ESSAY WRITING
Yes, this is a LOT to read, BUT there is a LOT of useful information. You will have a better understanding of how to write you essay's. There is a link at the bottom of this page for some example essays. So give it a try!
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Writing an application essay that is memorable and engages the reader can have a big impact on
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whether you win a scholarship. It is one of the few selection criteria that is completely under your
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control.
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Read the directions. Read and follow the directions. Sometimes the directions can clarify the
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intent of the question. If you don't follow the directions, you will give the scholarship committee a
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negative impression, telling them that you can't or won't follow instructions.
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Do not skip questions. If a question does not apply to you, write "Not Applicable". Do not leave any
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question blank. An incomplete application will be rejected.
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Write about something you find interesting. Chances are, if you are passionate about a topic, you'll
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be able to write a more interesting essay about the topic.
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If you find it difficult to write essays, try talking about the essay topic while recording the
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conversation. After you're done, transcribe the recording and edit it into essay form. This will
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give you a good start on your essay. The key to writing a good essay is to make it interesting, and
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the key to that is to write about something you are passionate about. Since the act of writing
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often interferes with the flow of ideas (most people can think and speak ten times faster than
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they can write or type), speaking into a tape recorder can help you capture your ideas and
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emotions better than staring at a blank piece of paper.
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Try to find a unifying theme that binds together the threads of your background into a tapestry
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that shows not only where you have been and where you are now, but where you will go in the
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future. This will provide a sense of direction and cohesiveness.
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Write an outline for your essays. Writing an outline can help provide focus and structure to the
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essay. Too many application essays are written in a stream of consciousness style, which jumps
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from point to point and rambles without connecting one thought to another. Using an outline will
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allow you to present your arguments and ideas in a manner that supports your conclusions,
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yielding a more powerful essay.
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Give concrete examples. When answering application questions or writing application essays,
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support your statements with concrete examples. For example, if you say that one of your best
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qualities is leadership, give an example where you demonstrated leadership. Similarly, a question
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about community service should not be answered with a vague "I like helping others and feel that
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it is important", but should also include specific examples where you have helped others.
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This can have a big impact on whether you win the award. If your application is filled with vague
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and abstract answers, the selection committee doesn't have any way of evaluating your
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qualifications. Selection committees never accept an applicant's self-evaluation at face value. If you
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give them concrete examples, they can form their own opinion and cite those experiences and
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accomplishments as evidence in support of their opinion.
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The only situation in which self-evaluation is appropriate is when you are writing about how an
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experience affected you. In such a situation you are the only source of information about your
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personal reaction. But do not limit the essay to how you felt about the experience. Instead, also
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talk about how it affected your future actions. By linking your feelings to concrete examples and
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actions, you allow the committee to judge how the experience affected you through a tangible
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result.
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Don't exaggerate. Stretching the truth can hurt your application. For example, if you list
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photography as a hobby on an application for a science scholarship, don't be surprised if you're
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asked to explain the chemical reactions that make photography possible during your interview.
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Selection committees are good at detecting when a student exaggerates, and the dishonesty will
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Proofread your applications.Check your application forms and essays for correct spelling and
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grammar usage.
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Ask a teacher or parent to review your application. It sometimes helps to have a second pair of
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eyes read over your application. They can catch errors you missed and make helpful suggestions.
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But don't allow your parents to edit all the life out of your essay. Discuss the essay with them, but
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don't let them rewrite it.