Mrs. Dockter

SCHOLARSHIP TIPS

iF YOU DON'T APPLY IT IS A CINCH YOU WON'T GET ANY SCHOLARSHIPS : -)

There are several which are by the luck of the draw. They will be listed at the top of the list.

Pre-Application Tips:

·Start to build a network of professionals and educators who are willing to advise you, write

·recommendations, proofread your applications and essays, and guide you through the application

·process. Be ready with the necessary information and experience to apply for need and/or merit based

funding.

··Be sure you meet, or will meet, all the necessary qualifications such as academic standing, specified

financial situation, and personal or professional background and explain how you meet them.

General Application Tips:

·Have multiple copies of the application in case you make a mistake and must start over.

oMake a checklist of what you need to have for the application.

oMake a copy of your ENTIRE application and keep it in a folder. That way, if your submission is

lost, you can easily and quickly send another copy.

·Unless otherwise stated, please bind all the materials for the application together. It makes it

easier to keep up with loose sheets.

oPut your name on all of the materials; photo, every page of the essay, recommendations, etc. If

part of your application is misplaced, there will be no confusion as to what belongs to which

applicant.

oIf you have multiple names, i.e. two last names, please be consistent with which name you go

by. Do not put “James Avery” when you go by “James Avery-Johnson.” It makes clarification

easier.

·If the application asks for a GPA or other specific information, fill in the information, do not write

"see transcript." MAKE IT EASY FOR THE READER TO UNDERSTAND!

·If you want to be taken seriously, consider getting a generic email address rather than a cutesy

one like "jellybean07" or "pimpstress" or "lopezlover." Email is used as a form of contact with

applicants. Consider setting up a separate email account for college information and scholarship

information. Make sure that your email address is clearly legible. If filling out by hand, put a

slash through zeros so they do not look like letters.

·If a required attachment will be sent from another source, such as a high school or college

transcript or financial aid information, it is up to you to make sure the information has been sent.

oNo substitutions! If an item is requested, particularly for a need-based program, provide it. If

you don’t understand the request, ask. In competitive programs, the missing or substituted item

could tank an otherwise strong application.

oRead your application packet and ask yourself, “Would I give an award to this person if all I knew

about them is the information presented in these documents?”

·Don’t let a parent fill out the application.

·Your application package represents the entire and only picture of you the selection committees

have. Always type (or neatly print using erasable ink) your application. Your application must

appear neat and professional. NO BUTTER SPOTS J

oProofread your application. Pay particular attention to any spaces you have left blank. If the

answer is zero, write in 0 rather than leaving a blank spot. If the question does not apply to you,

do not write in N/A. You risk eliminating yourself for the selection process. Simply answer the

question to the best of your knowledge. Blank spaces can deem your application incomplete and

ineligible!

Have at least one other person review your application package, and supporting documents,

including your personal statement or essay. Find the most qualified person to proofread for you.

oStart early! Rushing to the post office to get a piece of mail postmarked on the day of a deadline is not really that much fun--it's stressful! Leave plenty of time to check, double-check, and triple check to make sure all directions have been followed and that you are turning in the best application possible. Scrambling leads to mistakes.

oUse a calendar to keep yourself on top of things. Remember that there is nothing wrong with turning in an application before the deadline!

oIf a photo is requested, use a suitable color head shot, not your prom photo or photo sitting on the beach and wearing inappropriate clothing.

oBe sure to follow guidelines. If the application asks for a self-addressed stamped postcard to

receive confirmation, include that. Don’t include an envelope; follow the guidelines.

·If you are notified that you have received a scholarship always send a thank you note to the

·donor. If appropriate, continue to keep the donor informed of your progress throughout the

·year.

Personal Statement/Essay Tips:

·The committee wants to know three things: why are you right for the scholarship, why it is right

for you, and why it is important to you.

·Your personal statement/essay is viewed as the equivalent of a face-to-face interview.

oAvoid long, drawn out, essay responses. While a background story is sometimes necessary, try

to get to the point but don’t be so brief that the importance is lost. Remember the committee

members reading your essay have many more applications to read.

·If the essay prompt calls for an explanation and you provide an article, still explain what you

have done and do not simply put “See attached article.”

oIf you have a story that reflects overcoming obstacles, tell it. If not, express your appreciation

for the benefits of a solid home life; it’s still the best gift parents can give.

If you make a case based on financial need, you need to do so carefully and convincingly; that is,

NOT simply say, “I really need this scholarship.”

§ For scholarships that have a financial need component, tell your story if there is something that is

out of the ordinary. If you don’t know if your story is unusual but you wonder, ask the high

school counselor or any financial aid person, including the scholarship administrator. If

something impacted your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) that was a one time situation, most

will consider the difference.

·Make connections between areas of study, career goals, interests, and personal philosophies.

·You should be certain that all requested topics are covered in your personal statement/essay.

·Use specific examples whenever possible.

oPart of your proofreading should include attention to the tone of what you have written. Do you

sound like a student that the donor’s organization would be proud to sponsor?

oRemember to BE YOURSELF. Do not try to give a response that you think will be liked by the

selection committee. All selection committees are looking to decipher your own, UNIQUE

personality, not one crafted to fit what you think the judges are looking for. An honest reply will

usually get you far.

·Save your essays on the computer or a disk. It will save frustration when websites have errors

or it could save you time when you come across the essay question for a different scholarship.

oYou can pull up the old essay you wrote, edit or expand on ideas, and submit your revised copy.

That will save you time that you could use to apply for additional scholarships.

·Really make the most of essay questions. For example, if asked, "Of all the activities you are

involved in, which one means the most to you?" Keep in mind that this does not necessarily have

to be the activity you spend the most time doing. In one case, when writing this kind of essay, a

student as torn between describing involvement in the school's theater troupe or a role on the

school's honor council. Though more hours were spent rehearsing for and performing in plays,

the student felt like the work as an honor prefect had done more to impact the life of the school

community and also to change the way that integrity was defined and priorities were viewed.

Therefore, the student was able to show more about personality and values by writing about

honor council.

·If you start to feel like you’re bragging about yourself too much, don’t worry about it. In a sense,

that’s what you are trying to do. You’re hoping to impress the scholarship committee with your

accomplishments.

·Don’t just describe what you have accomplished, but also share how you felt when making those

achievements.

Recommendation Letter Tips:

·Ask the recommender to fill out the form if one is provided.

·Some scholarships have the need to find evidence of some really specific personality trait that was set by the donor whose generosity made the scholarship available. Eloquent letters of reference that do not touch on that one

specific trait make it hard for the evaluator to find evidence of the required trait.

·Good examples of people to ask for references include past or present teachers/professors, past

or present employers, religious leaders, community leaders, and organization leaders. Generally,

family and friends do not make the best references. The person you ask should know you

personally and be able to attest to specific qualifications outlined in the scholarship requirements,

i.e., financial need, GPA, community service, leadership roles, etc. They should be able to write

about your character, commitment, experiences and successes.

oThe letter should be tailored to the particular scholarship, not generic.

oProvide the recommender with a resume or list of your activities and accomplishments.

oAlways give the recommender adequate time to prepare your letter or form.

Transcript/Academic Record Tips:

·If you have an off-semester or even a course grade that is an aberration, explain the

situation/circumstance/reason. Leaving it out there for the evaluator to guess is not in your best interest.

·Make sure your transcript is properly sealed, with school stamp/signature across the seal.

.

·Scholarship Search Tips:

There are many scholarship opportunities available, so never limit yourself to applying for just

one. Research as many funding sources as you can, and learn which ones you may qualify for,

then apply promptly.

·Find at least two search engines with which you’re comfortable--use both to search for

scholarship opportunities. Two good examples include www.fastweb.com and

www.scholarships.com.

·Remember to check the schools that you are applying to. You must apply before schools know you are interested in them!

·Many schools offer scholarships to students that seek them.

·Use your parents/family members! Many companies offer scholarships solely to the

·children/relatives of employees.

·If receiving lots of e-mail from a search engine bothers you, set up a scholarship-only email

account. This will keep all of your scholarship information in one place, your regular inbox won’t

be overflowing, and when you use your scholarship e-mail, you are more focused on searching

for scholarship information.

·Organize the information in a way that makes sense to you. For example, when using Fastweb,

click on the “deadline” heading to sort the scholarships according to deadline.

·Look where you’re going! If you are headed for a specific field, look at the leaders in that field or

industry, check their websites for scholarship opportunities. For example, a pre-nursing or premed

student should check out websites for drug manufacturers or companies that do medical

research. Most companies’ websites are searchable. Try searching “scholarships.” If that

doesn’t yield results, try “foundation” or “philanthropy.”

·You can also check the websites of major companies for scholarship opportunities.

·Look at local organizations/groups such as churches and recreational centers.

·Adapted from: www. nshss.org