How do you organize scholarship essays?

Question

For example, I want to be able to write an awesome essay, but I have trouble with organization. If an essay asks you to describe why you chose your major and what contribution you're going to make to the world with that choice, is it ok to use "I" statements? I don't want it to sound arrogant or conceided or anything. I want it to reflect how I want to help others, but also to show my own personal strengths. This is what the essays asks:

"Why did you choose a medical profession over other educational opportunities? And what contribution will you make to the medical world?"

"How will this scholarship help you meet your educational and professional goals?"

How should I approach this?

Answer 1

First of all: scholarship essays (like college essays) are exceptions to the rule you've probably been taught - first person is fine. In fact, to try to write such an essay without the use of "I" would probably sound fairly strange.

Second of all: don't worry about sounding arrogant or conceited - this is the place to brag. They want to give the scholarship to someone fabulous, and you have to convince them that you're just the person they're looking for.

These essays are pretty broad, so the way you organize them depends a great deal on how long they're supposed to be and what you plan to put into them. But here's one way you might do it (obviously, this is just an example, not the "right way".)

For the first:
-First paragraph is your "hook". Start off in a way that will get them interested: maybe put them in the middle of an exciting experience that convinced you that this was the career for you.
-End the paragraph with some sort of thesis statement that allows you to segue into your first main point: why you chose the profession. In your second paragraph, give actual details as to why you did. Imagine someone asking you the same question in a casual conversation. How would you respond? Write down a list, and choose about two to four of the most dominant ideas to expand on.
-Make a transition from why you chose the profession into what contribution you'll make (a good way to do this is to find a similar idea in both answers and link them together.) This is your time to brag: what makes you special? Tell them.
-Conclusion. Maybe refer back to the first paragraph, briefly sum up everything else you've said, and add something that's new but that doesn't feel out of place.

For the second:
- First off is to define your educational and professional goals. Use your first paragraph for this.
- Now, briefly restate each goal (you should have, again, maybe two to four) and explain in each instance how you will be aided by the scholarship.
-Sum it up by explaining how the scholarship will help you in general.

Again, these are just to get you started. What matters most is that your essays are convincing and flow well, which can sometimes be a problem if you structure them at the beginning instead of just writing. When you're done with them, let them "sit" for a bit, then read them out loud or get a trusted friend to lend their opinion.

I hope this was of some help, and I wish you the best of luck with getting your scholarship! It's refreshing to see a question that someone actually put thought into.

Answer 2

I'm going to second the first response. Write about a topic or life event that has a significant impact on you. It's best to select a topic which reflects personal commitment and personal actions. Scholarships are rewards for past achievements, but also rooted in your potential for future achievements. Best of luck.