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Scholarships can be a great way to get help paying for college, but unfortunately the competition for these awards can be intense. Many college scholarships require writing an essay as a part of the application process.

Writing an exceptional college scholarship essay stand out is just one thing that can help set your application apart from the rest. Continue reading for tips on crafting a strong college scholarship essay.

1. Plan Ahead

Let’s start with one of the most practical tips for writing a scholarship essay. The first step to success when writing a college scholarship essay is to not procrastinate. Plan ahead to make sure there is plenty of time to write the essay, review it, and edit it.

It’s also important to write down the deadline and to set reminders as that deadline nears. If you’re applying for multiple scholarships consider setting up a tracker with important deadlines and application requirements so you can stay on top of the needs for each application.

Allowing enough time to write and edit can help you improve the quality of the essay, instead of trying to cram at the last minute.

2. Write to Your Audience

All scholarship providers are looking for students who meet certain criteria. Often this criteria includes students who have experiences or interests that match the mission of their organization.

Spending some time researching the organization offering the scholarship can help give essay writers the ability to customize their essay to their unique audience. If their writing can illustrate an alignment of values, their essay may be more memorable.

3. Read the Instructions and Follow Them

Before starting an essay, students should take their time to carefully read all application instructions and make a plan to follow them. No matter how strong an essay is, if the applicant fails to follow the instructions they may find themselves disqualified from the competition.

4. Pick a Topic You Care About

Because scholarship application essays can feel like a lot of work, it’s helpful if the writer chooses a topic they are really passionate about. Their essay will come across as more genuine and meaningful if they care about what they are writing about which will make a stronger impact on the scholarship committee than if they chose to write about a more generic topic.

5. Crafting a Strong Introduction

The introduction is the first chance the student has to capture the attention of their essay reviewer. It’s a good idea to spend some extra time crafting a compelling introduction so that the reader is interested, and excited, to finish the essay.

6. Pay Attention to Style

College scholarship essay reviewers will be more impressed by essays that take spelling, grammar, and general style into account. Read and re-read your essay to ensure that the tone of voice is consistent and there are no grammatical errors. Get some other opinions on the writing too. Consider asking teachers, counselors, or trusted friends or family members to review the essay before submitting it. A second set of eyes can go a long way in catching spelling, grammar, or style issues.

7. Follow a Pre-Planned Structure

To avoid having a messy essay, starting with an outline can help. Sit down and create a pre-planned structure before starting to write the actual essay. It can be helpful to think about how to incorporate the following messages into the outline.

•  Who are you? And why are you who you are?

•  What have you accomplished?

•  What are you hoping to accomplish in school and after school?

•  Why do you need a scholarship?

•  How will a scholarship make a difference?

8. Show, Don’t Tell

Another key scholarship application essay tip is to show, not tell. What do we mean by that? Instead of telling the reader exactly what they need to know, show them what they need to know.

For example, if a student wants the reader to know they are committed to their community, instead of saying “I am committed to my community” they can show this by saying, “I volunteer at my local dog shelter and beach clean up organization to help improve the life in our community for all residents and pets.”

9. Sell Yourself

It’s important to use the space in a college scholarship application to highlight achievements and how the scholarship will make it possible to achieve future goals. Pick a few select accomplishments or traits to focus on so the essay isn’t too heavy handed, but don’t shy away from being complementary.

10. Reread and Spell Check, Spell Check, Spell Check

We mentioned paying attention to spelling and grammar earlier, but as a friendly reminder don’t forget to do one last spell check at the end. This is one of the most important scholarship essay writing tips to keep in mind.

Our eyes get used to seeing what we type, so print out the essay and review it on paper to catch typos you may have missed on the screen. This is another time it’s a good idea to ask for a second set of eyes to look at the essay and to flag any errors. Be especially careful to double check the spelling of the name of the scholarship or organization.

Alternatives to Scholarships

Scholarships generally don’t need to be repaid and finding this free money for college can be an incredibly helpful resource for students trying to pay for college. Spending time applying for scholarships is well worth it. In addition, students may also rely on alternative funding sources to pay for college.

Some common funding sources include grants, federal student loans or private student loans. To apply for federal financial aid, students will need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) each year. This application will allow students to find out if they qualify for federal grants, scholarships, work-study and federal student loans. Some colleges use information provided on the FAFSA to determine institution-specific awards. Continue reading for more information on alternatives to scholarships.

Grants

Similar to scholarships, recipients of grants don’t usually need to pay back the money they’re given. Students can check with their college’s financial aid office to learn more about available grants and can fill out the FAFSA annually to see if they qualify for any grants.

Financial Aid

Alongside grants and scholarship, students can also consider pursuing other types of financial aid such as work-study jobs designed to help students earn money to pay for school. Those who served in the military or are the spouse or child of a veteran may be eligible for aid and students who are studying internationally may qualify for unique types of financial aid.

As mentioned, to apply for federal financial aid students will need to fill out the FAFSA each year they are in school.

Private Student Loans

Private student loans come from a variety of different financial institutions and they can help fill any financial gaps left after using financial aid and federal student loans to pay for college. To apply, students will need to file applications directly with the private lenders.

Private student loans don’t necessarily offer the same benefits as federal student loans — like deferment options or income-driven repayment plans. For this reason, students generally consider private student loans after thoroughly reviewing all other options.

Federal Student Loans

Whether someone is an undergraduate or graduate student, federal student loans — which are funded by the U.S. Department of Education — usually have better interest rates and terms than private student loans do and they come with unique federal protections like income based repayment plans.

The Takeaway

Scholarships are a great way to get some financial relief when paying for school, but students shouldn’t expect scholarships to cover all of their higher education expenses. Many students will use a combination of scholarships, grants, savings, and student loans to pay for their education.

When federal student loans and other sources of funding aren’t enough to fully foot the bill, private student loans can be an option to consider. SoFi private student loans have absolutely no fees and allow borrowers to select one of four flexible repayment plans.

FAQ

How do you start or address your scholarship essay?

To start off a college scholarship essay, it can be helpful to address: what, what, when, where, and why. This way the reader will know the basics of who the student is and why they are applying for the scholarship.

What is the most important thing to avoid in a scholarship essay?

Unnecessary mistakes are the most important thing to avoid when writing a scholarship essay. Double check for spelling or grammatical errors, make note of any key deadlines, and be sure you are fulfilling all application requirements.

How long should scholarship essays be?

All scholarship essays will have different length requirements. Double check the desired word count for the essay before submitting it.

About the author

Jacqueline DeMarco

Jacqueline DeMarco is a freelance writer who specializes in financial topics. Her first job out of college was in the financial industry, and it was there she gained a passion for helping others understand tricky financial topics. Read full bio.

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

SOPS0322020

Attending medical school can be an extremely rewarding path, but it can also be an expensive one. Luckily, there are some great medical school scholarships that can help ease the financial burden. Students thinking about attending medical school, or those who are currently enrolled, may want to look into scholarships for medical school.

There are plenty of scholarships for medical students as well as general scholarships that could help you cover the cost of college. Here’s a roundup of the best medical student scholarships, how much they’re worth, and how to apply for them.

Brown Medical and Educational Foundation Scholarship

Dollar amount: Approximately $1,000

Application process: To apply for this scholarship, students must complete an application, submit an official college or university transcript in a sealed envelope, and submit three letters of recommendation.

Eligibility: To qualify for this scholarship, which could help with paying for college, students must be an undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a degree at a U.S. based four-year university while studying a healthcare degree such as nursing, dentistry, medicine, and allied health. They must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Recipients must also identify as a member of select ethnic groups and must be U.S. citizens.

Recommended: Finding Free Money for College

Chinese American Physicians Society Scholarships

Dollar amount: $3,000 to $5,000

Application process: The application for the 2023-2024 school year is set to open in December 2023. Applicants can expect to submit essays as a part of the application.

Eligibility: To receive a Chinese American Physicians Society Scholarship, applicants must be a student at a U.S.-based medical school. Applicants are judged on their financial needs, academic achievements, essays, and community service records. Special credit is given to applicants who are planning to serve Chinese communities after they graduate.

Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fund

Dollar amount: Covers the cost of tuition, plus an additional stipend for living expenses

Applicant process: The Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fund requires students to submit their application through the dean of the university at the school they are attending for graduate studies. Students can connect with their school’s fellowship or financial aid office to learn more about what the application process looks like for students at their school. Only certain schools participate in this program.

Eligibility: Students must be U.S. citizens and attend a U.S.-based accredited and designated higher education institution as a graduate student in the fields of humanities, social sciences or natural sciences. They must have an outstanding record as an undergraduate and have financial need. National descent is not taken into consideration.

Recommended: Finding & Applying to Scholarships for Grad School

The Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship

Dollar amount: For the 2023-2024 school year, the National Hispanic Health Foundation will give awards of $5,000 annually for up to four years, plus individual scholarship awards of $2,00 each. Overall, the NHHF has awarded $1,954,000 to 346 awardees as of January 2023.

Application process: By September 15, 2023, applicants must submit the following supporting documents as a part of their application for the The Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship:

•   Personal statement or essay that is double-spaced and a maximum of two pages outlining their career goals

•   Curriculum vitae that shares up to date employment experience, education history, extracurricular activities, and awards

•   One letter of recommendation

•   Proof of their U.S. citizenship DACA status, or residency

•   Unofficial copy of their school transcripts

•   Proof of enrollment

Eligibility: To be eligible for this scholarship opportunity, students must have a 3.0 GPA and be currently enrolled full time in a U.S. graduate program studying one of the following subjects:

•   Medicine (allopathic or osteopathic)

•   Dentistry

•   Pharmacy

•   Nursing (including BSN)

•   Public Health

•   Physician Associate

Joseph Collins Scholarship

Dollar amount: $10,000

Application process: Applicants for the Joseph Collins Scholarship must demonstrate an interest in the arts and letters or another type of cultural pursuit that falls outside of the field of medicine and needs to show an intent to specialize in psychiatry, neurourology, or become a general practitioner.

Eligibility: The moral character of the applicant and their scholastic record will be taken into account. Students who are attending medical schools east of the Mississippi river and are ranked in the top 50% of their class are eligible to apply.

The National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program

Dollar amount: Full year of scholarship support (tuition and fees plus monthly stipends) for up to four years).

Application process: To apply for the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program, applicants must pass an eligibility screening, submit general information about themselves, their degree, and their backgrounds, as well as providing two letters of recommendation, and writing an essay.

In return, recipients of this scholarship will work in primary care in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). The time commitment may vary based on how much aid the student received.

Eligibility: To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants have to be either a U.S. citizen or a U.S. national and be able to submit proof of their status. Applicants must also be enrolled as full-time students and attend an accredited school or academic program in the U.S. or in a U.S. territory. They must be studying to be a physician, dentist, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or physician assistant.

MPOWER Global Citizenship Scholarship

Dollar amount: One $10,000 award and two $2,000 awards

Application process: To apply for this scholarship program, applicants must complete the application form provided by MPOWER. There is one essay question.

Eligibility: Recipients of the MPOWER Global Citizenship Scholarship must be international students that are legally allowed to work and attend school in either the U.S. or Canada. They must also be enrolled in a U.S. or Canadian school that MPOWER supports.

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

Dollar amount: Up to $90,000 in financial support over two years.

Application process: In order to apply for the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, students must submit the following information and materials in an online application.

•   Personal and contact information

•   Higher-education history

•   Information about the graduate program they are seeking support for

•   Three to five recommendations

•   Resume

•   Two essays

•   College and graduate school transcripts

•   Standardized test scores

•   Optional exhibits (such as artwork, examples of written work, and so on)

Eligibility: Applicants must be aged 30 or younger by the time of the application deadline and need to plan on either starting or continuing a full-time graduate degree program in the U.S.

Students may apply before they begin graduate school or while they are enrolled. Applicants must also meet the scholarship’s definition of “new American,” which is an individual whose birth parents were born outside of the U.S. as non-U.S. citizens.

Pisacano Scholars Leadership Program

Dollar amount: $7,000 per year up to four years.

Application process: Applications can be mailed or emailed and must included the following information:

•   Official copy of undergraduate and graduate school transcript if applicable

•   Official copy of medical school transcript

•   Copy of MCAT scores

•   Copy of USMLE score or COMLEX score

•   Copy of current CV

•   Essay

Eligibility: In order to qualify for the Pisacano Scholars Leadership Program, applicants must be third-year medical students who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the specialty of family medicine.

Leadership skills, academic achievements, communication skills, identifiable character and integrity, and community service involvement will all be taken into consideration.

How Student Loan Refinancing Can Help

Those students who already have medical school debt and may no longer be eligible for medical school scholarships may want to consider refinancing their existing student loans. Under the right terms, refinancing student loans could help lower their monthly payments. Refinancing student loans involves consolidating student loans through a private lender into a new loan that ideally comes with a lower interest rate and better term.

If the applicant can secure a better interest rate, they may end up paying less over the life of their loan. However, if they lengthen the term of the loan to reduce their monthly payments, they may end up paying more in interest over the life of the loan.

When a borrower applies to refinance their loan or loans, the lender will generally take their credit score, credit history, and other key financial information into consideration to determine their rates and terms.

It’s important to know that refinancing federal student loans into private ones causes the borrower to lose out on federal protections such as forbearance, deferment, and income-driven repayment plans.

Recommended: Private vs. Federal Student Loans

The Takeaway

Scholarships can be an effective way to help medical students pay for med school.

Application processes and eligibility requirements will vary from scholarship to scholarship so it may be helpful to explore and research different scholarships that fit your unique educational and personal profile.

If you’re interested in refinancing your student loans, SoFi offers loans with flexible terms and no fees. A student loan refinance calculator can help you determine if refinancing makes good financial sense for you.

About the author

Jacqueline DeMarco

Jacqueline DeMarco is a freelance writer who specializes in financial topics. Her first job out of college was in the financial industry, and it was there she gained a passion for helping others understand tricky financial topics. Read full bio.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.