No matter what type of essay you are writing, you will want to ensure that the very first line grabs the attention of the reader. One of the biggest mistakes that students make when starting their essay is simply restating the prompt. This is bland and boring.
Next, we’ll look at a specific example of how you can open up your essay. Let’s say you are applying for the Questbridge scholarship program. One of the essays that you will be asked is:
We hope that you have a better understanding of how to start a scholarship essay so you can maximize your chances of winning scholarships!
There are some very simple things that you can do to ensure that your essay is engaging from the very first sentence. In fact, beginning your essay with an exciting opening is one of the most important things you can do, because it will immediately distinguish your essay from the others.
Engage the reader with the first sentence
Makes a big difference, right? As a reader, you are probably wondering: why does this person have chickens outside their bedroom window? Why did they name this particular chicken Henry?
Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut.
“I look outside my bedroom window and see Henry, my favorite chicken, pecking at something in the dirt.”
Essay scholarships advocate for personal representation in essay contents but without being heavily opinionated. It is best to know your reader beforehand and based on their ideologies
A scholarship essay is as diverse as a cover letter when you are applying for a job. Admission experts have deemed it acceptable for scholarship applicants to use a single essay several times provided it is customized for each application. If your essay is in line with the core mission of the awarding institution and aligns with the prompt, use it.
You might be a helpful person but just stating that you have impacted the lives of other people will not get your scholarship essay noticed. Your reader will be pleased to read a story that portrays this trait. Tell it in a way that demonstrates obstacles, your struggles to exercise your passion and eventually how you succeeded. It is also a good idea to mention an express change of mindset brought about by some of your personal experiences.
A typical scholarship essay prompt would require applicants to state how the scholarship being contested for will help their career. Another common prompt is asking applicants to describe how their academics and skills have helped them to be better members of their society. In both these instances, the applicant must think about the story they want to tell. It is important to paint a picture of what existed before and what is anticipated for the future. Most scholarship essay writing services will ask applicants for a brief description of their life while growing up and they will use this to create a suitable essay
Understand your reader
Writing an interesting piece for your essay writing scholarships applications will not come naturally because the prompts do not ask for any particular style of writing. It is up to the applicant to tie in the focus points into their essay.
To ensure that you are on the right track, read the instructions before you write, as you write and after you have finished your essay. Did you encounter periods of being blank-minded as you write? The reader is likely to notice this. Applicants must structure their essay to flow as the same will be mirrored by the reader.
A general account of events is easy to forget but when you talk about your own experiences, the message is much more impactful. Linking the content of the essay to your own life gives it a feeling of authenticity that compels the reader to empathize with the writer. Just imagine sitting in a panel reading through thousands of essays – wouldn’t you be drawn from your boredom by that one essay that reveals the vulnerability of an individual? It is even better when the essay is personal in a way that insinuates that the applicant has reconciled with their past life experiences – the more dramatic, the better.
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As important as FAFSA is for most students, there are other options available to help students pay for their college education: mainly scholarships and grants. The best thing about these options? They don’t require repayment plans.
Both grants and scholarships may require an accompanying essay with the application, although there are some rare cases of scholarships and grants that don’t require essays and are easier to obtain. Be cautious of fraudulent scholarships or online scams associated with “easy to obtain scholarships”, as they are becoming increasingly common online.
Although the terms “grant” and “scholarship” often refer to a similar idea — student financial aid that doesn’t require repayment — they are two fundamentally different awards. The key difference lies in how they are awarded, and where the funds are originating from.
Once you’ve completed your first draft, you should take a break from writing. Go outside and take a walk, or spend some time cleaning — anything to help you get your mind off the essay so that you can return later with fresh eyes. If you find it hard not to think about the essay, wait a day (or even a few days) before coming back to reread it.
What Is a Scholarship Essay?
Through your writing you should also be revealing some of your motivations pertaining to why you’re going to school and why you’re seeking out this scholarship. Discuss how you will become an effective student in the coming years, and how you’ll make good use of the money you may be awarded. You may have more freedom to write about yourself in detail for some scholarship prompts, and less of the same freedom for others. Use your discretion.
Finally, the most important tip is to simply read and reread the instructions multiple times to ensure you understand the prompt, what is expected of you, and all of the other essential guidelines pertaining to your essay.
While you should be sure to do this before you start writing, you should also do this after you’ve written the piece. Simply double check your work against the requirements set by the scholarship organization, and make sure you’re following the instructions to the letter. Essays that don’t follow instructions will most likely be thrown out first, and you don’t want your hard work to go to waste simply because you forgot something in the instructions.
If you have a friend, relative, mentor, or peer that has editing experience — or that is simply a voracious reader — ask them if they can take a moment to look over your piece and make comments or suggestions. You may be surprised at what they find that you missed!
Once you’ve completed your first draft, you should take a break from writing. Go outside and take a walk, or spend some time cleaning — anything to help you get your mind off the essay so that you can return later with fresh eyes. If you find it hard not to think about the essay, wait a day (or even a few days) before coming back to reread it.
Paying for college is a top concern for many students in America today. Even just a generation ago, a student’s primary concern was more about getting into the college they preferred, instead of about being able to afford college at all. Now, young students are trying their best to budget and save up in order to afford a college education, and are planning ahead for how they will pay off their student loans.
Writing an essay for school is one thing, but writing an essay to help you pay for college is another. Financial stability is on the line when it comes to scholarship applications, so writing a winning essay is key to impressing those granting the scholarships you’re applying for. Here are some tips to help you better prepare for your scholarship application and essay.
How To Start a Scholarship Essay
In general, spending time away from your work can help you clear your mind. When you do come back, you may be more likely to notice mistakes or see gaps which require elaboration. For any essay you write, this is always a helpful tip.
Finally, the most important tip is to simply read and reread the instructions multiple times to ensure you understand the prompt, what is expected of you, and all of the other essential guidelines pertaining to your essay.
Once you’ve properly outlined the entirety of your essay, you can start writing. In your introductory paragraph you’ll want to state in clear and succinct language who you are, why you are interested in college and this scholarship (or your hopeful direction), and what the reader will find in your essay.
Additionally, outlines can help you properly format your scholarship essay. Here are some essential tips for your scholarship essay format:
In the scholarship essay, you will write about your career goals. The academic scholarship committee wants to know about your career goals and see how this scholarship helps your career. In this scholarship essay, you will show why you deserve this scholarship.
Why Should You Receive this Scholarship Essay Example
Writing the scholarship essay on this prompt is one of the hardest tasks for students. It requires critical thinking and some introspection.
Here are some excellent scholarship essay examples for university students that help you in writing the essay.
Scholarship Essay Examples About Career Goals
If you find difficulty writing the scholarship essay about career goals, get help from the below-mentioned examples, and submit a well-written essay.
- Choose the topic carefully that you can easily write about it.
- Do the research before writing the essay.
- Know the word limit of the essay
- Brainstorm the essay topic
- Professionally write the scholarship essay.
- Write an outline or a rough draft for the essay, It makes your writing phase easy.
- Write a strong statement that summarizes your points.
- Your scholarship essay reflects your personality.
- Be honest when writing the scholarship essay and do not add fake details.
- Keep the directions of the academic committee in mind.
- Make sure the scholarship essay is free from all grammatical and spelling mistakes.
- Proofread the essay before submitting
Scholarship Essay Example about Community Service