My name is Josh Barsch, and I’ve given away over $100,000 of my own money to scholarship recipients. I started this site to help students stop screwing up their scholarship applications and win more money.
I’m the CEO of StraightForward Media, and our company has been awarding scholarships for a long time now. I’ve been a judge for those scholarships since we began the programs in 2003, and I’ve read thousands upon thousands of scholarship applications. And, I’m sorry to say, most of them are pretty bad.
A vast majority of students (I’m talking over 90%, at least) make stupid mistakes that disqualify their essays almost immediately. At first, it made me laugh, but soon enough it became a little depressing. I’d have a stack of scholarship essays that would take me hours to read, and it was exhausting to think that only a handful of them would be winner material. To be honest, it also pissed me off at the educational system. Is there really no one out there teaching our high school students how to write an acceptable scholarship essay?
Apparently not. So I decided to do something about it. I wrote a short e-book on the subject, which was very helpful for the kids who bought it, but didn’t do much for the body of applicants as a whole. So I decided to put this website out there for everyone to use, for free. If you’d still like to have all the information from the site in one document, you can still buy and instantly download the book if you want. But if you’re willing to explore this website, you don’t have to.
So look around as much as you like — the info is free and here for you to use. The links below provide links to all of our tips, and there are a lot of them. If you have questions or comments, just leave them as blog comments and I’ll answer them as soon as possible. Enjoy!
- Three rules worth repeating. Over and over and over again.
- Rule #1: Competitors are everywhere, so put your Best Foot Forward at all times.
- Rule #2: Scholarship judges are normal, busy human beings.
- Rule #3: Scholarship judges pay attention to every detail.
- The Most Basic and Fundamental Rule
- Example A: The length of your essay.
- Example B: Sending your essay the wrong way, in the wrong format, to the wrong place, to the wrong person, etc.
- Example C: Sending information you weren’t asked to send.
- Don’t be afraid to admit your past shortcomings and explain how you turned things around.
- When you’re talking about your future plans, be specific, and speak in terms of how they’ll benefit others.
- Don’t knock your peers.
- Balance pride with humility.
- Avoid references to perfection.
- Stay on topic.
- Don’t talk solely about your participation in common high school activities.
- Show some industry.
- Don’t be preachy.
- Go easy on the slang, yo.
- Be careful with sensitive political issues.
- Be careful talking about religion.
- Don't dwell on your GPA – it’s not a point of distinction.
- Don’t forget your family.
- Don’t forget what you do out of school.
- Don’t beg.
- Don’t act like your life is over if you don't get this one scholarship.
- Don’t act like you’re owed the scholarship.
- Don’t be a complete downer.
- Don’t quote pop-culture icons.
- Don’t use overly flowery, exaggerated language.
- Don’t use clichés.
- Think carefully before using a quotation to start your essay.
- If you’re going to use a quote, consider a lesser-known, original quote.
- If you’re going to use a quote, make it brief.
- Don’t draw attention to your negatives; instead, don’t refer to them at all.
- Avoid laundry lists.
- Omit vanity awards from your list of accomplishments.
- Don’t assume the committee knows your subject of interest as well as you do.
- If you mention a hardship, be sure it’s really a hardship.
- If you mention a hardship, say you don’t want special treatment (even if you really do).
- Have you done something unique? Bring it up!
- Discuss your social organizations in terms of the service work they do.
- Committees like stories of overcoming adversity.
- Committees like it when you’ve helped people.
- Committees like passion about something, anything.
- Avoid emphasizing commodity accomplishments.
- When possible, go into detail.
- If you decide to show off your foreign language skills, you’d better come prepared.
- Can’t think of what to write about? Ask friends what’s impressive about you.
- Incorporate your minority status if appropriate, but don’t make it the crux of your essay.
- Use a standard font size.
- If possible, use a laser printer instead of an inkjet printer.
- Use high-quality paper.
- Use boldface and underlining sparingly.
- Don’t scribble something on your typed essay in pen.
- Use black ink only.
- If your essay is longer than one page, put your contact information – and page numbers – on each page.
- You must Beat the Stack.
- Submit your essay in a large envelope.
- Don’t use clear plastic page protectors
- Send your essay in a folder so the papers stay crisp.
- Don’t use email smiley faces or any other sort of text-messaging language.
- If your scholarship application is being sent via email, send it from a neutral or professional-sounding email address.
- Don’t email your essay as an attachment.
- Have two or more people read your essay before you send it in.
- Language has rules. Abide by them.
- Learn the difference between “their” and “there,” “its” and “it’s,” “effect” and “affect.”
- Use proper punctuation.
- Be grammatical.
- Use action words.
- Get to the point!
- Don’t use redundant language.
- Use transitions well.
- Use a closing.
- Don’t start your closing with, “In closing.”
- Don’t begin your essay with “My name is.”
- Don’t use acronyms without explaining them first.
- Send in your essay near the beginning or the end of the application period.
- Don’t write the same essay for all the scholarships you apply for.
- Don’t write or ask the committee or granting institution for advice on how to write your essay.
- Show your essay to a teacher who doesn’t like you – or at least doesn’t know you.
- Be careful using voice-to-text software.
- Make your introduction as creative as possible.
- Don’t start your essay with “I deserve this award because…”
- Use creativity in your writing, but not your format.
- Do not, under any circumstances, have your parents write essays, letters, or anything else, on your behalf.
- Do not send your essay with postage due.
- Do not print your essay in all boldfaced type.
- Spell everything correctly.
- Type — don’t handwrite — your essay.
- Do not include sensitive personal information that you’re not asked for.
- Don’t print your essay on a used piece of paper.
- Make sure your name is on the essay.
- Don’t use a cursive or novelty font.
- Don’t use novelty envelopes or paper.
- Don’t trash-talk the committee.
- Don't plagiarize other people’s work.
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