How to Write a Scholarship Essay about Why You Deserve It + Scholarship Essay Samples

A scholarship essay is one of the most important essays you might have written in your life! No wonder your own budget depends on how successful it is! But we are not here to make you even more worried about this task. This article by Custom-Writing experts can help you make the writing process as easy as it can be.

The thing is that there may be other students with the same grades and achievements as you, so you need to stand out if you want that scholarship. In this case, you need to focus on explaining why you are the one who deserves it!

👣 How to Write a Scholarship Essay Step by Step

There are only a few tips to keep in mind when you are to write your financial assistance essay.

1. Start early. It must be the most challenging part. However, you absolutely need to make sure you have enough time for every next step of the process. So try to start earlier than you usually do (preferably not on the due day).
2. Research everything you can about the scholarship provider. All of them are looking for different candidates. Check their overall mission and if it fits you, think about how you can highlight your best traits according to it in your essay.
3. Always check and follow the requirements. Make sure you understand every step in the instructions for submitting your essay. You don’t want to lose those thousands of dollars of the scholarship just because you didn’t pay attention to the requirements!
4. Choose more optimistic topics. Even if you’ve been through hard times, try to focus on the positive sides. Write about how you managed to overcome those obstacles and what that experience has taught you. It sets the right mood and presents you from the best side!
5. You are allowed to get personal. Don’t be afraid to share something about what makes you an individual. It appears to be one of the best strategies when it comes to scholarship essays. Not only this approach highlights your personality; it makes your writing unique and gives a chance for the committee to know who you really are. It improves the chances they will remember you!
6. Don’t be shy to ask for advice. Getting some feedback from your mentors, teachers, and peers can be extremely helpful and valuable. You shouldn’t miss a chance to improve.
7. Never skip proofreading and grammar check! If you think it doesn’t really matter, think twice! Some admission committees wouldn’t even read past the first grammar mistake they find! Besides, it can really distract from the central message of your essay. Take some time and double-check everything before submitting it.
8. It’s not time to give up yet! You can feel tired and frustrated, but it’s completely normal. All you need is to take a break, have a nap, and come back to the writing process with a fresh head full of ideas! Don’t let the burnout catch you!

💡 Scholarship Essay Topics

First, you should choose an appropriate topic to illustrate your unique qualities (unless the committee has already selected it for you). Talk about anything that you think can make you stand out among the other applicants for this scholarship.

1. Challenges you overcame. It’s considered one of the best topics for a scholarship essay! This way, you honestly talk about tough times and explain what you learned from those obstacles. Such an experience is always valued.
2. Write about your background. You may choose to describe anything that shows off your personality. Try to come up with something that you feel like your CV is incomplete without. The committee respects honesty and is always glad to make a connection with you!
3. Explain how you solved a problem. Such an essay is supposed to demonstrate your way of thinking. Explain why the problem was so essential and add some details about your thought process. It’s another excellent way for the admission committee to get to know you!
4. Challenging an idea. Note, this topic is about your perspective! So talk about the time when something made you reevaluate your beliefs and ideas. It’s always useful to show that you are mature and open-minded enough to admit you were wrong and change your point of view.
5. Your main passion. Write about a hobby or a topic that you care about so much that you can lose track of time while consumed by it. Being curious is one of the best qualities for a student!
6. Talk about your personal growth. If there was an event or an experience that made a profound change in your life, go for it! Describe how it shaped your views and identity.
7. Free topic. Sometimes, it happens that the committee would give you a chance to write about anything you want! It’s important to remember that the main point of a scholarship essay is to show your true self.
8. The significance of that scholarship for you. Here, you have a chance to explain why you are the best match for this funding. Be honest and don’t show off too much. In this essay, your grades are not the most important.
9. Your favorite book. Once again, it’s all to show your personality. Don’t write it in the form of a review, though. Explain why the book became so personal to you and what it reveals about you.
10. Write about someone you admire. Try to avoid cliché personalities. You should write about someone who genuinely changed your views or behavior. They don’t necessarily have to be worldwide famous.

📑 Scholarship Essay Format

Once you’ve selected the topic and established your goal, you need to outline the story you’re about to tell. Without a well-thought-out plan, it will be challenging to keep the narration logical and straightforward and avoid getting lost in your thoughts.

A standard scholarship essay format can be similar to that of a five-paragraph essay with an introduction, a three-paragraph body, and a conclusion.

Scholarship Essay Introduction

The introduction is the face of your paper. Capturing the committee’s interest is the only way to get them engaged in your story. And once you do that, you’ll have every chance to receive your scholarship.

Scholarship Essay Body

The body is the paper’s part that has all the “meat.” It contains the main argument. The body paragraphs should include the information on your life, accomplishments, and plans for the future—anything that the committee might find engaging and persuasive.

Scholarship Essay Conclusion

In this part of the essay, you’ll stress your story’s significance and why it’s necessary to give the scholarship to you.

There is only one main rule for the conclusion—don’t try to sum everything up. Your scholarship essay is short as it is. So, there is nothing to go over and review, as the memory is still fresh. To write a proper scholarship essay conclusion, just put extra emphasis on your story’s points that you consider to be the most important.

👌 Scholarship Essay Tips

A great, well-considered story about yourself is only one part of your scholarship essay’s success. What’s the other? It’s your language and the vocabulary you use.

You have to choose your words carefully, as they can make a significant impact on your essay’s overall success. Here are three core principles you can follow to filter out the wrong words:

1. Sincerity. ‘A good candidate’ and ‘well-prepared’ is much better than ‘fantastic background’ and ‘exceptional skills.’
2. Positive views. ‘Well-prepared’ can be a good substitute for ‘struggling academically.’
3. Conciseness. Delete ‘very,’ ‘strongly’ and ‘literally’ from your papers and try to find more substantial one-word synonyms, instead.

At the same time, don’t try to show off your vocabulary just for its sake. Instead, use it as a tool to help you craft your story that will earn you that scholarship. After getting into the right mindset, try using the following words to brighten up your vocabulary.

👀 Scholarship Essay Samples

Of course, no amount of theory can compare to a nicely composed scholarship essay example. Instead of reading endless tips and suggestions and trying to remember all that information, take a look at an already-written work. It’ll give you an idea of what the finished essay should look like.

We couldn’t deprive you of this excellent opportunity. So, we’ve decided to provide you with several sources to find these examples. They will give you a clearer understanding of how you should approach the writing of your scholarship essay.

• Scholarship paper examples (Custom-Writing.org). On this page, you can find three examples based on the top best topics! Those ideas are proven to be the most successful when it comes to receiving the scholarship. You can also find some comments about every example and a small Q&A section to help you understand the details!
• Scholarship essay samples (UW-Madison). A couple of great downloadable examples of scholarship essays from one of the best colleges in the US! Moreover, they offer some writing tips that you can’t miss. It’s not easy to get into such a quality private college and get financial aid, so you should use all the help they offer!
• Scholarship essay examples (San Diego State University). San Diego State University also appears to be quite generous and gives you a chance to look through four essay examples and ideas. Since it’s not easy to get into this university either, you should pay attention to what they consider the best writings!

🔗 References

1. Writing a Winning College Scholarship Essay: The Princeton Review
2. Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay: College Board
3. How To Write a Scholarship Essay: Maryville University
4. How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay: Top Universities
5. 5 Ways to Make Your Scholarship Essay Stand Out: US News
6. Introductions: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill