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There are lots of factors at play when it comes to winning a scholarship. Some of them you have no control over, such as where you’re from and what your major is. However, there is one thing that you do have control over – your application essay.
In our latest webinar, we discussed the top ten strategies to write a winning application essay. Using these tips means that you will take less time to write your essay and you’ll have higher chances of winning your dream scholarship.
Top 10 Strategies for Writing a Winning Application Essay
Our admissions counselor, Jennifer Finetti, shared the best tips for essay writing, based on the thousands of essays she’s seen throughout the years. Here are some of the basics from the webinar, so make sure to listen to the full recording to get all the details.
- Understand the importance of the application essay
It’s a key piece of information about the student that will be used to choose the winner. If there are dozens of students with the same GPA and similar achievements, the final decision will be made with the essay.
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Check for scholarships- Adhere to essay guidelines
When most students fail with an essay they write, it’s because of one simple reason – they didn’t follow the guidelines closely.
- Always do your research
Find out more about the organization offering the scholarship and adapt the essay according to what they are looking for and how they make their decisions.
- Always start with an outline
Once you start with a rough outline, the process of writing will be much more organized and easier.
- Start early when writing your first draft
Writing an essay can take a lot of time so don’t wait until the last day of the deadline. Take your time, start early and you’ll have more time for several drafts and more research.
- Set the hook
Start off the essay with a “hook” to get the reader interested in your story.
- Remember to show and not tell
Show precisely what you’ve done and what’s important to you instead of just talking about your achievements and interests.
- Leave enough time for subsequent drafts
Always leave extra time for more drafts because you want to leave your final one to “rest” for a day before looking it over one more time. That way, you can distance yourself from the essay and make the final draft that much better.
- Obtain feedback
It’s always good to get a second or third opinion before submitting your essay. This could be from a parent, guardian, or someone else with strong writing skills.
- Review your essay before submitting
One final look before the essay goes out is crucial. Review your vocabulary, grammar, and technical aspects of the written text.
The Student Questions
Just like all of our webinars, this one had a portion where students could dial in and ask questions related to the topic. In this webinar, you can find out answers to questions such as:
– What if you apply for multiple schools? Do you use the same essay or is there a new essay for every school?
– What are some ways of telling if there’s a scam in a scholarship or if it’s authentic?
– How do you deal with writer’s block?
And many others.
For the full webinar, make sure to check out this link! Also, make sure to subscribe to our channel and watch out for future webinars and content!
