How to Write A Killer Scholarship Essay: Do you want to apply for a scholarship? If you don’t have money but want to further your education, then you will have to apply for scholarships.
It is one thing to apply for a scholarship but it is another thing to win the scholarship. The question that is begging for an answer is “What makes you qualify for this Scholarship?”
Also, before you are offered this scholarship, you must put in an application, and if you pass then you will be given the scholarship. But the problem is how to write an outstanding scholarship application that will win you the scholarship.
Remember that a well-written piece of an application can make you stand out from others. That is why your scholarship application should inform, but most importantly persuade your sponsors that you deserve the scholarship award.
What then is a scholarship?
Scholarships are free financial assistance that is given to students who intend to enter either secondary, college, or higher institutions of learning. These scholarships are meant to assist students who don’t have financial assistance to further their education. The scholarship is always given to a student base on merit.
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How to Write A Killer Scholarship Essay
Now, for you write A Killer Scholarship Essay that will make your application outstanding, follow the guide below:
- Start the writing process early
- Research About the Organisation
- Understand the scholarship sponsor’s mission and purpose
- Check Spelling and Grammar
- Strictly follow the scholarship essay instructions
- Stick to the word limit
- Answer the Prompt
1. Start the writing process early
Start the essay writing early so that you can spend quality time brainstorming, creating an outline, and drafting out a winning essay. Starting early will help you to spend ample time editing and proofreading your essay to your satisfaction. If you wait till the last minutes before you start writing your scholarship essay, it will suffer some quality deficiencies. However, to ensure that you have enough time, start early. Also, have a calendar to remind you of the deadline.
2. Research About the Organisation
Scholarships are mostly sponsored by private, public, and non-profit organizations.
Take time to find out some important information about the organization that is sponsoring the award. Learn about the organization. Go to the organization’s “ABOUT” page to get information about them. This will help you to know your target audience and what they are looking for from applicants.
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3. Understand the scholarship sponsor’s mission and purpose
Every scholarship provider is looking for students who meet the criteria of the scholarship. That is why understanding the mission and purpose of the scholarship award will help you to write an essay that will meet the organization’s mission. General Studies (GST) Courses Offered In Nigeria For All Levels
4. Check Spelling and Grammar
Don’t allow wrong spelling and grammar errors to cost you the scholarship award. Very few errors you think do not matter, matter a lot. They can distract your readers, and give them a wrong impression about your essay. So make sure you take time to proofread your work before submission.
5. Strictly follow the scholarship essay instructions
Make sure you follow all the instructions of the scholarship. Review them step by step before submitting your essay. Some intelligent students have lost their chances of winning scholarships because they follow instructions. So, make a difference!
6. Stick to the word limit
Most scholarships have a word limit or length you should write in your essay. Adhere to that instructions, and don’t because of carelessness pass the word limit. For instance, if you are asked to write only 550 words, don’t exceed it by writing 551 and want them to understand. That can disqualify your essay entry.
7. Answer the Prompt
Make sure you answer the prompt of the scholarship, by following the correct scholarship essay format and directions. Do not deviate from the prompt. Your ability to address the prompt very well is a step forward to your success.
8. The Writing Section of Your Essay
The writing phase of your essay is very essential. The structure of your scholarship essay should appear thus:
- The introduction
- The body
- Conclusion
The introduction
Create a strong and attention-drawing introduction for your work. Give the reader reasons why he or she should keep reading. The introduction will keep the reader of your work going, but if the introduction is bad, they will lose interest.
- Start with a strong and attention-catching hook
- Thesis statement (i.e Why you deserve the scholarship award)
The body
- In the body, you develop fully the prompt or argument of your scholarship essay. The body should carry about three paragraphs, and each paragraph should:
- Topic sentence (contain one key idea or point).
- Accompanied by relevant examples to support the argument of your essay.
- Explain how helpful the aforementioned points prove your argument.
Conclusion
This is the last part of your essay. It should lay more emphasis on why you are the right candidate that deserves the scholarship. Here,
- You summarise your key points.
- You restate your thesis (i.e Why you deserve the scholarship award).
- You appreciate the scholarship committee for reading your essay.
- How will the scholarship help your education career?
- How will the scholarship help you to achieve your long-standing career goals?
- Give vivid and real-life examples to support the entire argument.
9. Proofread Your Essay Before Submission
When you are done writing your essay, the next important thing you should do is to take time and proofread your work. Everybody makes mistakes, which is why you proofread your essay. You can read it aloud, so as to find out errors. Once you are done proofreading the work, ask a friend or family member that you know is capable to help you proofreading also. This will help to keep your essay free from little mistakes and errors. Then you are good to go.
Conclusion
Writing a killer scholarship essay that makes you outstanding, can be very complicated, which is why you need to spend quality time on your essay. Plan ahead of time, start writing early and don’t wait till the last minute. Remember to answer the prompt of your scholarship essay, follow instructions and finally proofread your work before submission.
Your essay can help you win or lose the scholarship, all depends on how you write it. I hope that our guide will help you to write a killer scholarship and win.