The Scholarship Essay

And the Writing Process

Jennifer McBride & Vincent Piro

Adapted from:
www.mccd.edu/faculty/pirov/agsscholarshi
pessay.ppt

The Writing Process

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Step One: Triggering and Analyzing the

Situation
Step Two: Gathering and Brainstorming
Step Three: Shaping by Writing an
Outline
Step Four: Writing Your Rough Draft
Step Five: Revising & Editing

STEP ONE:
Triggering and
Analyzing the
Situation

Step One: Triggering and Analyzing the

Situation

Usually,

the desire for financial

assistance triggers your need to write a
personal statement or essay as part a
scholarship process.

The

goal of an this is to convince

someone that you are worthy to be
granted a scholarship or receive
financial aid.

Audience
It

is important to consider the audience of

your personal statement or essay.
Are you writing to a national scholarship
committee?
Are you writing to a state-wide scholarship
committee?
Are you writing to a local scholarship committee?

Research

the organization giving the

scholarship for which you are applying.

Who is offering the scholarship?

Who are the judges?
For what is the organization known?
What is the organizations mission?

STEP TWO:
Gathering and
Brainstorming

Carefully Analyze the

Directions
If you are to write using a specific set of
directions, then carefully read the directions
several times.
Are there different parts to the directions?
Are you asked to provide different types of
information about yourself?

Divide

the question into its parts and make

an exhaustive list or cluster that answers
each part of the question

example:
Discuss how your interest in
your field or major developed
and describe your experience in
the field such as volunteer work
or internships and what you
gained from this involvement.
There

are three parts to these

directions, each highlighted above.

example
Good

Student Scholarship Directions:

a one or two page

autobiographical essay by the
applicant that includes information
about who the applicant is and what
the applicant hopes to accomplish.

Question: How many parts are there to

the directions above? What are they?

answer:
Good

Student Scholarship
Directions:
a one or two page
autobiographical essay by the
applicant that includes
information about who the
applicant is and what the
applicant hopes to
accomplish.

Brainstorm your ideas!

Write

down any idea that comes into your

head when you think about your topic
(words, phrases, symbols, etc.)

Methods:

1. Freewriting
2. Listing
3. Clustering

Freewriting
Freewriting

is like talking to yourself on paper. Write as much as you

can in connected sentences (not lists) about your topic. Write as
quickly as you can without stopping to think about grammar or
organization.

Helpful

when you have too many ideas or no ideas about your topic.

Options:
Write for a specific time period
Write for a specific amount of paper

Freewriting
Example:
My

favorite book I dont know where to start. I

read so many books that are interesting that its hard
to choose just one. I guess I could start by talking
about the kinds of books I really like. I like
biographies and autobiographies the best. I really
enjoy reading about another persons life. One of
my favorite books is called Roots by Alex Haley. How
the author was able to trace his family history all the
way back to Africa was amazing! Another book I
really enjoyed was Carl Sandburgs biography of
Abraham Lincoln. What an incredible president!
There are also some very interesting books about
leaders like Napoleon, Churchill, and Stalin. Well, I
guess that gives me a few ideas about where I can

Listing
Start

with the main topic of your essay. Write

that word or words at the top of your paper.

Write

down any word or phrase that might relate

to your main topic underneath. Dont worry
about spelling or grammar. Your goal is to write
down as many ideas as quickly as possible!

Listing
Example:

Why I Want to Become a

Nurse
Like science

Challenging job

Like problem solving

Opportunities for promotion

Many jobs available in

nursing

Interested in study of
diseases

Good salary

Interested in study of
human body

Like working in a hospital

Want to help other people

Flexible hours
Will always learn something
new

Clustering
Start

with the main topic of your essay.

Write that word in the center of your paper.
Write down any sub-topics that are
connected to that main topic. Draw arrows
to the sub-topics from the main topic.
Similar to a mind map

Clustering
Example:

General Questions for

Brainstorming

What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life
story?

What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or

events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the
committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?

When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned
about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and
reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights
have you gained?

What are your career goals?

Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example,
economic, familial, or physical) in your life?

What personal characteristics (for example. integrity. compassion.

persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in
the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you
have these characteristics?

From Purdues OWL.

<http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_perstate.html>

STEP THREE:
Shaping by Writing an
Outline

An Outline
Turning

your brainstorming into an

informal outline may help you
organize your thoughts and make sure
you have addressed all parts of the
directions

Example
1.

2.

3.
4.

Introduction: mention that I need a scholarship to

Cochise College because I want to be a teacher.
Cochise has excellent Education classes.
Body Paragraph: Mention how I have always wanted
to be a teacher since junior high when I tutored
elementary students.
Body Paragraph: Mention that I have experience as
a teachers assistant in Mr. Smiths biology class.
Conclusion: Note that my desire and experience
make be an ideal student for Cochise College.

Organization

There

are three parts to a

personal Statement or essay:
1. The Introduction
2. The Body Paragraphs
3. The Conclusion

The Introduction
Introduction:

Many personal statements

or essays begin with a catchy opening,
often a distinctive personal example, as a
way of gaining the reader's attention. From
there you can connect the example to the
actual scholarship for which you are
applying. Mention the specific name of the
scholarship, as well as the degree you are
seeking, in the first paragraph.

Adapted from Indiana Universitys Tutorial Services <

http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml >.

Body Paragraphs
Detailed

Supporting Paragraphs:
Subsequent paragraphs should address
any specific questions from the
application, which might deal with your
own qualifications or your long-term goals
or some combination.
Each paragraph should be focused and
should have a topic sentence that informs
the reader of the paragraph's emphasis.
The examples from your experience must
be relevant and should support your
argument about your qualifications.

Adapted from Indiana Universitys Tutorial Services <

http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml >.

The Conclusion
Conclusion:

Tie together the various issues

that you have raised in the essay, and reiterate
your interest in receiving the scholarship. You
might also mention how receiving this
scholarship will be a step towards a long-term
goal in a closing paragraph.

Adapted from Indiana Universitys Tutorial Services < http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml >.

STEP FOUR:
Writing your Rough Draft

Drafting
Write

several drafts of your

personal statement or essay:
Using your outline as a guide.
Working within the word limitations
on the scholarship application.
Following an special formatting
directions given on the application.

STEP FIVE:
Revising and Editing

Revise
As

you revise your essay:

Cut out any repetitious ideas or words.

Add in specific examples and details
that make your experiences stand out
from other applicants.
Change the order of paragraphs so that
your most interesting ideas and best
writing are at the beginning and end.
Replace irrelevant information that
does not address the directions with
relevant information that stays focused
on the directions.

Editing
Edit

several times for the

following:

Spelling errors
Grammar errors
Punctuation errors
Typos
Contractions and abbreviations

Have

other people proofread

your work, preferably a
professional, such as a teacher.

Example
Before

editing:

I am highly aware of the rebutation of your school, and my

conversation with several of your former students have served to
deepen my interest in attending. In addition to your excellent
faculty, your computer facilities among the best in the state. I
hope you me the this scolarship from your university so that I
may persue my studies at your fine institution.

After

editing:

I am highly aware of the superb reputation of Cochise College,

and my conversations with several of your alumni have served to
deepen my interest in attending. I know that, in addition to your
excellent faculty, your computer facilities are among the best in
the state. I hope you will award me the this scholarship from your
university so that I may pursue my studies at your fine
institution.

In Conclusion

The Writing Process

Analyze the Situation
2. Brainstorm
3. Write an Outline
4. Write Your Rough Draft
5. Revise & Edit
1.

Provide All Materials

Often

scholarships will ask for

additional materials:
Transcripts
Lists of Accomplishments or Awards
Letters of Recommendation

Be

sure to include all materials in

the application packet, or more
than likely, your application will
be rejected.

Resources
The Personal Statement. Merced College. 20
April 2011.
<www.mccd.edu/faculty/pirov/agsscholarship
essay.ppt>.
Writing the Personal Statement. Purdue
University. 22 Mar. 2004
<http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
handouts/pw/p_perstate.html>.
Personal Statements and Application Letters.
Indiana University. 20>. Apr.
2011.<http://www.indiana.
edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml>.