Student And Scholarships

By: Michael Russell

You are a senior in high school and will graduate in a year. If you want to go to college right after graduating from high school and have the need to apply for a scholarship, there are many things for you to prepare soon. Many colleges offer scholarships for their incoming students. This kind of scholarship goes together with the application for admission to that institute. The deadline of the scholarship is usually the same as the one for admission. Be aware of the deadline and get your application packet ready in time. Below are things you usually have to prepare for your application packet. High school study record - This is one of the most important elements in your application packet. The better your high school record is, the more chance of getting the scholarship you will have. Colleges pay attention to your separate grades as well as your average. Class rank is also very important. Most scholarship winners have the rank no lower than the top 20% in the class and full scholarship winners are always in the class top ten. Recommendation letters - Although some colleges don't state this in their criteria, this is essential if you want to get the scholarship. The recommendation letter is usually written by one of your teachers or by your headmaster. There is also the peer recommendation letter which is written by your classmates. However, you have to make sure that your classmate has good writing skills before asking for his help. Standardized test scores - Most colleges just give scholarships to students who have high scores in the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or ACT (American College Test). These definitions seem to work only in the USA, however, many colleges in different countries nowadays also use these kinds of tests to select incoming students. Honours/Awards - If you have won academic competitions and have awards, don't forget to mention them in your application packet. Although many colleges don't require that, it will make your application more special and thus gain more weight in the selection process. Extra activities and volunteer work - Colleges don't search for book worms only, they want to give scholarships to active students who are not only excel in classes but also have an interesting social life. Therefore don't forget to list all programs or activities you have been involved in and attach some proof of that. Essays - Most colleges require you to write an essay if you want to apply for their scholarships. They usually offer the topics you have to write about. Topics are generally why you have chosen the college, what your personal study goals are or some other specific issues. Through your essay, the college can judge your personality and your writing skills, as well as your ideas and eloquence ability. Therefore, make your ideas clear in the essay and try to find special things to write about. Making your essay attractive and outstanding is essential to your chance of success.

Article Source: Scholarship Guide