All Scholarship Application Forms are Alike?

January 18th, 2008

Evaluating millions of applications has certainly left a strong impression on me. So I still remember a number of them, since the students that submitted them got into my mind in a very personal way. A lot of books as well as articles will inform you that the so-called “personalization” is good, however they don’t show you the way to accomplish that. So I saw a photograph attached to one app with the senior student shaking the President’s hand. One more student enclosed a tape that showed his gift to play the violin in a state band. A student had her photo taken with a famous professional golf player after she had become a champion in a state tournament. Another student included a photograph with his debating trophies. One more had won a fishing competition and held the prize in a photo to prove it. A student had made his own computer. Then, another one had patented already her own invention; it was a device which counts inventory units. So in each of these cases the articles were an element of the scholarship award’s requirements, not just sent for effect. And these are great instances of “personalizing” a scholarship; however it doesn’t necessarily have to be so noticeable.

There were some attempts at personalization a scholarship not very well received, a photograph of one girl in an extremely tiny bikini. Another student included prize ribbons and asked to give them back after the judging ended. We had to return them at our expense! One more application had inside an algebra homework, oops. We returned that, too. Another application had a Father Christmas hat inside. This came from Alaska.

Personalize don’t dramatize. Employ good judgment as well as common sense as personalizing. Attempt to imagine the people who are working in the committee. After that, send in the request knowing that, you are the only person who will win. So you are the one who deserves the funds.

Planning creates positive outcomes.

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