Scholarship Essays 101
Writing can be daunting. If you're like me, when you sit down to write, you slide into a series of what-ifs: What if I can’t do this? What if I don’t get the scholarship I need? What if they tell me no? Look no further! I'm here to help make scholarship writing a little bit easier!
By Maggie Argiro — July 19, 2022
Tags: college application, essay
Writing can be daunting. If you’re like me, when you sit down to write, you slide into a series of what-ifs: What if I can’t do this? What if I don’t get the scholarship I need? What if they tell me no? Look no further! I’m here to help make scholarship writing a little bit easier!
I’ve been on both sides of scholarships: writing and reviewing. Working at a community college, I love getting to hear from students first-hand about their aspirations, goals, and dreams. After reading hundreds of essays, I’ve learned that your story has power. Many students feel as if they haven’t had enough life experience to write a compelling essay. I can assure you that you are enough. So, after years of practice and mentorship, here is my tried-and-true advice:
- Find a trusted advisor or mentor who will help guide you through this process. Maybe choose a couple of people to help you. These should be people like teachers, coaches, tutors, advisors, or librarians. Some students turn to elders or faith leaders from their communities. Think carefully about who you want to ask for help. They should be familiar with your academic and community background and able to give your writing and questions the attention they deserve. If you write about a difficult topic, you must trust the person you work with. This person may also be willing to write you a letter of recommendation; in competitive scholarship processes, a great recommendation can make all the difference.
- Find great recommenders. I recently heard someone on a panel say that we should think of the different written portions of the scholarship application as a way for the reviewers to learn about you from multiple angles. With this in mind, your recommenders should be able to fill in gaps in your application and provide a fuller picture of who you are. This will create a stronger case for why you are an excellent candidate for the scholarship you’re applying for.
- Seek resources, and study up! Articles like this one and helpful books that simplify writing are just waiting for you. Students have told me they found books like this one helpful: College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admission Essay because it breaks writing down into easy-to-follow steps and provides sample essays. Visit your school’s tutoring center, library, or public library to see what free resources are available to you. You might meet an awesome librarian and find support from your community. If you’ve been procrastinating, doing some research could help you get started, or if you’re struggling to find some direction, it could help you find the inspiration you need to get your first draft done. In no time, you’ll be an essay writing expert!
- Keep writing, and don’t be afraid to go over the word count. You can always take words away when you edit, but you can’t put something important back in that you forgot about after you submit your application. Save multiple versions and multiple drafts. Experiment with what works best for you—there’s no one way to go about writing.
- Keep editing. Lots of people say that writing is editing. I like to visualize my first draft as a rough sculpture and editing as the way I refine the details and bring the writing to life. When you’re editing, you can focus on tone, storytelling, and your narrative arc. This is where you’ll work closely with your trusted advisors or mentors to read your writing and provide feedback. Maybe one person will be good at catching grammatical errors, and someone else will help you with the story you want to tell. All of this feedback is valuable...
- ...but remember that this is your story. Advice is something you have a choice about. So, if someone offers feedback you don’t feel great about, I hereby empower you to make your own decisions about your story!
- Keep trying. Apply to multiple scholarships. You never know what you’ll get until you try.
- Lastly, celebrate even the smallest successes. Maybe you wrote 100 words and got in all of your applications. Whatever it is you’ve accomplished, it’s worth celebrating! We’re all rooting for you at SAGE Scholars!
Maggie Argiro
Maggie Argiro is a library professional, writer, oral historian, and is TEFL-certified. She currently manages the circulation desk at the South Seattle College library where she is deeply invested in helping all students reach their academic goals.
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