By Arina Smith
If you feel that simply applying for a scholarship is enough to guarantee success, think again. With increasing competition, fewer scholarships on offer, and rising tuition fees, scholarship applications are more complex and in-demand than ever before.
A college scholarship process says a lot about you as an individual. It shows to the experts and other judges evaluating your application as to what kind of a human being you really are.
According to studies, the average college fees have increased by an astronomical amount in the last decade. If you win scholarships, it helps you ease the financial burden in a major way. It also allows you to complete formal education and get access to a well-paying profession.
Scholarship Application Mistakes: What are they?
As most of you will already be aware, the scholarship application process is a tedious one. There is numerous documentation, which you have to attest and send in. In addition, there is also the all-important essay, which plays a major part in the selection process.
Let us look at some of the most common scholarship application mistakes–
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Unresearched Essays
According to a leading scholarship provider, Benjy Grinberg Rostrum, essays are by far the most important deciding factor for a scholarship. Students should pay a lot of time, effort, and research in writing their essays. It should be a reflection of who they are as an individual, and what do they feel about the topic at hand. Good essays are critical to scholarship success.
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Overshot Deadlines
Did you know that the first filer done for every scholarsip aplicationip a is done based on the deadlines? Authorities are all too familiar with apology emails outlining the reasons for missing deadlines and do not appreciate the same. According to data, nearly 30% of all applications come in after the deadline is over. This means the first filter removes many.
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Incorrect Form Details:
Like the overshooting deadlines, incorrect details on the application form results in the next stage of filtrations and eliminations. According to some estimates, this adds another 20% to all candidates who had applied for the scholarship. It is important that you revise your application and see whether you are sending in a complete form according to the guidelines.
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Dishonesty and Misinformation:
You cannot afford to lie on your scholarship or produce any type of fabricated certificate or mark sheets. You will get called out and in the worst situations put on a blacklisted site for doing something as unethical as this. Be honest in your selection process, no matter how low your marks. Judges are looking for truthful and honest applications.
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Don’t Ignore the Smaller Scholarships:
Most students follow one of the two strategies- they either apply for one or two high-value scholarships or they apply for many smaller scholarships. When it comes to the latter, students should know that their chances of winning one are significantly higher because of lesser competition. Smaller amounts of scholarship can add up and help you in this regard.
Other Important Aspects to pay Attention to in the Application Process
Imagine sending in an application with the email id- rockstar6969 to a college or a university. Can you imagine the impression you are likely to create? Experts suggest that professional names are the best for formal scholarship applications.
Using a grammar checking tool to ensure that you do not have incorrect spellings or typing mistakes can be done as a revision process. Students should also pay attention o the essays and create new ones for every application. At no point should you be reusing essays for applications under any circumstance?
Students should also ensure that they do all the scholarship work on their own and not outsource the same to their parents or on Fiverr. People who have experience of going through thousands of applications every year have developed a keen eye for the same.
The Final Word
It is important to accord the same high level of attention to detail whenever you are applying for scholarships. No scholarship amount is small. Every dollar you win allows you to ease your financial burden and reduce dependency on high-interest student loans.
Read More:
Winning a Scholarship Can Carve Your Success Path – Here’s How
