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🌻 Tips/Tricks 🌻Why?✅ Do's🚫 Don'ts
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1. Apply for local scholarshipsMany communities offer local scholarships through clubs, organizations, small businesses, and benefactors. The odds of winning these scholarships are greater because they’re open to a smaller group of students. ✅ DO start the process sooner than later.🚫 DON'T become discouraged if you don’t win right away.
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2. Apply for scholarships with smaller awardsMany students look for scholarships that offer the biggest bucks—but those are also the most competitive. Scholarships with smaller awards usually have fewer applicants, so your chances of winning may be higher. These scholarships can help with college costs like books, supplies, and living expenses. Paying off those smaller expenses can quickly add up to big savings.✅ DO apply early and apply often!

The more scholarships you apply to, the better your odds are of winning. Cast a wide net – applying for as many as you’re matched to will make all the difference in winning one. 		🚫 DON'T count out those opportunities with lower award amounts.
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3. More work = fewer applicants = better chancesMany students avoid scholarships that require a lot of work, such as essays, videos, and projects. As a result, the applicant pool is much smaller, which means greater chances for you. Scholarships with essays over 1,000 words often have fewer than 500 applicants, compared to the 5,000 students who enter easier scholarships.✅ DO be cautious of scholarship and financial aid scams

🚩 Red Flags Include: Fees, Guarantees You'll Win, "You're Already A Winner!", Personal Information Requests, Missing Sponsor Information (don't call us, we'll call you)		🚫 DON'T Spend Money to Make Money

Don't pay for a scholarship. If a scholarship requires an application fee or any other payment, it's almost certainly a scam. And if you're "guaranteed" an award for a payment, run from the scholarship.
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4. Get personalInstead of burning yourself out applying for every scholarship you qualify for, have some fun! Apply for scholarships that fit your interests and that you’ll enjoy. There are scholarships for everyone under the sun: zombie lovers, vegetarians, Magic: The Gathering players … the list goes on and on. The more personal the scholarship, the more likely your passion will show through, resulting in a better submission.✅ DO make your scholarship application personal.

The key to writing a strong essay is to be personal, authentic, and specific. Include concrete details to make your experience come alive. Even the simplest experience can be monumental if you present honestly how you were affected.		🚫 DON'T avoid applications that require essays.
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5. Don’t introduce yourself in your essayIt’s cliché and may even get you disqualified. Many scholarship committees conduct blind readings, and essays that include names or other identifiers are immediately discarded. Get to the point as quickly as possible.✅ DO complete the application in full.🚫 DON'T Wing It
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6. Don’t repeat the essay promptNo one wants to reread the same sentence hundreds of times a day. Be original! Use the beginning of your essay to showcase your personality and set yourself apart from the crowd. Try starting your essay by setting the scene for a story or jumping directly into your answer.✅ DO keep a backup file in case anything goes wrong.🚫 DON'T Let Others Do the Work
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7. Don’t use quotesYour essay should be about you. The best essays are unique and stand out from the competition, so be original and use your own words.✅ DO give it a final “once-over.” Even better, give it a “twice-over.”🚫 DON'T Simply Reuse Essays

If you choose to recycle an essay from a previous application that you think meets the current prompt, be sure to freshen it up. You can add a section specific to the sponsoring organization, for example.
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8. Satisfy all the requirementsYou can write the best essay in the world, but if the prompt asks for a list of five things, and you only list four, you may be disqualified. Make sure you answer every question and accurately meet every requirement.✅ DO complete the application in full.🚫 DON'T Wing It
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9. Ask your recommenders AGAIN if you could add them to be your recommenders for scholarshipsWaiting until the last minute to ask your teachers, professors, counselors, etc. for a letter of recommendation is only going to stress them out. Besides asking in advance, selecting the right person to recommend you is crucial. If you’re trying to get a scholarship for foreign language study, a recommendation from a French teacher will be much more relevant than one from a physics teacher, for example. It’s also helpful to ask for a recommendation from someone who has witnessed your academic ability and/or personal character.✅ DO include letters of recommendation if they're optional. Always include them if they're requested🚫 DON'T assume that teachers and/or counselors are okay with writing your scholarship letters of recommendation!

Letters of recommendation for scholarships are different than letters of recommendation for college applications
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10. ProofreadSpelling and grammar mistakes may get you disqualified. Make sure to proofread your essay at least twice and ask your parents and friends to look it over, too. The more eyes, the better.✅ DO give it a final “once-over.” Even better, give it a “twice-over.”🚫 DON'T Simply Reuse Essays

If you choose to recycle an essay from a previous application that you think meets the current prompt, be sure to freshen it up. You can add a section specific to the sponsoring organization, for example.
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11. Submit earlyDon’t wait until the due date, just in case there’s a problem with the site, the Internet connection, or your computer. Application deadlines aren’t suggestions – they are final. Keep a calendar that outlines your application deadlines. Never wait until the deadline to submit your application – apply as early as possible.
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12. Apply for as many scholarships as you canThe tip we hear the most from scholarship winners is to apply for as many scholarships as you can. Treat it like a part-time job and set aside several hours every month to look for and apply for scholarships. You should continue applying for scholarships for as long as you’re in school.
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13. Stick to the word limitGet as close to the word limit as you can, but don’t go over. Exceeding the word limit may disqualify you.
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14. Stay organized, keeping deadlines in mind!Set aside a specific time that you’re going to focus on applying. It can be one night a week, an hour each day or whatever works with your schedule. When the designated time rolls around, focus your efforts solely on your applications to ensure that you follow through with the process.
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15. Don’t give up!If you don’t win, don’t take it personally, and DON’T GIVE UP! Like most things in life, the most successful scholarship winners are the ones who keep trying. Find scholarships that you’re passionate about and keep applying. Good luck!
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