Tips for Writing Scholarship Essays
Selection committees want to learn about you as an applicant so they can choose you as a recipient. They will only know what you tell them through your essay so you will want to approach this essay differently than how you write in your classes. Also consider using The Writing Center.
Here are some tips for writing a compelling scholarship essay.
Preparing to Write
Read the Prompt. Follow directions in the essay prompt to make sure you answer all the questions. If you don’t answer all the questions, you might not be considered. Check word count and length limits if given.
Know Your Audience. You want to be familiar with the award and the audience of who is reading your application. Are the donors aiming to encourage a certain type of experience and if so, do you fit that goal? How can you highlight that?
Brainstorm and draft your ideas. Write an outline or just start typing to draft all the ideas you have and anything that comes to mind. Don’t edit yourself right away.
Writing
Be Unique. Write a unique essay that is your life story to stand out from your peers.Make sure your essay is specific to you and your application.
Tell Your Story. You will be writing about yourself! Your personal story is what will make you stand out and help make you a more compelling applicant.
Consider sharing:
- Interests and goals for studying on the program
- Places you’ve lived
- Challenges you’ve encountered
- Your major/certificate
- Your hobbies and involvement in student orgs, community involvement
You don’t need to share every personal detail of your life, but if you say NONE of it, the reader could lose your story in all the other applications they are reading.
Be Memorable. The first 2-3 sentences are key! This is how you hook your readers in so they want to learn more. Stories stay with a reader and can help you stand out from other applicants.
Set time aside. This is a valuable use of time. After your initial writing, step away from the document and come back to it with a fresh set of eyes to see what you might add or subtract.
Reviewing/ Editing
Proofread your essay. Don’t use emojis or emoticons. Abroad often gets misspelled as aboard, which is also a word so spell check won’t correct it for you. Try reading it out loud as another way to check grammar and language. If you can, have someone else read your essay and make editing suggestions.
Avoid Using Cliches. Cliches lack specificity and complexity therefore they don’t make distinctive or memorable contributions to your writing. Cliches make your writing and argument interchangeable with anyone else’s. If you find cliches in your writing, go back and try to be specific and provide examples to support them.
Examples of cliches: once in a lifetime, life-changing experience
Avoid writing about travel. Try not to use the word “trip” and instead use the word “program, experience, course” in your essay. Focus on the academic components of your experience first.
The Writing Center
Tips for Essay Writing from the Writing Center
The Writing Center
Email: wcenter@writing.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-1992
Location: 6171 Helen C. White Hall / 600 North Park Street