What’s one common mistake students make when applying for scholarships, and what should they do instead to improve their chances?

A common mistake I see students make when applying for scholarships is that they are just too generic. And I understand why this happens. Most students are applying to multiple scholarships, and they are using the same easy and details for each application. It is important to customize each application. Think of it like applying to a job. When you apply to a job you are tailoring your resume and cover letter. A scholarship is no different. Carefully read the scholarship description and tailor your application materials with what the organization is looking for. For example, use keywords from the scholarship's mission and include that information in your essay. Don't just list or say you possess those qualities, SHOW it. Use personal stories and concrete examples that demonstrate that you not only are aligned to the mission, but show how you are already demonstrating those characteristics. Being intentional and personalized can significantly increase your chances of winning a scholarship.

The first pitfall that students should avoid when applying to scholarships is approaching each application as a standard application, rather than a customized one that brings out their distinctiveness as an applicant. The issue that many students fail to notice is the importance of making their application as close as possible to the particular criteria and values of the respective scholarship providers. They tend to mail the same personal statement, letter of recommendation or essay to several scholarships and believe that this would suffice. This impersonalization may be very detrimental to their success. Students are advised to read the guidelines and values of the scholarship carefully rather than use the one-size-fits-all method. They must know clearly what the provider of the scholarship wants and they should also match their application to it. When a scholarship is interested in community service, e.g., then students need to highlight their volunteer experience and give specific examples of their contribution. A well-researched and personal application demonstrates that the student is cognizant of the purpose of the scholarship as well as that they have made a serious attempt at the application. The personalization of an application may add some work to it, but it makes it more probable to be unique in a competitive arena. Students are advised to tailor their essays, letters and resumes to address specifically the goals of the scholarship. When the scholarship is presented by a company, say, then they are supposed to have certain mentions of missions or plans done by the company to demonstrate the sincerity. These additional efforts can put the students ahead and prove that the students are a good fit to the scholarship.

A big mistake that I notice has a lot of similarities with loan applications: students apply to the scholarships without learning about the mission of the sponsor. It happens with a third of loan deals that I review as a broker each year: the buyer just did not match the real priorities of the lender, be it restoring ruined properties or financing multi-family projects. The same is true with scholarships. An organization that is committed to the future of nurses is not as concerned with your robotics club accomplishments. Research on the history of the sponsor. Who is the likely winner? What values do they emphasise? My clients win when we match the submission to the funder priorities just as we match hard money loans to the particular investor requirements. Specificity can always beat a one-size-fits-all application.

The worst thing that students do when applying to scholarships is to leave their application until the last moment. It is because of procrastination that we end up doing bad work, ignoring details and losing opportunities. Students can even end up with incomplete applications or essays that do not portray their best potential effort. Rather, students are advised to create a time frame and divide the application process into small steps. This early start makes it possible to be able to make revisions, get the necessary documents, and ensure the essay is well written and reflective. Early submission also provides them with some cushion in cases where they incur some unforeseen problems as this would make the whole process less stressful and more productive.

Applying for scholarships is something to be prepared for. One of the common mistakes of students when applying for scholarships is sending out generic applications. Using the exact same letter across multiple organizations will result in not getting accepted. A proper application letter must be tailored to specific values of each scholarship. The letter will be the one setting the result of your application, if it shows no effort then it will be neglected. Students should approach applications like selling a product. Each word must be personalized according to the scholarship group and then align it with personal experience or achievements. For instance, if the group is about environmental nonprofit, a proper narrative would be about sustainable efforts that relate with school even if it's a common story. This way, there is a personalization in the letter and this shows pure intention and that alone can highlight the application among the others.

Having been a scholar student in high school, I soon realized that one of the worst things that students do when they apply to receive scholarships is to fail to take the time to carefully read the instructions and criteria. I have witnessed several of my peers applying without matching their application to the requirements of a given scholarship. That may not sound like a big deal but neglecting to do something as minor as total words or essay prompts is all that stands between you and a scholarship. However, I did not concentrate on reading the application guidelines and ensuring that my application was customized. I did not forget to relate my accomplishments, objectives, and principles to the objective and purpose of the scholarship. It was necessary to create an essay that not only emphasized my qualifications but also my eagerness to take part in the goal of the scholarship. It was an increase in my success to take an extra time to read the instructions and line up the application.