How to Present Yourself in a Scholarship Essay
- 1). Before writing, familiarize yourself with all stated guidelines. Scholarship applications are usually jam-packed with fine print. Even the free-form essay portion of these applications is not free of requirements. Rather than simply writing a single essay, with the intent to copy and submit with every application, craft each essay according to the expectations outlined in each application. Such an approach is certain to be more time-consuming than writing a single essay, but should produce more rewarding results.
- 2). Use a natural voice in your writing, but avoid casual speech. Writing an essay is not difficult if you remember to be yourself. However, you still should remember to target the content of your essay to the audience it is destined to be read by, namely members of a scholarship review committee. Consequently, you should not make use of jargon or cliches within your essay. The essay need not be written in an elevated tone, but its writer must always appear intelligent to her readers.
- 3). Seek to capture a reader's interest. Your mission when writing your essay is to make your writing stand out from stacks of similar essays. Thus, instead of beginning your essay with a bland remark such as, "I deserve this scholarship because..." demonstrate your qualifications by addressing your readers with creativity and candor. For example, refer to setbacks or obstacles that you have overcome in the course of your academic career and suggest that you are committed to approaching future challenges with undaunted courage. Taking such a risk is likely to stimulate a bleary-eyed reader, giving you an edge over the competition.
- 4). Clarify relationships between your accomplishments and your long-term goals. When you are certain of your goals, and you can express these goals clearly, the process of funding your education becomes much easier. Many scholarship applicants make mention of a variety of accomplishments in their essays, such as summer jobs, high GPAs or charity work. However, few applicants take the time to state how these accomplishments tie in with their overall aims. If you do so in your own essay, you will demonstrate valuable reflective skills.
- 5). Alert readers to the most appealing aspects of your personality, by illustrating ways that you have successfully negotiated conflict in the past. According to Kimberly Stezala, author of "Scholarships 101," "The key is in presenting your best self to the scholarship decision makers." No one is perfect, but if you concentrate on your strengths in your essay instead of suggesting your weaknesses, your writing is likely to appeal to its readers.
