How to Write a Scholarship Essay – Step By Step Guide
Essay writing has not always been a walk in the park especially due to the diverse formats. Students must encounter several essays in the course of their academic life. To start with, an application essay will get you to the learning institution of your choice. What if the finances limit your ability to afford such a school? Well, that is where a flawless scholarship essay comes in.
Remember that to write a winning scholarship essay for college or university, you need to learn how to write an essay that exceeds the requirements set by the scholarship panel. This guide will give you through the writing process, from creating an essay outline, formatting your essay, to writing winning conclusions.
What is a scholarship essay and how do you start writing it?
A scholarship essay can be viewed as a piece of writing showcasing your capabilities and why you deserve the sponsorship. This type of essay must persuade the sitting committee why you should be awarded the scholarship. Bearing in mind that there are thousands of applicants, you must stand out. Convincing the scholarship committee to choose you takes some effort and skills. Below is a guideline that will help you write a winning scholarship essay effortlessly. Remember, your scholarship application and essay must, each, meet their purpose. While the application provides information, the essay is a persuasive tool.
Pre-writing scholarship essay
A perfect scholarship essay is well thought and articulated. It requires prior planning so that you are certain what to include. Planning your essay is critical in creating great essay papers. If you are writing the essay yourself, you need to clear your schedule to make time for planning, brainstorming, understanding the scholarship prompt, and doing the actual writing.
Brainstorm and plan adequately
Waiting until the last minute to write your scholarship essay will result in numerous mistakes. Identify areas you would write about without much struggle. You can evaluate the different ideas that come in mind. Which of those will give a true reflection of yourself? Which of the ideas will help you write the number of words required comfortably? The more time you spend planning, the less you will consume in the actual writing process.
Choose the most ideal topic
Most students think that using complex words in their essays makes them look bright. On the contrary, the reader looks for pieces that naturally flow, showing the true colors of the writer. However, this does not mean that you pour out all the negative energy. Therefore, choose a topic that you can easily write about with utmost passion. If your essay bores you, how will it intrigue the reader? You can also use topics that have been explored before since some prompts will require the same answers. However, get as custom as possible where personal experiences are necessary.
Who is your audience?
A scholarship essay is more straightforward if you understand what the committee is looking for in a candidate. Consequently, you will include the ideas and experiences that best suit the readers’ expectations. However, be cautious as to not sway your personality too much in a bid to please your audience. Your experiences will not all fit into your essay depending on the audience. Therefore, choose the ones that ideal for that specific scholarship essay. The majority of the applicants make the mistake of not adhering to the set instructions and prompts. These aspects guide you as to what the audience expects from you. Ensure that you remain within the stipulated word limit.
Process of writing a good scholarship essay
Now that you have identified the most suitable topic and the nature of your audience, you are ready to write. However, even the most appealing experiences can appear meaningless if you do not present them properly.
Scholarship Essay Introduction
Create an interesting introduction
The scholarship committee uses the introduction to eliminate some of the candidates. It is essential to write an eye-catching introduction that will spark interest in the reader. Create a hook instead of using obvious wordings to begin your essay. For instance, note the difference between these two lines. #1: My dream since childhood was to become a renowned surgeon. #2: Growing up, I found myself nursing the injuries of my siblings and even those of our pets on the farm. The second line creates the urge to want to hear more. Let your introduction keep the reader looking forward to learning more about you and what inspires you.
Create an outline for your scholarship paper prompt
Having introduced your work, you need to organize your paragraphs. Identify the thoughts you wish to convey and assign them respective paragraphs. Make sure that these ideas flow logically; this makes your essay more interesting. Instead of jumping straight to writing, a proper outline will guide you through the entire piece.
Use experiences that you can relate to
Instead of using general information to convey a message, use personal encounters. There is a difference between your aspirations and the actual events that you were involved in. Those events make you more practical and show that you are interested in the area of application. In the course of your writing, ensure that you connect with the audience. An emotional narration of a part of your life will help the reader know you better. Do not shy away from showing your vulnerabilities.
End your work on a high note
Your essay should be intriguing from the beginning to the end. This is the only way that the committee will go through the whole piece of writing. It would be disappointing to keep the reader hooked and then make a boring conclusion. Therefore, avoid redundancy as you conclude your essay. Instead of repeating the ideas you have already written, you can highlight lessons learned from the experiences.
Post-writing process
Upon reaching the conclusion, do not merely pen-off and submit your essay. It is unrealistic to write your essay and not make mistakes along the way. Since you have written all the ideas you intended, it is time to rectify the mistakes. You can go through the essay, putting yourself in the audience’s shoes. You are now their eyes and should identify anything that seems off; from the grammar to the spelling and punctuation mistakes. The best way to proofread your work is to have somebody else read it. Fortunately, we are living in an era where there are professional essay writing services and editing companies. You can just pay someone to write an essay for you and end up with a top paper.
Choose a reliable person or homework website to go through your essay and rectify any arising mistakes. Improper use of words could give your essay a whole new meaning. Ensure that the corrections are an improvement to your piece of writing. You can further use editing tools that are available to eliminate errors.