The essay is the most significant criteria to qualify for a good scholarship program. It is how you write an outstanding essay based on the prompt to make you stand out from the several applicants. Penning an essay backed with information, data, making it engaging is not easy, and this is what most students dread when applying for a scholarship.
Scholarships are popular across all communities and countries. According to an article published on BBC.com, Stormy, who is a rapper, did start the Cambridge scholarship for the black community.
You need to write within the defined word limit, not more not less, the introduction is the most challenging aspect to pique readers’ interest. Many students use clichés in the introduction, making all essays read-alike. Here is why you need to avoid clichés in your scholarship essay:
Beginning an essay with a motivational quote
When you start writing your essay with a motivation quote, possibilities are there that the committee members have already read it in some other essay or know about the quote. Yes, they have read it many times and do not want to read the same thing again. When you end up writing an inspirational quote, which, all know, but no one likes, is a poor way to start your essay. Write about facts related to the prompt because it is the Josh Gibson MD Grant essay and not some Pinterest page that you post a quote with a beautiful picture.
Boasting about your volunteer work
The committee likes voluntary work, but which kind of work, that matters. Then, when you have volunteered to at a sports event for a couple of days because your contribution was required, bragging about it will not help you win the Josh Gibson MD Scholarship.
As far as scholarship committees are concerned, they do not care what you have done, they will like your application if you mention what an experience has taught you in life. When you write about your voluntary or charitable work, describe its impact on you, how you changed as a person and helped you grow. Avoid just mentioning the work you have done repeatedly.
Avoid writing a sad story
There is no point in writing a sad story because most of us experience tragedies and setbacks in life some time or the other in our life. It could be an accident, a demise of a loved one, a failure, and things like that. All such situations hurt people and therefore, mentioning it will not help you win the scholarship.
You can mention what an adverse situation in your life changed you, made you strong, and how you did overcome the challenge. In simple words, do not write a sad, pathetic story and think of gaining sympathy. Do not make it the key part of your essay.
Conclusion
A scholarship committee reviews numerous essays each year and therefore, you should not write something that they already know or read about in some other student’s essay. Avoid clichés at costs and make your essay stand out from the rest.