What Not to Do When Applying for Scholarships

What Not to Do When Applying for Scholarships Photo courtesy of pixabay.com If you want to earn a little extra cash to pay off that hefty college tuition, scholarships are a great way to do it. The problem is, they are the method most people go for when trying to offset costs. If you want to make sure you get the money over others, take a look at the mistakes many other people make when applying. Then, make sure you dont do the same! Heres what not to do: 1. Be bland and give up early There are many ways to win scholarships, you just have to motivate yourself to be continuously looking and to complete the applications. While private scholarships are common (think: hometown organizations), there are many school and federal scholarships as well. Dont count these out. They can be great additions if the private scholarships get taken. With fewer people thinking about these options, fewer people will apply, giving you a better chance for success. Additionally, dont be afraid to think outside the box a bit. Look for scholarships that relate to your hobbies, passions, and even what you think you may want to major in. These scholarships will have a smaller school of applicants due to the specificity, and you will be able to make your case more easily since it is a topic you enjoy and are knowledgeable about. Dont stop after just a few, keep Google-searching scholarships regularly because you never know what new option may pop up each day. Just because one scholarships timeline ends doesnt mean another wont begin soon. 2. Procrastinate Just like you dont want to wait until the last minute to complete a school assignment, you also dont want to wait until the last minute to complete a scholarship application. The judges will be able to tell if you rushed through it, and chances are, you wont be able to get all the ideas you once had for the application down on paper in time. Procrastination is also relevant in terms of searching for scholarships and why you should always be looking. The last thing you want is to find a really great scholarship you think you deserve, but the deadline is in an hour. Trying to submit an application late will get you nowhere, either. Even if the committee accepts it, they are going to look it over with an extra-careful eye, even more so than before. 3.  Be careless Carelessness will immediately knock you out of the scholarship running. Judges read hundreds of applications, and the last thing they want is to read one with spelling and grammar mistakes all throughout it. Take the time to proofread your papers just as you would a school paper. Even more importantly, make sure you read the directions to the scholarship application. Reading an essay that does not answer the question being asked is definitely not something a judge wants to do. If you are applying for a lot of scholarships, keep yourself organized as to which asks for what. 4. Be lazy Do your own work, do it well, and be creative. Dont use the same essay for five different applications. Judges can tell when only a name has been changed in an essay, and they wont like it. If you really want the scholarship, then take the time to write why. Additionally, make sure it is you that is writing the essay. Dont send the application off to your parent to complete. Judges can tell that too. A 50-year-olds writing tone is different than a 20-year-olds, and only you can really write about yourself. 5. Pay to apply If you are asking for money, dont choose a scholarship that requires an application fee. There are plenty others out there that do not, and you should choose those first because then you will not lose any money in the process. You dont want to work backward in the process. 6.  Refusing to submit a recommendation A recommendation goes a lot farther than you may think. Having someone else write positive notes about you says a lot, even more than you can say about yourself. If an application leaves a space for an optional recommendation, put one in. Its the little extra something that shows you went through the entire application, that you care enough to go out of your way for the additional materials, that you have a good reputation it could be that little extra something to make you win. While no one wants to fill out another application after completing all of the college applications, scholarships can serve as a nice way to take the edge off of the daunting price tag, and they can allow you to have some extra money to participate in other activities campus has to offer. But if you are going to even bother applying, you mind as well do it the right way first. So, take yourself to a coffee shop, sit down, and dedicate a few hours to researching scholarships and organizing them by what they require and when they are due. Then, step away for a day, and come back to start the applications. Dont be one of the people listed above. Plenty of people will make those mistakes, and you can beat them all. Good luck!