Scholarship Tips to Stand out From the Crowd

1. Write an excitable and intimate essay.
   It’s not only important to write a well organized and thought out answer to an essay question, but to write one that shows your personality, follows the word limit, and is proofread by teachers or counselors. Also, use the correct scholarship or college name if you are mentioning it in the essay.
2. Use your most recent résumé.
   Before you submit any scholarship or college essays, make sure your résumé is up-to-date. Are all jobs or volunteer opportunities in order starting with the most recent? Did you use action words such as organized, mentored, or supervised? Further, your résumé should also be proofread by a teacher or counselor.
3. Re-evaluate your social media accounts.
   It’s true when they say that college admissions staff or scholarship officials visit prospective student or scholarship recipients' social media sites. Cleaning them up or making them private is a step in the right direction when being considered for competitive programs or scholarships.
4. Make sure not to make any big mistakes.
   You may fill out so many applications that you could do them in your sleep, but the most important thing is to avoid making any errors. Make sure all your contact information is correct, that you provided the answers to the right questions, and that you have given a professional email address.
5. Use an appropriate or professional photo.
   If you do not have a professional headshot, it is alright to use a clear and high-quality picture for social media sites, video conferencing software, or chat features. Remember to use a photo that you would want to be displayed if you were to receive an award or recognition.