How To Make Yourself A Great Candidate For Scholarships

By Victoria Robertson on November 3, 2015

Scholarships: they always seem to be there, and yet they’re nearly impossible to obtain. Or at least, so it would seem.

In reality, making yourself a great candidate for a scholarship is a matter of effort, and if you’re willing to put in the work, you’ll have no problem getting the scholarships you need to help pay for the rising cost of an education.

So for those of you interested in saving some money in your college career, here are some tips to help make you a great candidate for scholarships.

1. Be active with community service.

Photo Via: http://www.marianuniversity.edu

While students should be active here regardless, many aren’t. One of the key things that scholarship candidates use to set themselves apart is their active volunteer status.

The more you can attribute to being a volunteer, the better. If you work at the local soup kitchen, are a member of your campus’ branch of Habitat for Humanity or even if you just participate in local community service events when you can, document it and use it.

Many students think that after high school this is no longer a big deal, but that’s so far from the truth. In reality, community service is always a good thing, and in many cases, it’s going to set you apart from other candidates.

So if you aren’t already involved, seek out ways to do so. There are countless organizations on every campus that host community service projects, and signing up and volunteering is a breeze.

2. Keep up your GPA.

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Yes, grades matter. When it comes to scholarships, they matter a lot.

Most students that don’t plan on going to grad school don’t worry too much about their GPA, as a lot of jobs don’t put emphasis on it. This is a huge mistake.

Your GPA is going to follow you everywhere, and when applying for scholarships, it might matter the most.

For many scholarships, the board won’t even look at your application if your GPA falls below a certain point.

On average, keeping somewhere above a 3.0 is your best bet, but a lot of scholarships will require a GPA even higher than that.

So if you aren’t already, start focusing on your grades, as they may just be the key to a discounted education.

3. Write the essay, and do it well.

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Another important aspect of your scholarship application is the essay component (if required).

And while it’s tempting to quickly write this up and send it in, I urge you not to.

Just like applying to college, writing an essay for a scholarship can make or break your application, so you don’t want to take that lightly.

Make sure you are taking your time while writing it, making sure every word is necessary and every sentence is well thought out and persuasive.

It’s easy to spot essays that were quickly typed out and sent without even being proofread, so don’t be one of those students with an easily thrown-away application.

Make the scholarship board want to read your essay. Make it interesting, brag, be unique, but most importantly, proofread it and refine it until you think that it’s perfect.

4. Be involved.

Photo Via: https://www.law.georgetown.edu

Another aspect of scholarships typically ignored by students is the section that asks for your involvement in the university. Essentially, they want to see that you’re doing more than just going to class and partying.

Your GPA will tell them whether or not you’re attending class, but what they want to see here is that you’re involved in other areas, and that you’re making the most of your college experience. Think about it: do you really think they’re going to fund your education if you aren’t putting in any effort?

Whether you’re in the science club, writing for the school paper or you decided to join a special interest group – these are experiences scholarship board members want to see.

The more involved you are, the better off you are. So take the job at the campus coffee shop, join the debate team and make the absolute most of your college experience, and make sure that it shows.

5. Keep an updated resume.

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While not all scholarships will require a resume, it’s a good habit to get into to keep an updated resume on your computer.

This way, you can document all of your community service and club involvement (as most scholarships will want detailed information such as dates of involvement) and it’s all in one, organized location.

Plus, eventually you’re going to need this resume for jobs, and by keeping it up-to-date, you’re making your life much easier in the future.

It really is that easy. So long as you’re staying on top of your schoolwork and remaining an active member of your community as well as participating in campus organizations, applying for scholarships is a breeze.

And as an extra tip: never stop looking! New scholarships pop up all the time, so if you don’t get one, you’re bound to get another. Actively search for these scholarships and you’ll be sure to find one that’s the perfect match for you.

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