How to write the Best Scholarship Essay?

Author: Sally Croft

Your scholarship essay is one of the most important things you are going to write before you go to college. It can make or break your chances of wining a scholarship. There may be thousands of applicants you have to compete with, so you want to do your best and write a winning essay that will stand out from your competitors. Keep in mind that this essay can win you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for college. Follow these guidelines to help you get started on the best scholarship essay:

Follow Directions

Before you start writing your essay, make sure you research everything there is to know about the organization, the rules and requirements for scholarship. Visit the organization’s website and read all the information on the site to get familiar with the organization’s mission, values, history and goals. Some of the rules and requirements you should pay special attention to are: deadline for submission, word count (minimum and maximum words required) and title.

Most importantly, make sure you understand exactly what you are supposed to be writing about, don’t give vague information just to get by. Be very specific when giving the information required and stay on topic. Do not give your opinion unless it was asked for.

Meet the Deadline

Know the due date for your essay. Don’t wait until the last minute and then have to rush to write your essay. Give yourself enough time to do your research and write a winning essay, after all this is what you want. Most importantly, make sure your essay is in before the deadline.

Title Selection and Theme

The title of your essay is very important. Unless you have been given a specific title, you need to make sure you choose a title that is appropriate and write about something you are personally interested in and passionate about. The essay content needs to be relevant to the title; you don’t want to send conflicting messages. Do not make the title too long or too short. Your title should tell the reader what to expect in the essay.

Opening Paragraph

This is your chance to make the readers pay attention. If the opening of the scholarship essay is dull and boring, the readers will lose interest so make the opening paragraph engaging and interesting.

Show Enthusiasm in your Writing

Choose a tone that matches the rest of the essay, make sure you stick to the title and give all the required information. Even though you may be writing about something you are not interested in, you will still need show positive energy, be enthusiastic.

Scholarship Committees are not interested in sob stories, such as "I deserve this scholarship because I had a rough childhood." Talk more about solutions, how you overcame obstacles despite the challenges you have faced, how you would like to help others facing said obstacles and how you would like to contribute to society and make a difference.

The Essay

Let’s say that you are applying for an award based on giving back to the community. In your scholarship application, you want to list community groups you belong to and any awards you have received. In your essay, you want to talk about all the things you have done to give back to the community. The theme of your essay should be based on why the organization is giving away scholarships and the purpose of the award, and why you are the best candidate and deserve to win. Be honest!

Final Touches

Before you submit your essay, you want to proofread it and have someone else give it a once over. Look for misspelled words, grammar mistakes, sentence structure and organization. Read it out loud to catch errors. Get feedback. Your essay should be impeccable before submission.