Ways to Support your Child through the Scholarship Application Process Part 2

This portion specifically highlights tips to use to better your child’s scholarship essay. It covers the whole duration of the writing process.

Essay Writing can be split into three parts: Brainstorming, Writing, and Editing.

When Brainstorming…

• Help your child brainstorm a few months in advance: The essay should be well-thought-out and thorough. It’s important that your child chooses a topic they’re passionate about, tell a true story, and don’t just list accomplishments.  
• Prepare an Outline: Creating an outline ensures that the information being presented is clear, coherent and that your child covers all the points they want in the essay. 
• Should have 3 primary parts: 
• Intro: Creates context and allows the student to bridge into the purpose of the essay
•  Body: Should respond to the prompt and use the evidence your child provided to state why they should receive the scholarship 
• Conclusion: Wrap up thoughts, but it’s important not to repeat the same ideas. 

When Writing…

• Utilize Direct/Clear language: It’s important that your child only implements things that will add value to their essay. Avoid any filler words, flowery language, cliches, or pointless words. 

• Get Personal: The organization wants to know the applicant and for them to tell their story. Remind your child to be vulnerable and show the organization the challenges they have faced. However, they should never try to gain sympathy or be pessimistic. The goal is to show them how the applicant has grown, not to be pitied.

• Show, Don’t Tell: Rather than listing accomplishments and challenges the student has faced, provide examples. These essays are a chance for your child to be descriptive. They need to use their words wisely. 

• Reuse Essays: Reuse essays whenever possible. Writing a new essay for each scholarship can be time-consuming and draining. However, it’s important that the essay your child is reusing follows the guidelines of the prompt. Tailor it if needed. 

When Editing…

• Have someone else review your essay: Peer review is essential to the editing process. It provides a different perspective and ensures that there aren’t any grammar, spelling, or structural mistakes. Help your child by going over their essay with them to ensure that it’s of high quality.

• Follow the Guidelines of the Scholarship: Not following instructions can cause an application to be disregarded. It’s important to meet the guidelines when it comes to word count, answering the full question, and formatting.

• If your child feels that their essay is too long or exceeds the word count, they should cut information from the introduction and conclusion. The body is the most crucial aspect of the essay.

Utilizing these tips can ensure that the scholarship essay your child writing is written to the best of their abilities. It’s their chance to tell the organization why they deserve this particular scholarship and the ways in which they would benefit. Don’t miss out on these opportunities!