Obtaining Information
If you can get a form or routine information by telephone or on the web, do so, and save valuable time. If you are requesting information by mail, nclude a self-addressed stamped envelope with your request.

Read the Fine Print
As soon as you receive the application, read the instructions carefully. Pay attention to the information required.

If the application requires a transcript from all schools you have attended, request this information as soon as possible. After a few weeks have passed, call the schools to be sure that the transcripts have been sent to the proper addresses.

If you hand-deliver a transcript, do not tamper with the seal; the transcript may not be accepted if you do.

The Reasons Most Applications Come With a Phone Number
If you find that some instructions on an application are unclear, seek advice either from the scholarship provider, high school guidance counselor or a financial aid advisor. Don't be afraid to call the scholarship provider! Undoubtedly, you're one of many asking the same question!

Letters of Recommendation
Ask for letters of recommendation well in advance and discuss the kind of information needed in the letter. A concrete, detailed letter from someone, usually a professor, who knows you and your work well is usually worth more than three or four letters from people who don't know you well. Find that person and give him or her time to write a strong letter. To assist the people who write the letters, it is helpful to provide a copy of your resume and/or something written about yourself. Let the writer know what sorts of things you would like the letter to say. The more information that you provide to you reference may result in a more substantial and persuasive letter.

Be sure the writer knows the deadline. To ensure that the letter is sent on time, ask the writer once or twice, before it is due, whether it is finished, as a "friendly reminder." If the letter is delayed, ask whether more information is needed. You will be reminding the writer about your letter as well as giving him or her the necessary information.

How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay
If you think that writing essays for college applications was an exhausting experience, we're sorry to break the bad news to you -- there are more to come. Many scholarship applications require at least one essay -- although they are usually (but not always) shorter than those for college admissions.

Similar to admissions officers, scholarship committees see the essay as a window into the hearts and minds of the applicants. Because of this, essays for scholarships should be written similarly to college essays. They should be original, well written, honest, and describe something meaningful about you. Scholarship essays should captivate the readers and make then care about the writer. All the strategies that you learned in the college essay writing also apply to scholarship essays.

While scholarship applications may give you the luxury of writing on any subject -- in which case you can easily submit one of your college essays-- most give you a much more focused topic. For example, if you are applying to a civic group, they may ask you to write about your volunteer experience. In these cases you need to demonstrate in your essay that you are the most suitable candidate because you fulfill the specific criteria of the award better than anyone else.

The final thing you should keep in mind when writing is to consider the kinds of people who will be reading your essay. Make sure what you write will not offend the readers. Applications should always be written to provide the reader with what they want to see. Before you prepare scholarship applications, do what you can to find out who will be on the review committee. While this information is not always available, it can be gained simply by asking. "Who will be reviewing my application?," when you request materials. You can often use common sense to figure that a bank--sponsored scholarship is reviewed by bankers or a music scholarship by musicians.

Practice Makes Perfect
If essays, statements of purpose, or paragraph-long answers are requested, rework them over a series of drafts until they are as well written as you can make them. A good essay or answer is one that is concise, well-organized, smoothly written, interesting, distinctive, and without clichés or errors. Show your application to an high school guidance counselor, financial aid adviser, or anyone else who can give good criticism. Leave time for this rewriting and consultation.

The essay is often the key item in scholarship applications. This is where the committee can "visualize" the real you, your goals and accomplishments. Write several drafts and share them with teachers, family, and friends. Begin and end with strong statements that capture the reader's attention and leave a lasting impression. Use personal anecdotes or experience to illustrate your points. Committees may read 50 or 100 essays, make yours memorable.

The Finished Product
Type all application forms, letters, essays, questionnaires, or any other information that needs to be sent as part of the application process. Proofread all materials and make sure they are picture-perfect: no obvious white-out, no last-minute corrections with a pen, no misspellings, no errors, and no crumpling of paper. Just to be sure, after making all the corrections, have someone else look over the application and proof it. By University of Buffalo.

The personal statement, your opportunity to sell yourself in the application process, generally falls into one of two categories:

2. The response to very specific questions:
Often, business and graduate school applications ask specific questions, and your statement should respond specifically to the question being asked. Some business school applications favor multiple essays, typically asking for responses to three or more questions.

Questions to ask yourself before you write:
What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story?

What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?

When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained?

How have you learned about this field--through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?

If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth?

What are your career goals?

Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)?
Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life?

What personal characteristics (for example. integrity. compassion. persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession?

Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics?

What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess?

Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school--and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants?

What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you?

Answer the questions that are asked
If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar.
Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked.

Tell a story
Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.

Be specific
Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.

Find an angle
If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.

Concentrate on your opening paragraph
The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.

Tell what you know
The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you will have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgment.

Don't include some subjects
There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).

Do some research, if needed
If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.

Write well and correctly
Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions officers say that good written skills and command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.

Avoid clichés
A medical school applicant who writes that he is good at science and wants to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements.

Answer the questions that are asked
Statement #1
My interest in science dates back to my years in high school, where I excelled in physics, chemistry, and math. When I was a senior, I took a first-year calculus course at a local college (such an advanced-level class was not available in high school) and earned an A. It seemed only logical that I pursue a career in electrical engineering.

When I began my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the full range of engineering courses, all of which tended to reinforce and solidify my intense interest in engineering. I've also had the opportunity to study a number of subjects in the humanities and they have been both enjoyable and enlightening, providing me with a new and different perspective on the world in which we live.
In the realm of engineering, I have developed a special interest in the field of laser technology and have even been taking a graduate course in quantum electronics. Among the 25 or so students in the course, I am the sole undergraduate ate. Another particular interest of mine is electromagnetics, and last summer, when I was a technical assistant at a world-famous local lab, I learned about its many practical applications, especially in relation to microstrip and antenna design. Management at this lab was sufficiently impressed with my work to ask that I return when I graduate. Of course, my plans following completion of my current studies are to move directly into graduate work toward my master's in science. After I earn my master's degree, I intend to start work on my Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Later I would like to work in the area of research and development for private industry. It is in R & D that I believe I can make the greatest contribution, utilizing my theoretical background and creativity as a scientist.

I am highly aware of the superb reputation of your school, and my conversations with several of your alumni have served to deepen my interest in attending. I know that, in addition to your excellent faculty, your computer facilities are among the best in the state. I hope you will give me the privilege of continuing my studies at your fine institution. (Stelzer pp. 38-39)

Statement #2
Having majored in literary studies (world literature) as an undergraduate, I would now like to concentrate on English and American literature.

I am especially interested in nineteenth-century literature, women's literature, Anglo-Saxon poetry, and folklore and folk literature. My personal literary projects have involved some combination of these subjects. For the oral section of my comprehensive exams, I specialized in nineteenth century novels by and about women. The relation ship between "high" and folk literature became the subject for my honors essay, which examined Toni Morrison's use of classical, biblical, African, and Afro-American folk tradition in her novel. I plan to work further on this essay, treating Morrison's other novels and perhaps preparing a paper suitable for publication.

In my studies toward a doctoral degree, I hope to examine more closely the relationship between high and folk literature. My junior year and private studies of Anglo-Saxon language and literature have caused me to consider the question of where the divisions between folklore, folk literature, and high literature lie. Should I attend your school, I would like to resume my studies of Anglo-Saxon poetry, with special attention to its folk elements.

Writing poetry also figures prominently in my academic and professional goals. I have just begun submitting to the smaller journals with some success and am gradually building a working manuscript for a collection. The dominant theme of this collection relies on poems that draw from classical, biblical, and folk traditions, as well as everyday experience, in order to celebrate the process of giving and taking life, whether literal or figurative. My poetry draws from and influences my academic studies. Much of what I read and study finds a place in my creative work as subject. At the same time, I study the art of literature by taking part in the creative process, experimenting with the tools used by other authors in the past.
In terms of a career, I see myself teaching literature, writing criticism, and going into editing or publishing poetry. Doctoral studies would be valuable to me in several ways. First, your teaching assistant ship program would provide me with the practical teaching experience I am eager to acquire. Further, earning a Ph.D. in English and American literature would advance my other two career goals by adding to my skills, both critical and creative, in working with language. Ultimately, however, I see the Ph.D. as an end in itself, as well as a professional stepping stone; I enjoy studying literature for its own sake and would like to continue my studies on the level demanded by the Ph.D. program. (Stelzer pp. 40-41)

Lee Cunningham
Director of Admissions and Aid
The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business

The mistake people make most often is not to look at what the questions are asking. Some people prepare generic statements because they're applying to more than one school and it's a lot of work to do a personal essay for each school. On the other hand, generic statements detract from the applicant when we realize that we're one of six schools and the applicant is saying the same thing to each and every school despite the fact that there are critical differences between the kinds of schools they may be applying to. They don't take the time. They underestimate the kind of attention that is paid to these essays. Take a look at what the essay asks and deal with those issues articulately and honestly.

At least 2, and sometimes 3, people read each essay. I read them to make the final decision. Our process works so that each person who reads the application does a written evaluation of what he or she has read and the written evaluations are not seen by the other reader.
(adapted from Stelzer, p. 49)

Online Writing Lab: Univeristy of Purdue
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_perstate.html

Personal statements are the most common type of scholarship essay. These tips are written with that format in mind. Here are three ideas to help you keep the task in perspective:

1. Space constraints are often frustrating . . . but your competitors face them, too.

2. Scholarship essays can pave the road for graduate school essays and cover letter in the future.

3. Many students find that writing a good personal statement helps them clarify who they are and where they are going. This is inherently good.

Get Started
Two mildly contradictory and equally valid bits of advice:

1. Think about what to say about yourself before you start writing.
Scribble down a list of experiences and accomplishments. Do not limit yourself to resume items. What stories do you share with friends? What events from the past still linger in your thoughts today? What has changed you recently? Talk to other people. What would they include in your biography? Simply reflect. What is important to you? What gets you excited or moves you to act? What threads form patterns in your life? What do you hope to accomplish?

2. Use the writing process as a vehicle for discovery.
Consider writing several different drafts. Experiment. Some students start by outlining the points they intend to make. Try banging out a draft within some set time limit (like thirty minutes). Read it later to look for gems twinkling amid the rocks. Writing is recursive. The fifteenth paragraph may suddenly suggest a better direction for the third sentence.

Read the Instructions
Surely a step that top students would never skip. Right? Adhere to the minimum font size and maximum number of words. Only pare down to the word limit late in the process though.

Different awards want different things. Make sure you answer the right questions. Make sure you fit the award. Quit writing and find a different scholarship if you are distorting or contorting yourself to fit their criteria.

Address Fundamental Questions
Regardless of what they ask you . . . readers typically want answers to the following questions:

What are your goals?
Why are you dedicated to them?
What in your life reflects that commitment?
What matters to you?
How do you see the world?
What makes you a good fit for this award?
What makes you stand out from other applicants?

Content
What belongs in a good personal statement is unique to each individual.
Nevertheless . . . here are some ideas that might help.

Talk about things that you would enjoy discussing at length.
Choose a few key points to develop . . . three or four perhaps.
Include concrete examples to illustrate larger themes. Choose anecdotes that show you taking action in your world.
Avoid braggy generalizations. Share specific incidents to show your strengths instead.
Ask yourself what readers might find memorable and/or unique about you.
Have any books or classes or artistic encounters profoundly shaped or shaken your outlook?
Write from a positive perspective.
Consider how your essay fits with everything else you submit.

Package Carefully

All scholarships value good writing. It measures your ability to communicate well and think clearly.
Scrutinize every word as you near the final draft. Edit like they cost twenty dollars each.
Avoid technical jargon when possible. Your readers are highly intelligent but not necessarily specialists in your field.
Get to the point.
Elaborate similes and other forms of narrative artifice generally fail.
Establish clear relationships between your paragraphs. Write explicit transitions.
Including quotes from others is typically cliché.
Your essay should read quickly and easily. Creating an ornate garden of fancy phrases and showy words is not the goal here.
The purpose of eloquence is to magnify the power of the idea.
Consult Style Tips for Scholarship Essays for more details about packaging.

After Drafting
Here are some thoughts regarding the revision process:
The best essays will get revised and reworked. Get input from mentors and friends. Ask smart people who are willing to criticize your work.
Stay objective. Try not to fall madly in love with your first draft.
Set your latest draft aside if time permits. Read it later with fresh eyes.
They say that a picture equals a thousand words. Reverse that idea as you read your essay. Does your thousand words add up to one good picture of you?

Other Sources
Get a second opinion. There are many more resources available in your library and/or in cyberspace.

Style Tips for Scholarship Essays

This page offers some basic ideas regarding how to polish your writing. Top swimmers and runners often win by a narrow margin . . . perhaps one tenth of one second. Execution of detail can also make or break your personal statement when the field is very competitive. Formatting

The goal of formatting is to make the format disappear.

Follow the instructions. Format as directed.
No instructions provided? Then ease of reading should instruct your choices.
No larger than 12 point type if no parameters are given. No smaller than 10 point type.
Minimum margins of one inch.
Do not justify your text. Align Left is the right setting.
Times New Roman is typical. Your font should have serifs. No funky fonts.
Always type it (or word process it) even if they say Type or Print Neatly. Almost all top awards prefer ordinary white paper. Seriously.
Are you supposed to sign the essay?

Punctuation & Grammar
Good punctuation tells the reader how words and phrases relate to each other. Good grammar tells the reader that you are careful and precise when you communicate.

Two spaces at the end of a sentence. One space after a comma, colon or semicolon.
Use complete sentences, even though there are ten fragments on this page.
Learn how to use commas, semicolons and colons effectively and correctly.
It is the passive voice that should be revised. Revise the passive voice. Subject-verb disagreement ruin ruins a sentence.
Contractions are often considered too informal for scholarship essays.
Many points of grammar are not mentioned here due to space. They still matter.
Rewrite the sentence (or split it into two) if the grammar looks wrong but the remedy eludes you.
Artfully break the rules no more than once or twice per essay.

Technique
Even after you learn the grip and the stance, you can still always work on your swing.

Cut words that do not detract from the sentence if eliminated. Do the same for sentences within paragraphs.
Seek to eliminate, so to speak, empty and meaningless phrases.
On the other hand, transitional words and phrases are priceless. They show the reader how sentences and paragraphs relate to one another.
Use the first personal singular. That teacher who told you never to use "I" was incorrect.
Variety is good though. Try using your experiences or your actions as the subject when you feel that you have used "I" once too often.
Avoid repetitive sentence structure and vary the length of your sentences. It makes the prose sing.

Web links of Community Colleges in Texas.

Or links for a list of Texas Colleges and Universities.

Some of the information in this web page came from:
http://www.ksu.edu/artsci/scholarship/