Tips to Help You Write a Scholarship Essay
One of the most important aspects of applying for a scholarship is the scholarship essay. The strength of this application heavily depends on the essay. To make it strong, students must think deeply about the topic. A scholarship essay can cover any topic, from early childhood to middle school days, and all the way up to present. Essays that talk about personal experiences are more powerful than those that only focus on academic performances or test scores. Listed below are some tips to help you write a scholarship essay.
Avoid common cliches
Scholarship committees receive hundreds of essays every year, so it’s important to avoid common cliches. While they’ve been overdone, they still tell the reader that you are not original. To make sure your essay stands out from the crowd, focus on the topic provided by the scholarship committee. While it may seem tempting to write about your past sins, this will never make you the best candidate. Instead, write about your academic accomplishments and why they deserve a scholarship.
Cliches are everywhere. They can start in your introduction and continue throughout your essay. If the committee member hears the same thing over again, they are likely to ignore it. In order to increase your chances of winning, avoid common cliches. The following are common examples:
Avoid song lyrics
In Chicago/Turabian citation style, song lyrics are not cited in the body of the essay. The date must be accurate and you must use recording date instead of release year. There are two kinds of in-text citations: in-text and bibliographic entries. In-text citations should include the song title, artist, and recording date. The title should be italicized. Using song lyrics in an essay can create an unprofessional appearance.
It is advisable to avoid using cliches and sarcasm in a scholarship essay. Instead, choose an original story or personal event that shows why you should be given the scholarship. Moreover, avoid using any song lyrics that would make you sound insincere. Use your words and make your essay stand out. Using the right word choice for the topic is also crucial. Do not use excessive punctuation, excessive slang words, or text lingo.
Avoid boasting
You’re aiming for a scholarship, but it’s important to remember to avoid boasting. While bragging about your accomplishments is fine, you should avoid making yourself appear as if you’re bragging. Rather, you should be genuine in describing what you’ve done and why your achievements are worthy of this scholarship. Listed below are some tips to avoid boasting while writing a scholarship essay:
In college essays, you can showcase your accomplishments, but refrain from brag about yourself. Instead, showcase your character, dedication, and integrity. Avoid writing a thank you for reading your essay; most scholarship essays are short and should focus on answering the prompt. Don’t include a thank-you note for reading your work. And most importantly, don’t include an unintentional “thank you” at the end of the essay.
Structure your essay well like a scholarship essay writing pro
To structure your essay well like a scholarship essay writing professional, first think of the prompt you have been given. The prompt may provide you with some flexibility in determining your central focus and topic. Think about what you want to communicate about this scholarship and what you can bring to the table by receiving it. Then, write about it. Your essay should be around 3/4 to one page in length. Remember to include your name near the top of the page, above the optional title.
Another thing to keep in mind when structuring your essay is the word limit. Most scholarship essays have a word limit. For example, you must keep your essay between 250 words and 500 words, which are roughly equivalent to one page double-spaced. Always make sure to double-check the word count by running a word counter on your essay. Alternatively, you can use a letter counter. The main purpose is to avoid writing an essay that is too long, as this is unlikely to get you the scholarship.
