If you’re looking to get a scholarship to pursue your graduate or postgraduate degree, you probably already know that these scholarships are highly competitive. Although thousands of students apply yearly, only a few applicants are successful, as the awards are limited in number. That’s why scholarship committees typically require applicants to write a ”why you deserve this scholarship” essay, in order to select the best candidates for the awards. Although writing this essay may seem difficult or intimidating, with some critical thinking and introspection, you can write a compelling, winning essay. So it’s very important to very attentive when writing your ‘Why You Deserve This Scholarship’
Here! Let’s look at 10 tips you can use when writing a ”why you deserve this scholarship” essay to stand out from the competition.
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10 Tips On How To Write A ”Why You Deserve This Scholarship” Essay
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Explain how the award will advance your future plans and goals.
Regardless of the scholarship you’re applying for, scholarship providers are highly interested in your long-term career and personal goals. This isn’t surprising, as the scholarship award is a huge investment, and they need to be sure they’re investing in a worthy cause. Your essay should therefore give a clear picture of what your future short-term and long-term goals are, and how the scholarship will contribute to achieving them. Note that it’s always great to link your goals to a problem in your community that you’d like to solve!
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Tailor your essay to the purpose of the scholarship.
Typically, scholarships are provided for specific purposes. So, do your research and tailor your essay to align with what the scholarship is intended for. For instance, commonwealth scholarships are offered under six development themes, such as promoting global prosperity, science and technology for development, and strengthening health systems and capacity. If you’re applying for any commonwealth scholarship, your ”why you deserve this scholarship” essay will need to agree with one of these themes. It’s important that your essay agrees with the objectives that the scholarship provider hopes to achieve.
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Be authentic but promote yourself!
While your response needs to be genuine and true to you, this is your golden opportunity to stand out from the competition through your past achievements. Showing how you’ve achieved previous goals will give the assurance that you can achieve your future goals.
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Use a thesis statement to clarify the main point of your essay.
Just like you would in an academic paper or thesis, using a thesis statement gives focus to your writing. Ensure that your conclusion also emphasizes it. For instance, in your introductory paragraph, you may write:
”I deserve this scholarship because I have the fortitude to achieve my goals regardless of the obstacles I encounter.”
You can then explain the obstacles you’ve overcome, and how they’ve equipped you to overcome greater challenges. If you can’t come up with a thesis statement initially, you could first write your essay, then create one that perfectly sums up the message you’re trying to convey.
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Don’t just write about challenges you’ve encountered, clearly explain how you overcome them.
We’ve all gone through one or more challenges in life that shape who we are today. However, your ability to clearly describe how you overcame past difficulties can determine how compelling your essay will be. So write about the specific steps you took to overcome past obstacles.
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Avoid generic statements!
When writing your ‘why you deserve this scholarship’ essay, generic statements like, ”I’m hardworking” are vague and not convincing. Remember that applications are usually submitted by the best students globally, who are all hardworking. So, what makes you unique? Focus on your strengths, specific interests, and motivations.
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Give examples that corroborate your statements.
For instance, rather than say, ”I’m hardworking,” say ”I worked at two jobs while pursuing my degree, and I still achieved a 3.8 GPA.” With this, you’re showing a specific example of your grit and achievements.
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Use positive language
Rather than using neutral words, as much as possible, use positive statements even when describing how you overcame challenging situations. Words and phrases like, ‘top-notch’, ‘well-rounded’, ‘qualified candidate’, ‘specialised skills’, ‘gold standard’, and ‘pragmatic’ give your essay an overall positive look.
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Use modifiers instead of ‘very.’
‘Very’ has been described as a lazy and imprecise word. There’s always a stronger, more vivid word to describe something. Using modifiers to replace ‘very’ will make your essay sound more professional. Very careful becomes cautious, very creative becomes innovative, and very talented becomes gifted. Check out these modifiers that you can use instead of ‘very’.
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Don’t edit your essay immediately!
After you’ve written the first draft of your essay, you may want to edit it immediately. This is, however, not the best approach. It’s best to take a one-day break before editing your essay. This way, you’ll be able to read through it with new insight, and easily identify inconsistencies, grammatical errors, etc.
Having read these amazing tips on how you can write an exceptional ”why you deserve this scholarship” essay, you’re now equipped to write an award-winning essay. However, note that you’ll be given a word limit for your essay, usually 100, 250, 500 or rarely 1000 words. So, ensure that it’s compelling, concise, and within the word limit. Thinking of someone who deserves a scholarship? Share this article with them today!
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I believe this will even help me in other essays too. Thank you!