. Keep a photocopy of your complete application, and mail it well before the due date.
For most scholarships, the essay is the heart of the application. Give yourself plenty of time to write and revise your essay. Always use spellcheck and proof your application carefully. The evaluators expect candidates to demonstrate clear, precise writing in a well-supported, audience-directed essay that addresses the topic within the word count.
Letters of recommendation are vitally important, especially when it comes to the final rounds of judging when the applications have been whittled down to only a select few. Judges rely heavily on letters of recommendation for more details about you and the projects you have completed. Consider your recommenders carefully, as they should know you personally and be able to give specific details about your accomplishments. Provide your resume to any person you ask for a recommendation and ask recommenders to be specific. Make sure the letters speak about YOU personally, with specifics about your accomplishments, activities, and potential for success.
It is important to give recommenders plenty of time to write your letter. If the letter does not address what you need, go back to the writer and ask for more specific examples or ask someone else for a letter. It is a good idea to ask for more letters of recommendation than you need, and then choose the best to send. Never send more letters than are required. You should write a letter of thanks to each recommender and let him/her know how you fared in the competition.
Too often students say they are too busy to perform community or college service. However, service and leadership activities (initiating, chairing, or organizing activities) are exactly what judges of scholarship applications seek in applicants. Realize that you must give of yourself to others if you expect to ask and receive benefits for yourself. Through volunteer work and community service, you will meet those who will write the letters of recommendations you need. Service learning provides you opportunities and supporters who can assist you when applying for scholarships. In addition, serving others just feels good!
Finally, have several people review your application for content and grammatical and spelling errors. No matter how strong an application you submit, it cannot overcome these types of errors.
It takes more than luck to create a successful scholarship application. It involves your time, hard work, the giving of yourself, and academic excellence.
