Applying for Scholarships? Make Sure You Avoid These 3 Mistakes!

If you’re in high school or college, you might need to look into scholarships as an option to help fund your education expenses. Unfortunately, many students don’t realize that when it comes to scholarships, mistakes are easy to make, and missing just one application detail can cost you your chance at thousands of dollars in funding—not to mention the embarrassment of being rejected due to a silly error on your part. Looking for the best scholarship in 2022? Check out tuckwell scholarship and Haileybury Scholarship.

Here are three common scholarship application mistakes that students should avoid at all costs.

1) Not having a good essay
Your essay is your chance to stand out and shine. A good essay will show the scholarship committee who you are, what you’re passionate about, and why you deserve the scholarship. Don’t risk losing out on money for college by not taking the time to write a great essay! Be sure to proofread it before submitting. If you have someone else review it, they may be able to spot errors that you missed. Write in the third person: Unless the scholarship requires otherwise, use I or me instead of you. Many people think this makes their essays sound more formal, but in reality it can make them sound informal and sloppy. Finally, remember that everyone has different ideas of what a good essay is- there is no one right way to do things!

2) Not having specific information about the scholarships you want to apply for
One of the biggest mistakes students make when applying for scholarships is not having specific information about the scholarships they want to apply for. This can lead to students wasting time and effort on applications that they have no chance of winning. The scholarship providers should provide a list of eligibility requirements, such as grade point average, field of study, and other criteria. If you don't meet these requirements, you won't be able to win it. Don't waste your time with those! But if you are eligible, it would be worth your while to apply. Secondly, using common words in the essay: Another common mistake is using common words in the essay portion of a scholarship application. Although many students may find this easy at first because they've been writing essays all their lives, there are always unique ways to describe something without using words like excellent or I.
In addition, submitting duplicate or similar essays: A third mistake is submitting duplicate or similar essays across different scholarships.

3) Not tailoring your answers to specific questions
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when applying for scholarships is not tailoring your answers to specific questions. Many students make the mistake of simply reusing the same essay for every application, but this is a surefire way to get rejected. Each scholarship has different criteria and you need to make sure that your essay meets those specific requirements. Some applications may ask you to talk about how difficult it was growing up in poverty or some other personal hardship. If they don't mention anything about hardship in their question, it's best not to bring it up in your essay. Other applications may want you to talk about how much you love their school or what type of volunteer work you do in your community. Regardless of what they're asking for, make sure that everything on your application is tailored specifically for them