Brrr…it is cold out there. When I was a senior, and every
year through college, I spent this time inside as much as possible. I am not a
fan of winter or the frigid temperatures that come along with it. And once the
holidays are over, it can seem just a bit dreary.
A good way to pass the time is to focus on the future and this
time of year is perfect for scholarships. There are a lot of organizations and
businesses that are opening up their scholarship applications right now and you
can get a lot accomplished.
Start with a general search and get organized. Outline the
scholarships you qualify for by due date and then make a list of the
requirements. Do you need essays? What topics? Do you need letters of
recommendation? How many and from who? What about a list of your
accomplishments?
Once you have a list of all the pieces, you can begin your
work.
First make sure your activities resume is up-to-date. If you
need to create one, visit www.ICANsucceed.org/materials
and download the template from the resource zone. Having this list of your
accomplishments well organized is a great way to help those writing you
recommendations.
Speaking of, here is to do number two. Ask people to write
you letters of recommendation and provide them a copy of your activities
resume, along with anything specifically requested from the scholarship. If you
need a general letter mention that, but you can also ask for a letter that
touches on specific things requested in the scholarship application guidelines.
Be sure to give your letter writers plenty of time. A couple of days is not
enough. Try and give 2-3 weeks if possible.
Once you have your letter writing requests out it is time to
focus on your part – the applications and essays. Some applications will have
specific topics for your essay, while others will just ask for a personal
statement. Make yourself stand out and be unique. Share your personality while
following the guidelines provided. Your
essay may be one of a hundred or more a scholarship review committee reads; you
want to stand out and be remembered.
Take your time and always have someone else read your essays
and get feedback. Never submit your first draft.
Scholarships are a lot of work, but the payoff can be BIG if
you take your time and really put in the effort. Remember a couple hours spent
on a scholarship worth $500 could wind up paying you $250 per hour. That’s the
best part-time job you could possibly find to help you pay for college.
Good luck and if you need help with the scholarship process
you can check out ICAN’s virtual presentation on the scholarship process. This
video goes through searches, applications, essays and letter writing. Visit www.icansucceed.org/virtualpresentations
to learn more. You can also begin your search for scholarships with the ICAN
scholarship database – www.icansucceed.org/scholarships.
And finally, if you’re a senior, don’t forget to apply for the
ICAN scholarship at www.icansucceed.org/ICANscholarship.
Good luck!
Brittania - ICAN Hiawatha Center
