How to Write a Scholarship Essay

When some students are pursuing their career goals, one of the main challenges is the high amount of fees charged by most educational institutions around the world. It is advisable for individuals always to take advantage of scholarship opportunities available locally or internationally. The applicants of such programs must prepare a scholarship essay to explain why they deserve the scholarship. Due to the high number of applicants, it is recommendable to gain the skills needed to write a convincing essay to increase the chances of qualifying. We will provide all the information that you need to write the scholarship essay in this article.

Tips for Writing an Impressive Essay

•   Understand the audience.

Conduct extensive research about the sponsoring firm and understand how the organization operates. Identify some of the common attributes that the members of such organizations possess. The target audience influences the choice of words, tone, and theme of your work. Failure to use the right elements may lead to disqualification from the award.

•   Do not underestimate the introduction.

Individuals tasked with reviewing your essay have dozens of them at any given time. It would help if you took advantage of this section to grab the audience's attention and encourage them to read the other parts of your scholarship essay. One of the techniques you can use in this part of the essay includes interesting statistics about the subject matter.

•   Use concise language.

Make the statements in your scholarship essay as short as possible to avoid boredom among your audience. Using concise language helps you create enough space for you to write the essential parts of your essay.

•   Proper choice of words.

It is always advisable for you to use words that you are conversant with. Misusing words in your essay affects your credibility negatively. Therefore, if you do not know the meaning of a particular word, avoid it.

•   Always take time to edit your work.

The individuals reviewing scholarship essay may not have adequate time to read your work severally to understand what you are talking about. Proofread your work before submitting it to eliminate any grammatical or spelling mistakes as they lead to disqualification of the application. If you are still uncertain about your work's quality, seek editing help from friends, family, or your instructors.

•   Be Persistent.

There are many applicants whenever there are opportunities for scholarships, and a person may not qualify despite making several attempts to apply. Never give up. Always keep trying new opportunities in the future as long as you are qualified.

•   Make surprises.

Your scholarship essay reviewers are always looking for some interesting content in an author’s work that makes them stand out among other applicants. Reveal some unexpected information about yourself. For example, you can write about someone special that has always been your role model.

General Formatting Requirements when Writing an Application Essay

a)   Double spacing.

b)   Times New Roman Font.

c)   One-inch margins all around the text.

d)   Write a maximum of 3 pages.

Steps Involved in Writing a Scholarship Essay

i.   Understand the prompt.

When you are applying for a scholarship, you will be given a prompt by the sponsoring organization. You will be required to answer the question by writing an essay. Take adequate time to understand all aspects of the prompt to ensure that you do not miss out any details. Such institutions may ask you to write an essay based on your preferred topic. Use your creativity to answer the question appropriately.

ii.   Come up with a List of Important Points and Keywords.

The sponsoring organization expects you to highlight vital information about relevant experiences and background that makes you stand out among the other applicants. Visit the sponsoring organization’s website and understand its mission statement. Identify the keywords that have been used on the website and use them to write your scholarship essay.

Most organizations award scholarships to students whose attributes fit their goals. You can talk about what inspired you to follow your career path and academic program. The following are some of the things that are likely to set you apart in your essay:

•   Academic honours you have won in the past.

•   Academic experiences such as internships.

•   Explaining how your experiences match with the goals of the organization.

•   Special skills you have acquired in a relevant field.

•   Finance constraints.

iii.   Develop an outline of your essay.

It is a great technique as it helps you to remember the main points that you need to include in your scholarship essay. Under each heading, write a subheading, and some shorts notes.

iv.   Write a thesis statement.

The section will consist of the main points that you will include in your scholarship essay. The content of your essay should support your thesis statement.

v.   Filling in some of the missing parts.

Ensure that you catch your readers' attention by using interesting facts and statistics about a particular subject matter. At the beginning of your scholarship essay, a hook for your readers will arouse some interest in them.

vi.   Rewrite and revise the essay.

You can do this as many times as possible. You can revise and rewrite the essay a few days after completing the final draft. Do some editing to your work and eliminate any grammatical or syntax errors that may be present. If you find any errors, it is recommendable to write a new draft for your work as this may even lead to the incorporation of new and better ideas. Your scholarship essay's main focus should be to enable the members of the scholarship to understand your personality. Make sure that the content of your drafts does not exhibit arrogance or pride when highlighting your achievements.

vii.   Seek proofreading help from somebody else.

Get in touch with a conversant person with scholarship essays and request them to look at your work and help you make it better.

viii.   Refine the final draft.

Review your work again and ensure that it is according to the required structure and compliance with grammatical rules.