COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AND FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES - The $1 Million Question - How Do I Win an Essay Contest?

Sep 22, 2026

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Guide to writing a scholarship application personal essay that improves competitiveness for college students seeking financial aid. Emphasizes planning before writing, brainstorming, creating an outline, and being original while using specific stories, examples, and anecdotes. Provides practical workflow advice such as recording speech then transcribing, proofreading for spelling and grammar, and ensuring readability with clear formatting. Also offers strategies for uniqueness, including going beyond surface details, avoiding self-centered tone, focusing depth over breadth, and tailoring the essay to each scholarship organization’s audience.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time4 min

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The $1 Million Question: How Do I Win an Essay Contest?

Writing a Winning Personal Essay

Making the Essay Unique

Planning the Scholarship Application Essay

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AND FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES The $1 Million Question: How Do I Win an Essay Contest? Writing a winning essay isn’t hard—just follow these tips. By: Kay Peterson, Ph.D. With more than $1 million in essay scholarships in the FastWeb database, suddenly learning to put your thoughts on paper is more important than ever. The personal essay may be the hardest part of your scholarship application. But if done well, it will give you the edge over your competition. It’s where the “real you” can shine through. If you find it difficult to write, try talking into a tape recorder. After you’re done, you can transcribe the recording and edit the result. This can be the genesis of a good essay. Most people speak at a rate of 200 words per minute, but write or type at a rate of only 30 words per minute. So the act of writing can get in the way of your creativity, interrupting the flow of thought. You will also be more expressive when you talk, yielding a more personal and interesting essay. Make your essay a hit with these tips from scholarship providers: • Think before you write . Brainstorm to generate some good ideas and then create an outline to help you get going. • Be original. The judges may be asked to review hundreds of essays. It’s your job to make your essay stand out from the rest. So be creative in your answers. • Show. Don’t tell. Use stories, examples and anecdotes to individualize your essay and demonstrate the point you want to make. By using specifics, you’ll avoid vagueness and generalities and make a stronger impression. • Develop a theme . Don’t simply list all your achievements. Decide on a theme you want to convey that sums up the impression you want to make. Write about experiences that develop that theme. • Know your audience . Personal essays are not “one size fits all.” Write a new essay for each application—one that fits the interests and requirements of that scholarship organization. You’re asking to be selected as the representative for that group. The essay is your chance to show how you are the ideal representative. • Submit an essay that is neat and readable. Make sure your essay is neatly typed, and that there is a lot of white space on the page. Provide adequate margins (1" to 1½ ") on all sides. • Make sure your essay is well written and free of errors . Proofread carefully. Check the spelling and grammar. Share your essay with friends or teachers. Another pair of eyes can catch errors you might miss. MENDOCINO COLLEGE Making Your Scholarship Application Essay Unique “Please write a short personal essay.” What does that mean? The message is clear—tell us what makes you the obvious and best choice. Keep your sentences short and clear. The reader is less interested in your vocabulary than in getting a clear picture of who you are. Here are some ideas for making your essay unique, complete with examples of the good (Aha!) and not so good (Ho-hum) . Of course, if everyone who reads this flyer does all these things, no one will be unique, so build on these ideas as you create your personal essay. 1. Peel back the surface. You need to make your statement personal, not just in the sense that it isabout you. Peel, but in the ways in which you share thoughts and feelings that go beneath the trivial. You need to get at what you feel and think about most deeply. Ho-hum: I am a person with many interests. Among them are soccer, cheerleading, and a concern with the feeling of others. Aha! Sandburg once noted that life is like an onion. You peel away the layers and sometimes you cry. Three things that make me cry are… 2. Recognize the difference between being self-directed and self-centered. Above all, avoid a selfcongratulatory tone. Let the reader add the adjectives based on the information you provide. Ho-hum: I believe that my talents go in many directions. My academic achievements, my lead role in the school play, and my high scoring in basketbal

FAQs

What is the main goal of a personal essay for scholarship applications?

It helps you stand out by showing the real you and giving the reader a clear picture of who you are. A well-written essay can create an advantage over other applicants.

How can I improve my essay if writing feels difficult?

Try talking into a tape recorder, then transcribe and edit the result. Speaking often comes faster than writing, which can protect your creativity and flow of thought.

What makes a scholarship essay more unique and effective?

Go beyond surface-level statements by sharing deeper thoughts and feelings. Avoid a self-congratulatory tone, focus on depth over breadth, and tailor your content to the scholarship’s specific audience.

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Rowan