HOW TO: SCHOLARSHIPS Tips on Scholarship Searching, Essays, and Interviewing by Kim Weis, Counselor BHS and GT Enrichment Coordinator TVHS Majority of this presentation is a compilation of tips from various scholarship websites. I have thrown in a few pieces of my own
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HOW TO: SCHOLARSHIPS Tips on Scholarship Searching, Essays, and Interviewing by Kim Weis, Counselor BHS and GT Enrichment Coordinator TVHS Majority of.
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HOW TO:SCHOLARSHIPS
Tips on Scholarship Searching, Essays, and Interviewing by Kim Weis, Counselor BHS and GT Enrichment Coordinator TVHS
Majority of this presentation is a compilation of tips from various scholarship websites. I have thrown in a few pieces of my own advice.
Scholarship Searching
Use the right keywords in your search! The field you want to study: engineering,
dentistry, music, etc. The region of the country/world you are
from The region of the country/world where
you’d like to study Your Gender Your age (good for “non-traditional”
students over the age of 25) Your ethnicity/minority status
While you are researching scholarships, beware of scholarship programs that use the following phrases: The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back
Truth: no scholarships for college are guaranteed; you have to apply for them!
You can’t get this information anywhere else Truth: scholarship information is public information
I need your credit card/bank account number to hold this scholarship Truth: school scholarships are awarded based on need
“We’ll do all of the work” Truth: students pursuing college financial aid do
most of the work The scholarship will cost some money
Truth: college scholarships are gift aid toward the student’s college education; they don’t require payment by the student
You’ve been selected by a foundation to receive a scholarship/You’re a finalist in a scholarship contest Truth: if you haven’t reached out to an organization
or entered a contest, it’s unlikely that you would be randomly selected for their scholarship
Background and influences: They will want you to write about your background and major influences to know more about you “How has your family background affected the way you see the
world?” Future plans and goals: to look for applicants with vision
and motivation “Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?”
Financial need: “State any special personal for financial circumstances affecting
your need for financial assistance.” Random topics: to assess your creativity and get a more
well-rounded sense of your personality. “Choose a person or persons you admire and explain why.”
Read the directions: Sometimes the directions can clarify the intent of the question
Begin the writing process by writing an outline Make sure your outline touches on every aspect required per the
instructions Write your essay by elaborating on each of the points in your
outline Use clear, concise, and simple language throughout the
essay Read your essay out loud: if you get tripped up reading it out
loud or it sounds awkward, the reader will probably experience the same thing
Make sure your grammar and spelling are impeccable Ask a person with strong writing skills to edit and proofread your
essay before you submit it Sources: www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarship-application-strategies/top-10-tips-for-writing-effective-scholarship-essays/
Write and interesting essay Remember, “most students haven’t lived long enough to
develop a personal philosophy or life story that isn’t trite, superficial, preachy, or tiresome. A truly interesting essay will engage the reader and attract attention.” – Top Universities website Write about something you find interesting or that you
are passionate about “Try to find a unifying theme that binds together the
threads of your background into a tapestry that only ever relates to you.” – Top Universities website
State your accomplishments without coming across as if you are bragging – be humble
Beforehand: Congratulate yourself: Getting an interview is a privilege! Review your application materials thoroughly
Oftentimes, interviewers will reference something you put in your application and ask further questions
Review the scholarship program information, including information about the organization giving the scholarship; look at the organization’s website, if possible
Dress comfortably and professionally Dress respectfully so that the interviewer is not distracted by
your appearance Avoid revealing your midriff, cleavage, and underwear. Avoid wearing a hat, jeans, spaghetti strap tank tops, etc.
Answer with openness and honesty – do not exaggerate Take your time answering questions
Taking a few moments to formulate your response is only awkward for you. The silence is not awkward for the interviewer
Answer specifically and concisely Try to avoid using verbal fillers: “like,” “um,” “you know,” etc.
Frame your responses positively You may get asked a question that addresses a challenging situation.
Focus on the positive growth, what you learned, not the foolish decision you made
Practice: Interviewing is a skill and while something may sounds good in your head, it can be difficult to articulate an answer. Ask a parent, family friend, or counselor to help you practice
After: Shake the interviewer’s hand and thank them Some people like to bring thank you cards with
them and fill them out afterwards, thanking the interviewer for their time. This is optional
You may want to write down the interview questions right after you finish interviewing (before they leave your brain for good!) to help you prepare for future interviews
Tell me about yourself, your background, and interests. What is your biggest accomplishment? What is your biggest weakness? (remember the positive
framing tip!) In your application, you mentioned _________. Tell me more
about that experience. What do you envision yourself doing in 10 years? What makes you an ideal candidate for this opportunity? How do you define “success?” What books not required for school have you read recently? What mark do you think you’ve left on your school? What are your goals?
There are thousands of questions that you can try to prepare to answer, but my suggestion is this: Go into the interview with a few stories/examples that
you can adapt to different questions. Examples of previous behavior help paint a picture of future behavior. When have you been a leader? Made a contribution to your
community? What is an accomplishment you’re proud of? Come in with specific situations/examples that can address these types
of questions. Concrete examples are better than abstract, vague answers.
Questions about the future: think about the Why? How do you see yourself contributing to society 10 years from
now? What are your goals? These are more vague, but think of why you want to pursue the
career/major you want If you’re not sure what you want to major in specifically, but know you
want to help people or contribute to the science field, talk about that.
4Key Things to Remember
1. It is your responsibility to search for and apply for scholarships – not your parent’s, counselor’s, other other adult.
They may help you, but ultimately, it comes down to you
2. Start looking early! I recommend using the search engines and the
scholarships tab on Naviance the summer before your senior year or right at the beginning of senior year
3. The kids that get more money, put more work into it: searching, essays, etc.
4. Look outside of the web searches Ask your parents, grandparents, family friends, etc. if
they belong to any organizations or if their employers offer scholarships
Thank You!
I hope this is helpful. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me: Kim Weis, Thompson Valley GT Enrichment