If you have spent any time searching for scholarships lately, you have probably noticed that many programs require an essay in addition to the scholarship application. The essay is often one of the most important aspects of your scholarship packet, as it can help separate you from a sea of other worthy applicants. If it is well drafted and compelling, your application may be sent to the top of the stack; on the other hand, if you submit an essay riddled with typos, or one that does not sufficiently cover the topic at hand, you may find your application sitting in the rejection pile instead. So, how do you ensure your application lands in the right stack? Your fate is often decided in the first three to five sentences of your essay, so first impressions are the key.
To help illustrate this fact, let’s work on a scholarship essay together. I will show you how to brainstorm for ideas and then how to use those ideas to draft your essay. One of my favorite scholarships to use is the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship. First, you must carefully read the essay prompt:
“Imagine that your high school/college has been overrun with Zombies. Your math professor, the cafeteria ladies and even your best friend have all joined the walking dead. Use your brain to flesh out a plan to avoid the Zombies, including where you would hide and the top 5 things you would bring with you to stay alive.”
From the information offered in the prompt, you know that you are at school when the zombies attack and that you have to think quickly to save yourself by finding five items; you must also find a place to hide. Now, envision where you might be when the zombies take over. Are you in one of your classes? Maybe you are in the cafeteria or in the gym. You might even be in the bathroom. Once you know where you are, it will be easier to determine your next move.
Now that you know where you are, look around to see what is happening. Have all your friends turned into zombies? What about the school’s staff? If you find yourself in immediate danger, you’ll need to locate a weapon (or two) to defend yourself, so start scanning your surroundings to see what you can use. This will also help determine your course of action, as you’ll need to decide if you are taking a stand where you are or moving to another location. Be sure to keep track of how many items you pick up or use, as this will count toward your limit of five items for the essay.
Once you make the decision to take a stand or move on, you’ll need to determine how your story will play out. If you take a stand, will you annihilate the zombies and be a hero, or will you eventually succumb and become one of the walking dead? If you choose to find an alternate location, will you try to leave the school grounds, make it to the roof to signal for help, or barricade yourself in a room, hoping that someone will rescue you before it’s too late? There’s no right or wrong answer, but you will need a plan.
Now that you have the pieces of your story laid out, it’s time to create your essay. One of the best ways to capture a reader’s attention is to tell a story. For example, let’s say I am in the girl’s bathroom when the zombies take over my school. A typical essay might begin like this:
If zombies were to take over my school and I was in the girl’s restroom, I would grab a toilet plunger and the tank cover, using both objects to fight my way out of the bathroom and make a run for the cafeteria.
BORING! Now, consider this version:
‘Seriously people, can you give me a minute? I am almost done!’ You would think that high school girls would have better things to do than scratch down the door of the restroom, but I guess they must really need to go. I quickly got myself together and was about to open the door when I noticed this putrid liquid slowly spreading out from under the door…
By putting the reader there in the space with you, he/she can visualize what is going on and will want to read more of your essay. Of course, now that you have the reader’s attention, you’ll need to keep him/her engaged. Don’t use a laundry list to rattle off the five items you would use to defend yourself. Instead, find a creative way to include those staples as part of the story. Here’s an example of both styles.
After using the plunger to stab a zombie in the eye and the tank cover to crush another’s skull, I ran to the cafeteria and grabbed a steak knife, bottled water and some matches. Hopefully, these items would be enough to get me through the night, as I waited for help on the roof.
Although you have listed the five items required for the essay, you haven’t explained why you needed those items or made it interesting enough for the reader to be invested in your survival. Now, consider this version, which uses the same five items:
Holy crap! Zombies have taken over my school. I decided right then that I would not die in the bathroom. I grabbed the toilet plunger and the tank cover. Taking a deep breath, I kicked open the door, planting the plunger’s handle in my best friend’s head and whacking my ex-boyfriend with the tank cover. Running like my life depended on it (and it did!), I made my way to the cafeteria. I usually tried to avoid this den of indigestion, but it was the only place I could find everything I needed to survive. I quickly located a long carving knife that could be used to stab any zombies that got too close and a box of matches, which I needed to light a signal fire on the roof. I also grabbed some bottled water, so I could stay hydrated and sweat-free. A girl should always look her best, even when battling the undead! As I made my way to the roof, I took one last glance around my campus and prayed that help would come in time.
As you can see, the second version is much more entertaining and still within the required word count of 250 words or less. It’s important to review the scholarship criteria and guidelines once you have completed your essay just to be sure you have met all the requirements; failing to do so will also derail your chances of winning. A fatal error you could make on the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship essay is using materials and weapons that would not be found on a high school or college campus. It would have been much easier to use a machine gun or a machete to kill the zombies, but are these items allowed on a school campus? No. Small details like this can often be the downfall of a scholarship essay. Paying close attention to how a scholarship prompt is worded, and staying within those boundaries, will increase your chances of making it to the finals. Just remember these tips when creating your future scholarship essays:
- Never use the scholarship question to start your essay
- Visualize (who, what, why, where, when and how)
- Tell a story and engage the reader
- Stay within the word count
- Edit, edit and edit again!
Think you’re ready to tackle some scholarship essays now? Be sure to check out the fun scholarships offered by ScholarshipExperts.com. Any U.S. student, 13 years or older, is eligible to apply. The awards range in value from $1,000 to $5,000 and can be used at any U.S. college or university. Good luck!