Application Tips
Recommended Opportunities Within the Application
Recommended scholarship opportunities only appear after the general application is submitted. These additional opportunities typically require an extra essay or reference letters. If you wait until March 15 to submit your general application, you could miss out. Be sure to submit early! You can revisit and edit your submitted general application until the deadline.
Reference Letters & Supporting Documents
Requests for reference letters are made through the application. If a reference letter is required, the system will send a request to references listed in your application. Confirm email addresses for references prior to submitting. Email addresses cannot be edited or changed after a request is sent.
- Submit reference letters at least one week before the application deadline. Reference letters submitted after the deadline may or may not be considered depending on the scholarship.
- Submit all supporting documents by the scholarship's deadline.
Keep Information Updated
The goal of your general application is to reflect you as a person today. Make sure your current employment is listed in your employment history and list current volunteer, work and academic activities. Donors are interested in what you are currently doing to further your education and grow professionally.
Be Concise
- Avoid trying to list everything you have ever done. Instead, highlight the activities that you would like the donor to remember you by.
- Avoid paragraphs as much as possible. However, if you participate in a program or activity that is not commonly known, briefly describe the activity.
- Do not list the same activity in multiple sections.
Quantify Activities, Memberships, Work Experience & Volunteer Efforts
The most powerful way to show commitment to a cause or responsibility is to quantify the hours, months, days or years that you have committed your time to better the cause or uphold the responsibility. Use time or number references to quantify activities.
Show Initiative
Donors often consider themselves investors in a student’s future and love to reward students who show initiative. Whether it’s starting your own business, creating a new campus club, developing new ways to approach old topics, or organizing events, donors like to see students who are thinking and acting outside of the box.
Review for Errors
An error-free application demonstrates that you put substantial time and energy into your submission. Ask friends or family members to help you proofread and spell check.
Use Campus Resources
Here are some on-campus resources to help you write your application: