What are some good essay scholarships for college applicants?

You're smart to start thinking about scholarships early, especially essay-based ones where strong writing can really set you apart. Some prominent, reputable essay scholarships that are open to a range of high school juniors and seniors include the Profile in Courage Essay Contest (hosted by the JFK Library), the Ayn Rand Institute's annual essay contests (like Anthem or The Fountainhead), and the Voice of Democracy competition by the VFW. Each has a different theme, audience, and word count, but all look for original thought and personal voice.

Many local community organizations, foundations, and even banks run essay scholarships with fewer applicants, which can improve your odds. For example, my friend won a small scholarship from a local rotary club for an essay on community service. It’s definitely worth checking with your school’s guidance office and your town’s website; they often have lists. Scholarship search engines like Fastweb and your school’s Naviance platform can also be helpful, though they require filtering since there’s a lot of volume.

Regarding topics, scholarships like the Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest are fairly open-ended. The Profile in Courage contest asks about a political figure, but you can pick almost anyone who fits the theme. The Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship is especially creative: it lets you submit almost anything that showcases your passion, not just traditional essays. My sibling did a fusion of video and essay last year for that one!

To stay organized, try using a spreadsheet with columns for scholarship name, deadline, application link, word count, required materials, and notes. Google Sheets is perfect since you can access it anywhere. I color-code mine based on how close the deadline is. My trick is to set personal deadlines one week before the actual ones, just in case tech issues pop up.

Start drafting essays early and save your best ones—you’ll notice certain essay prompts repeat frequently (things like 'describe a challenge,' 'how will you use your education,' etc.). You can often recycle and adapt previous work. Just be careful to personalize each essay for the specific scholarship prompt! My friend once missed a $1,000 award by copy-pasting an essay and forgetting to change the organization's name.

Best of luck—your writing skills will give you an advantage, so keep an eye out for opportunities and apply widely. Scholarship apps can feel like a lot of work, but every small scholarship adds up.