As an ex-researcher, I have a fair idea of how difficult for writing scholarship essays to get into premium universities. Even if you take professional assignment help and tackle the undergrad grades, arranging the huge admission fees proves to be a challenge. So, the only way you can ensure that money doesn’t become a hurdle in front of your dreams of higher studies is by securing a scholarship. But it is easier said than done! Scholarships are the Holy Grail that has always been elusive to students.
Only a handful of students get eligible for it each year. So, students need to be super attentive and meticulous while writing scholarship essays. This piece of academic paper is the one thing that stands between you and your dreams. Hence, you must leave no stone unturned to guarantee it impresses the scholarship panelists.
On that note, I offer you 8 expert tips that saved me during my scholarship and hopefully will help you too.
1. Consider Your Audience
Before you etch a single word on the paper (or computer), consider the requirements of the entities sponsoring the scholarship. Make a note of the vital questions that you need to answer. Here is a brief idea. Take out your diary and scribble down questions like –
- What is the purpose of the organization?
- Why are they offering the scholarship?
- What objectives do the members desire?
If you know for whom and why you are writing, it will be easy for you to alter the theme, tone, and word choice accordingly. I have seen many of my peers getting disqualified from the scholarship program because of inappropriate word choice. Rejections like this can be quite harsh. So, I would suggest hiring good online assignment experts or asking seniors if you struggle to draft the questions.
2. Create an Outline
Are you planning to start with the essay now that you have the questions answered? Hold your horses! Remember what I said about writing a perfect essay to get the scholarship? The first step to perfection is always right planning. So, start by outlining how you want to proceed with the essay.
Take some time perfecting the outline so that it seems seamless and easily readable. Jot down all the important points you want to include, and also consider the word limit. That way, you can be organized and ensure that you are not missing out on any vital points from your arguments.
3. Write a Compelling Introduction
While writing the scholarship essay, you must be wary that the panelists review hundreds of papers each year. So, naturally, after some time, all these essays blend together. Your job as a writer would be to make your essay striking and distinguishable from the crowd. I know how this can be problematic for students.
The best tip I can offer is to work on your introduction. Usually, readers don’t have a long attention span while reading consecutive long essays. But if you write a compelling introduction, that is bound to grab some eyeballs. So think about something intriguing and interesting in relevance to your topic. It can even be a controversial or unpopular opinion. That way, the readers will take an active interest in knowing where the research leads to.
4. Always be Concise
This is another problem that I faced while writing the scholarship essay. You need to do extensive research before writing the essay. So, when you finally start writing, it is natural that you feel like cramming as much information as possible. Students feel that it makes them look knowledgeable in front of the panelists.
However, the reality is gravely different. Writing too many things will only show that you are confused about what to write. Moreover, the more you write, the chances of grammatical errors also rise. Not to forget, every student must abide by the stipulated word count. So, understand what is vital for your essay and communicate only relevant points.
5.Stay Away from the Thesaurus
Thesaurus is something all students are familiar with. Students often visit this site to get complex synonyms for common words. But let me stop you right there! Take my advice and avoid using unnecessary complex words in your essay. A scholarship essay should reflect your subject knowledge, not your vocabulary.
Moreover, the professors who judge your copies are experienced. They can easily understand if you have written the word without understanding its meaning. Once they discover your discomfort using difficult words, they won’t find you trustworthy as a writer. Once that happens, you can kiss goodbye to your chances of getting that scholarship.
6. Edit, Edit, and Edit Again
This goes without saying that DO NOT submit your essays without thorough editing. Do not just run it through spellcheck software and consider you are done. When I submitted my scholarship essay, I ensured that I had enough time to re-read my whole essay. If possible, do it aloud. Once you start reading it, you can identify many mistakes and awkward sentence formations previously unnoticed.
There can be various sections that need clarification, subject/verb disagreements, punctuation, and many more. Correct all the areas you feel are wrong before the final submission. Understand that once it reaches the hand of the professors, there is no option to rectify the mistakes. So, do it beforehand and avoid regretting it later on.
7. Get Help When Needed
There is no embarrassment in seeking help once you are stuck. It is possible that you have good analytical skills but struggle with editing. That’s why your parents, seniors, friends, and even the professors are there. Ask anyone you trust to go through your essay. They can give you new ideas and nudge you towards the directions you need to clarify more.
There is another benefit of availing help from a second pair of eyes. They can read the essay from a fresh and unbiased perspective and can give you better feedback about the essay.
8. Be Persistent
Persistency is key if you are determined enough to get a scholarship. Do not get your hopes high that you will get into the scholarship program in one chance. Apply for multiple scholarships and keep trying. Don’t give up if you fail the first couple of times. Keep trying till you get it!
Summing Up:
Scholarships are not a walk in the park. Each year, hundreds and thousands of meritorious students try to get scholarships. So, you need to be unique and better than the rest to bag the scholarship. Follow these eight tips, be diligent in your efforts, and you will eventually find a scholarship.
Author Bio:
Anne Gill is a scholar and a research fellow from a reputed university. She has multiple papers on quantum physics and loves to write blogs on various academic sites.