How can I write this scholarship essay? Any tips?

Question

I am not looking for someone to write my essay. I'll say that right away. My problem is how to answer a question for a smaller scholarship which asks how the scholarship will help me reach my goals. I know from looking at the past winners that they've all gone through huge struggles to get where they are, and I myself am just a graduating high school student with a pretty uneventful life. What's going for me (scholarship wise) is that I'm from a single-parent, low income family, I'm bilingual and I have high marks in school.

But what can I say as so how this will help me reach my goals? It'll decrease my debt by a very small amount... and truly will not make all that much difference as the scholarship is fairly small.

Answer 1

You have your answer in the extended explanation of your question. In writing an essay for any scholarship, just as applying for a job, you must distinguish yourself from the other candidates. Everyone has an interesting story and some significant hurdles in their lives. There are things in your life that will separate you from the other applicants. Find them and write about them.

Then ask yourself, "what will this scholarship help you to achieve?" I can almost guarantee that the scholarship committee does not want to hear how the scholarship will allow you to have less debt. They already know that. Look to the bigger picture. If you don't get the scholarship you might not be able to attend. This scholarship could help you get through school for eventual work in your future field. These are things that a committee wants to hear. How this money will help you towards bettering the world, your life, the life of your family, etc.

After brainstorming you might hit the library for some research work. There are countless books on writing the perfect scholarship essay. Take a look at a few and see what others are writing and, more importantly, how they are crafting their stories. Then begin crafting your essay.

Most of all, write, write, and rewrite. The time you spend putting together a good essay will be very lucrative if you take the time to brainstorm, research, write, and edit. It takes some work and you have to tinker until you have an essay that someone can look at and say, "yes, this is the person I want to give money to because they will be a good investment." Use friends and family for proofreaders. Tap any writing teacher you have for ideas and help.

Use the tools you have to put together a winning essay and you will find that not only will you get some free money for college, but you will have a leg up on the writing population when you arrive in college.