What makes a strong college scholarship essay?
I've started drafting essays for a couple scholarships but I keep second-guessing if what I'm writing is actually what scholarship committees are looking for. My main concern is if I should focus more on personal challenges or if it's better to talk about my achievements.
For those who've already gone through this, what did you include that you felt made your essays stand out? Were you really open and vulnerable, or did you keep it mostly professional? I want to make my application as strong as possible, but I'm not quite sure which direction to take my essay in. Any tips or examples would really help me feel less lost right now.
For those who've already gone through this, what did you include that you felt made your essays stand out? Were you really open and vulnerable, or did you keep it mostly professional? I want to make my application as strong as possible, but I'm not quite sure which direction to take my essay in. Any tips or examples would really help me feel less lost right now.
7 months ago
•
64 views
Lydia Schooler
• 7 months ago
Advisor
A strong college scholarship essay is personal, specific, and directly addresses the prompt, while showing what makes you unique. Scholarship committees typically remember essays that reveal genuine passion, specific experiences, and a clear sense of purpose. The best essays often strike a balance between being open and showing your achievements, but they do so by connecting those achievements to a larger story about who you are.
Don’t be afraid to share personal challenges if they're relevant, but focus on what you learned or how you grew as a result. Vulnerability can be powerful when it's authentic and connected to your goals or how you give back to your community. However, an essay that's only a list of your achievements can sound impersonal—committees want to see not just what you've done, but who you are because of it.
For example, instead of saying, 'I volunteered 100 hours and received an award,' you could write about a moment during one of those hours that changed your perspective. Maybe you realized, while helping a younger student learn to read, how important mentorship is to you. That moment can then connect to your future goals or to the values that drive you.
It’s also helpful to tailor your tone and story to the specific scholarship. For community service-based scholarships, lean into stories of helping others or overcoming obstacles to do so. For academic-based grants, you might focus more on intellectual curiosity and determination.
Being honest and specific is key. Use vivid details and let your personality come through—committee members read hundreds of essays, so they remember the ones that sound genuine. I once wrote about teaching my little brother to ride a bike after our dad lost his job, which was a small but meaningful story that demonstrated responsibility and resilience. That specific experience revealed more about me than a generic essay listing my activities.
In summary: be real, be specific, connect your experience to your future, and show what you value, not just what you've accomplished. That combination is what makes an essay stand out in the scholarship process.
Don’t be afraid to share personal challenges if they're relevant, but focus on what you learned or how you grew as a result. Vulnerability can be powerful when it's authentic and connected to your goals or how you give back to your community. However, an essay that's only a list of your achievements can sound impersonal—committees want to see not just what you've done, but who you are because of it.
For example, instead of saying, 'I volunteered 100 hours and received an award,' you could write about a moment during one of those hours that changed your perspective. Maybe you realized, while helping a younger student learn to read, how important mentorship is to you. That moment can then connect to your future goals or to the values that drive you.
It’s also helpful to tailor your tone and story to the specific scholarship. For community service-based scholarships, lean into stories of helping others or overcoming obstacles to do so. For academic-based grants, you might focus more on intellectual curiosity and determination.
Being honest and specific is key. Use vivid details and let your personality come through—committee members read hundreds of essays, so they remember the ones that sound genuine. I once wrote about teaching my little brother to ride a bike after our dad lost his job, which was a small but meaningful story that demonstrated responsibility and resilience. That specific experience revealed more about me than a generic essay listing my activities.
In summary: be real, be specific, connect your experience to your future, and show what you value, not just what you've accomplished. That combination is what makes an essay stand out in the scholarship process.
Related Questions
Students also ask…