How to Write an Essay about Yourself for a Scholarship
Are you wondering where to start and understand how to write an essay about yourself for a scholarship? Do not agonize when there are tips and guidelines to rely on. Writing a scholarship essay about yourself is not that easy, especially if this is your first essay to tackle. With the many merits that scholarships present to students, make sure your essay stands out.
The strength of your essay, together with good grades and extracurricular activities can aid you win a scholarship. Scholarships normally entitle students to certain amount of financial help. They are also a great way of demonstrating how your achievements are substantial enough to merit you this opportunity. Hence, it is imperative to take time to write a thoughtful and appealing essay about yourself.
How to Write an Essay about Yourself for a Scholarship-Tips for Success
No scholarship provider is willing to hand over money to a needy student freely without some efforts and here is where scholarship essay writing comes into play. This essay not only gives the sponsors an insight of who you are, but also helps them contemplate whether you are a potential candidates or not especially when presented with similar academic records.
How you start an essay paper matters a lot and you have to take care always. It is not easy to grab the attention of readers with a poorly written introduction paragraph. The first sentences of your essay should grab the attention of the instructors together with sponsors. Below are a three items to avoid as you find a helpful strategy on how to write an essay about yourself for a scholarship;
- Repeating the same essay prompt– It is boring and frustrating to read the same opening sentence over and over again. Scholarship providers know what scholarship prompts are and there is no need to remind them.
- Using quotes to start your essay– It is wrong to use a quote in the opening paragraph of a scholarship essay. Chances are many students may end up using the same quote in their papers, and this means your essay will not meet your scholarship expectations. If you are to use quotes in your essay, use one of your own and grab readers’ attention.
- Introducing yourself– Unless you are asked to include your name in the scholarship essay, do not start your essay by introducing yourself. You can begin with something from your life and experiences and make sure you leave a lasting impression with your readers.
Writing the scholarship essay requires a lot of creativeness and patience. It can be an intimidating prospect if you are not prepared or doubting your abilities. In addition, it is easy to comprehend how to write an essay about yourself for a scholarship if you keep in mind a few tips. They include;
- Know your target audience
The scholarship providers are always looking for a student who will meet unique qualifications. When writing your essay, look closely at the questions provided, the organization offering the scholarship and more on any other past recipients of similar scholarship.
Be a step ahead of other applicants by determining what the scholarship providers are looking for. Are they focusing on classroom performance? Are they interested on community service or character? The answers you settle for and your research will make your essay stand out and set you a step ahead.
- Plan in advance– Early planning will give you time to craft a unique outline, which will help your essay stay on target and concise. You can think on how to start your paper, the material to collect and how to finalize your paper without any worries.
- Make your essay passionate and personal– Do not forget the core purpose of your essay is to convince the scholarship providers that you are the student they have be looking for. Ensure every point you make is properly illustrated and backed with specific details to depict more on how you understand the task at hand.
- Find a good editor– Have time to find an editor to reread your paper and counter-check grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes. These flaws can ruin a well written and detailed scholarship essay.
Mistakes Made When Writing an Essay about Yourself for a Scholarship
Many students may have the knowledge and ability to write good scholarship essays, but many fail to steer clear of certain mistakes. The number of students in need of scholarships has been rising, and the quality of an essay has become a more essential facet of acceptance. Before, you know how to write an essay about yourself for a scholarship, here are a few mistakes to be well-acquainted with and produce a great paper;
- Submitting a scholarship essay that is not authentic
- Submitting a generic essay
- Failing to follow provided instructions
- Waiting until it is too late to start writing your essay and
- Forgetting to check grammar and spelling.
More on How to Write an Essay about Yourself for a Scholarship
The essay you produce should be distinctive and detailed enough to convince the scholarship providers. It should be a piece that will make them feel like they know you already. A few guidelines below will make it easy to comprehend how to write an essay about yourself for a scholarship;
Create and stick to a certain concept or theme
Start by choosing an engaging topic and adhere to it. The instructions you have at hand may specify the topic to write on or give a selection of topics to choose one from. But, if not provided, choose a good theme and work on it. Hence, readers will know what to expect from your paper.
Do not be afraid to talk about yourself
Remember you are writing a piece that will give you the opportunity to acquire a scholarship, thus talk about yourself and your achievements. Everything that you incorporate in this section should be factual. Take caution as exaggerating things will lead you into problems.
Expound on what makes you stand out
Determine what things make you the best among other students. Your friends, family members, tutors or neighbors will see you from diverse perspectives and their responses can help you realize what makes you tick.
Choose your words wisely
When a scholarship essay is well written and detailed, it can be powerful. Skip uninteresting writing styles and the clichés. When describing yourself, go for the most compelling words and paint a good picture of who you are as a person.
Use the best formatting criteria
Essay papers follow the same formatting style where you have to double space your paper, use 12 points and Times New Roman font and keep it one-inch top, bottom and side margins. Stick to this format and produce a great essay about yourself.
Make your scholarship essay perfect
Reread the essay and make sure everything is covered. Rewrite your essay and find things you could have elaborated better or errors that you may have made. Let someone edit and proofread your essay.
Scholarship providers are always willing to aid needy students pursue their academic career and you should appeal to them by knowing how to write an essay about yourself for a scholarship. Do not say, “I cannot write a great essay paper”, say “I can give it a trial”. You can take a look at a few samples of scholarship essay about yourself and grasp a few things;
Example 1:
I have known in my heart since I was a little girl what I wanted to be when I grew up. It was not a stereotypical child’s dream such as a doctor or an astronaut; my dream was instead something that has molded my actions and decisions throughout my life. In the last few years I have realized that my urge for conserving the environment is a natural calling that I am destined to follow it…… (Read this scholarship essay here.
Example 2: This sample clarifies more on the step by step process of writing your scholarship essay.
Paragraph one; for as long as I could remember, I have wanted to be a veterinarian. I have been responsible for the care and feeding of pets ever since I was in the second grade……
Paragraph two and three; my love for animals has been encouraged by my family and friends. I have had the opportunity to volunteer with the local animal shelter and provide basic care to the stray animals……
Conclusion; to reach my goals, I need as much help as possible. I already have the moral support of my family and friends, but that is not quite enough to make my dream come true. I hope that your organization can help me reach this dream by awarding me your scholarship. Read the whole essay here.
If you find it hard and challenging to write a good scholarship essay about yourself, worry not. We offer the best writing assistance at affordable rates and our writers are experienced and will help you understand how to write an essay about yourself for a scholarship. You can also look at a few samples available on our blog for more guidelines.
Online Sources
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Application-Essay-for-a-Scholarship
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-scholarship-coach/2013/01/31/4-ways-to-make-your-scholarship-essay-stand-out
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-scholarship-coach/2010/12/16/skip-these-6-scholarship-essay-errors
http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/tips/scholarship-essay-tips.php