When I worked at a scholarship organization, I often reviewed applications for hours. But even though I tried my best, I admit it took some work to keep the applicants straight! It was tough when the scholarship personal statement was generic. Or sometimes, it was just so surface level that it was hard to remember who was whom.
Sometimes, I wish I could have helped the applicant with their scholarship personal statement. I just cringed reading some of them!
Keep reading if you want tips on writing a standout scholarship personal statement!
You will write the best statement if you take the time to consider what it is, its purpose, and how it will differ from the college personal statement you will write.
What is a scholarship personal statement?
The scholarship personal statement is part of your scholarship application. You may also be required to submit grades, letters of recommendation, etc.
The purpose of the statement is to:
Tell Them Who You Are
When I reviewed scholarship applications, most had outstanding grades. I couldn’t recommend one student over the other simply on grades because they all had good grades. Most of the time, the personal statement was the deciding factor. The best ones wrote authentically, giving me a clear picture of who they were.
Remember that the reader has your grades, scores, etc., so don’t focus on those in your statement. The scholarship personal statement is what really tells the scholarship provider who you are. Your essay may include your interests, passions, and how you hope to have an impact.
Good Representative
Another reason the statement is required is because they want to know if you are a good representative of their organization. For example, if the organization is passionate about women in STEM, they want to see that you are also aligned with their mission. For example, if you are a woman who loves math but is going into business, then you wouldn’t be a good fit.
How is a scholarship personal statement different than a college personal statement?
A college personal statement aims to see if you are a good fit for their college. It often focuses on who you are and how you will contribute to the college campus.
A scholarship personal statement aims to see if you represent their mission or organization well. It will often focus on who you are and your field of study but may also focus on the organization’s mission.
For example, a college prompt may ask why you want to attend the institution. A sports scholarship may ask how sports have shaped your life.
Starting the Process
Start Early
The most important thing to do is to start the process early. Deadlines vary widely, so you want to start researching early so you don’t miss any deadlines. A scholarship application may also take a long time to complete, so give yourself plenty of time.
Don’t Ignore Small Scholarships
As you compile a list of where you will apply, don’t ignore the small scholarships. Think about it – most students get excited about the $30,000 scholarships and overlook the $1,000 scholarships. But competition is much more significant for the $30,000 than the $1,000. And small scholarships add up if you can earn several of them.
There are also universities, such as University of North Texas that will waive international fees if a student is awarded at least $1,000 in scholarships. That is a huge savings!! International students will pay the same as U.S. Citizens!
Prioritize
It’s not just about applying to as many scholarships as possible. You could spend a lot of energy doing that and still not earn any scholarships. It’s all about looking for the ones that fit you best. Prioritize the scholarships that fit you best first.
Scholarship Personal Statement
Before you even begin writing, read and learn about the scholarship and the intent of the scholarship to understand who they are looking for. For example, If they are looking for strong leadership skills, you’ll want your scholarship personal statement to reflect that.
Brain Storm
Once you understand the organization and who they are looking for, consider how you may fit that description. For example, if you know they are looking for strong leadership skills, ask yourself the following questions:
When have I exhibited this trait in a formal capacity?
When have I exhibited this trait in informal capacities?
The list is just to help you identify stories. Select the stories that fit well and use them to tell your story and how you display these traits. Don’t just say you are a leader; show that you are a leader!
Tips for Writing the Scholarship Personal Statement
Choose your Words Wisely
The length of the prompt will determine your style of writing. You want to get straight to the point if the essay is expected to be around 200- 350 words or less. Don’t spend a lot of time with background information.
But if the essay is more than 350 words, you can afford to use some of your words on beautiful language that provides background or more details.
Two prompts in one
It’s not uncommon to have multiple questions in one prompt. Some people write about one prompt and ignore the other. Others slightly write about one prompt question and then a lot on the second. Although there is no rule that you must divide the words evenly between the prompts, you shouldn’t ignore or just gloss over one prompt.
Don’t Cover Too Much
It’s better to talk about one instance thoroughly than to cover years or many instances lightly.
Scholarship Personal Statement Structure
Introduction
I sometimes read applications that opened with a quote from a famous person. Even though the quote was super meaningful to the applicant, it often doesn’t work well.
Instead, use this section to pique the reader’s interest in your own words. Introduce your reader to what you will be talking about, but make it enjoyable.
For example:
Paint a Vivid Picture
Every Christmas morning, the warm fragrance of cinnamon and sweet vanilla wafted throughout my grandmother’s house.
Or write
Something Surprising
I have 200 out of the 206 bones a human body should have.
However you choose to hook your reader, it will be easier to write the body and conclusion first and then your introduction last.
Body
The essay’s body supports the ideas you introduced in the previous paragraph. Depending on the word count, you may have multiple paragraphs.
Avoid writing something the reader already knows about you. For example, don’t write about your grades (GPA), test scores, etc., because they are already part of your application. But you can write about how hard you worked to earn those scores. But don’t just say you worked hard. Tell a story that shows you worked hard!
It’s like saying:
I love cheeseburgers!
Versus
My mouth begins to water at the smell of the perfectly caramelized onions on top of the creamy melted cheese wrapped around the hamburger patty.
Conclusion
The conclusion is your ending and last chance to make your point. I have read essays where the reader is thanked for their time in the conclusion paragraph. Although this is thoughtful, there are better uses for a conclusion. Instead, use this paragraph to finish with something more memorable.
Intro
I have 200 out of the 206 bones a human body should have.
Body
Descriptive paragraph about passion for science
Conclusion
With every bone in my body – even if only 200 out of the 206 – I know that science is my life!
Revision
When I read scholarship personal statements, it was always obvious when a student rushed to complete or didn’t bother to revise. Online revision programs are a great way to catch grammatical mistakes. But also ask people who know you to read the essay. They will be able to tell you if the essay is a good reflection of who you are.
Conclusion
Although stressful, the statement can be a really fun project that can pay off in thousands of scholarship dollars! Take the time to understand the awarding organization, purpose of the statement, how to start the process and write a stand out statement!
Now go get that MONEY!!
Check out DS 160 Visa Form for International Students.
