3 Scholarship Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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You want to get a scholarship, but you don't want to make any mistakes.
You've been prepping for this moment your whole life and now it's finally here.
But before you can even think about filling out forms or writing essays, there are some things you need to know. There are common mistakes that people make when applying for scholarships that can cost them the money they really need. If you want a scholarship so badly that it hurts, then avoid these three common scholarship mistakes.
Mistake #1
Choosing Quantity over Quality
“I’ve been applying for so many and I never win!!”
'“Scholarships are a scam…”
These are the phrases I hear over and over from students who have the mindset that applying to more scholarships = winning more money. The reality is that, just like dating, you need to be selective with the scholarships you choose to apply to. If you are putting together a quality scholarship application that is specially tailored, you shouldn’t be able to apply to 30+ scholarships per week. You need to choose which scholarships you’re going to apply to with a strategy to win consistently. If you’re struggling with your scholarship strategy, educate yourself or work with an expert.
Mistake #2
Not Doing Your Research
You know what they say… "the devil is in the details." When it comes to scholarships, this couldn't be truer. If you don't use every resource to make your application perfect, you risk losing out on tens of thousands of dollars in scholarship money.
Many students have been burned for waiting the last minute to apply to scholarships. The first and most important step to winning a scholarship is knowing the process. You need to know when applications are due, what materials you need to submit with your application, and any other requirements that might be specific to the organization offering the scholarship. This should be the easy part; the hard part is standing out from the large pool of applicants.
Tailoring your application to the mission of the organization AND using inspiration from previous winners is a recipe for a winning scholarship application. Doing research on the organization is a great way to see what they stand for and why they may be offering these scholarships. Many of these organizations see you as an investment in the future of “whatever” that organization’s main mission is. It’s important that your application resembles this. Many scholarships provide previous winner’s essays or applications as inspiration. You 👏🏾 must 👏🏾 read 👏🏾 those👏🏾 essays.
Mistake #3
Not having Personal Touch in Essay
You need to include as much relevant information about yourself as possible in order for the scholarship committee members to get a clear picture of who you are and why they should give their money away to someone like you.
In your essay, you can talk about the experiences that have shaped you. These could be from high school, college and beyond. You might want to mention:
How these experiences have influenced the person and professional that you are today;
Your goals and ambitions;
What makes you unique;
What do you want to do with your life? How will this scholarship help further those goals?
Your essay isn't a list of accomplishments. It's your chance to show the school what makes you unique, and why they should want to have you as a student. The best scholarship essays are those that are true to the applicant's character and personality. Don't try to hide your background, interests and goals--they're what make you unique.
Biggest Takeaways
Be unique and authentic in your essay
Tailor every scholarship application
Be consistent in your approach to searching for and applying to scholarships
Need a kick in the butt to achieve your goals? Download the Ambitious Scholar Productivity Toolkit
