Getting a fully-funded scholarship is the ultimate dream for many students. However, these scholarships are rare, and they are exceedingly competitive. If you want to bag this educational grant, though, it wouldn’t hurt to listen to a few handy suggestions.
Here are some of the tips that apply to your situation:
Know Your Options
Figure out which schools provide these grants. When you browse through options for the ultimate scholarship for school students, you need to be clear about the requirements and which ones fit your application profile. Put together a list of your options to make it easier for you to winnow down your options.
Pick More Than One
The more, the merrier. Increase your chances of getting an educational grant that offers you a full ride by applying to more than one programme. Many of these programmes are well-known and quite competitive. You’ll need to have more than one programme in your sights. That way, even if that attempt fails, you still have submissions to other grants that you could look forward to.
Get Ready in Advance
The best application kits are the ones that have been prepared well in advance. If you have more than enough time to prepare and fill out the form, then you have a better chance of getting shortlisted for the exam and interview. Some grants, though, require you to try out for the scholarship an entire year in advance. That is why it’s smart to consider your future decisions.
Work Hard
It’s not easy applying for scholarships. That essentially means you’ll have to take care of tasks on top of all your other school assignments and projects. The work will cut into most of the spare time you have, so that means less time for video games and screen. However, if you work hard at it, then you improve your chances of getting a scholarship that can offer you the highest amount possible.
Stay Motivated
It’s going to be hard to keep going, though, when you’re swamped with all your homework, can’t seem to write the perfect personal statement essay, and or just generally tired. Through all that, you’ll need to stay motivated. Nothing and no one can do that for you, so it’s necessary to discover what encourages you, what keeps you motivated. For instance, imagining how your life will change with the educational grant is a good exercise of that. Also, dreaming of all the things that you now have the freedom to do just because your tuition is covered is a fun and encouraging thought.
Stand Out from the Rest
When you talk about yourself in the personal statement essay, mention details that make you unique from everyone else. Were you brought up differently that you had no access to mainstream culture up until a few years ago? How did this change your view of the world? Did you have an abusive family member who made it difficult for you to study? Talking about these will help you be more open in the essay, especially about qualities that
Take Regular Breaks
If you want to improve the odds in your favour, then take regular breaks. That will help you come up with a personal statement essay as best as you can. Also, regular breaks help you stay alert and that’s an excellent skill to have. With breaks in between, you can take your time answering the form. The more careful you are, the more you’ll stand out.
Check the Form Carefully
A little carelessness in the application form can cost you a lot. Minor errors in spelling and grammar might not seem like much, but if you’re competing against the best of the best, then you’ll need to be up those standards. It could come down between you and someone with more or less the same qualifications that you do. However, the other student might be have been more careful with the application form and might have eliminated all errors, which could tip the scales in that student’s favour.
Ask for Help
Don’t hesitate to reach out to others for help. Choose someone you trust to go over your application form. It could be a friend, a mentor, teacher, or your parent. They can offer suggestions on what you could change, areas that you could improve, and even give you feedback on what parts of the essay touched them the most. The emotional impact of those sections can tell you where you succeeded and which parts you’ll want to work on to get the outcome you want out of your readers.
You have a ton of competition and often, winning a scholarship is as much due to your qualities as to luck and timing. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get this one. Keep trying until you bag one.