Tips on Making Your Application a Winner!

• Take the time to have some else proofread your application before you submit to spot typos, missing information, and instructions you may have overlooked. Remember, an automated spell checker won’t catch using the wrong word if it is spelled correctly – like "principal" instead of "principle"!
   
• If you’re asking your school counselor for a letter of recommendation, ask whether he or she uses a standard form to reply to recommendation requests, or intends to write a personal letter. Personal letters are more effective, because they give a more detailed view of you and your strengths and accomplishments. If your counselor doesn’t have time to write a personal letter, consider asking a teacher, employer, or community leader who knows you well for a recommendation instead.
   
• Read the essay instructions carefully and make sure your response touches on answers to all of the questions. You lose points if you don’t answer all the questions! Write from your own experiences; give examples and be specific rather than making general statements. Tell us what matters to you and why it’s important.
   
• Make sure you allow enough time for mailed official transcripts and letters of recommendation to be received by the scholarship application deadline. An application without the required letters and transcript is incomplete and won’t be considered.
   
• Be creative! Include additional materials that demonstrate your accomplishments, such as:
  • a screen shot of a web page you’ve designed;
  • an article about your team competitions or volunteer activities;
  • a picture of your science fair project.

Show us what you've got!