Foundation Course Scholarship Letter?

Question

I have to write a Scholarship Letter for my Foundation Course, but I cannot come up with any ideas of what to write on "how I intend to contribute back to the community", nor can I figure out a way to explain "smartly" how I failed to get University Entrance by 3 marks.

Any Ideas? Help would be much appreciated!!

Answer 1

"How do I intend to contribute back to society?"

- Scholarship providers love specific examples to broad idealistic questions. The most convenient answer to that question is to say something like "by participating in a volunteer community program (specify foundation/s). community service", or "by signing up for the ROTC (reserved officer training corps) etc." If you've participated in volunteer programs before, it would be good to note them down as well just to show that you have been an active citizen.

Don't forget that if you claim that you "will join a volunteer community program", you must make sure that you do so that you can boost your credibility as well as beef up your resume for future scholarship applications throughout your college life. So the examples that you give must be in the realm of possibility if you are writing in the future tense.

For the second question, I don't think there is a way to 'smartly' explain why you failed by three marks. The fact of the matter is, you shouldn't fail. Trying to 'smartly explain' why you failed is like trying to justify your mistakes (which gives the impression of irresponsibility IMO). A responsible and wise person is a person who knows how to own up to one's own shortcomings.

So personally, I think it's best to say that you never intended to fail (because no one does) and you studied hard to make University entrance. Unfortunately, your efforts fell short and you are extremely disappointed. However, you are also using this experience as 'motivation' to work even harder the next time. In other words, you should try to give an impression that you are determined to make something positive from a negative.