How to apply for a college scholarship
How will the scholarship committee view your application? With expectation! And hoping for the best.
But . . .
After reading over thousands of applications, the Woman of Wonder scholarship committee has advice for you to consider.
Follow directions.
There should be three things attached to your scholarship application on theWashBoard.org for Woman of Wonder:
Two letters of recommendations
The first page of your FAFSA® – showing your Student Aid Index (SAI) number
Everything else is noise, unnecessary, and not helpful to the committee. Don’t clutter your application. We do not need resumes, transcripts, or class schedules.
If you have more than three documents attached to your Woman of Wonder application, your application will go to the bottom of the pile. You don't want a haggard committee member ruffling through your application and getting frustrated, you want one who is enjoying the process, easily accessing what they need, and reading with great interest all about you.
So, the first thing we're asking and judging you on is this, “Can you follow directions?”
Before you start, be prepared.
Be ready to upload two letters of recommendation, and the first page of your FAFSA? If you don’t, your application ends and doesn’t make it to the committee.
And we get it. While there is no way to predict how attending college will affect your choice of major and eventual career, we do want to understand what brought you here, what your career goal is today, and maybe what influenced you to choose that goal.
If you say, "I want to be in finance," we wonder, what does that mean? A banker, a stockbroker, a pay-day loan shark? If you say, "I want to attain my bachelor’s,” or “I want to have a career I love.” We think cool, but what does that mean really? Help us understand your choice.
Be clear.
Shed clarity on your goal and name it so we can picture someone in that role. "I want to use my talent for numbers and communication skills to manage a credit union." If you’re uncertain, consider what you want and where you’d be most comfortable. If you can’t figure it out, guaranteed, there is someone in your life who can tell you what you’re good at. Ask someone you respect for advice, mull that over and find a way to express what you want to be, “I want to be a (fill in the blank).”
Be succinct.
Remember, we don't need your transcript, uploads of other scholarships you've earned, or a long essay. Articulate a picture of yourself that shows us who you are, where you plan to go (career), and what effect that might have on you and those around you.
Duplication is not your friend.
TheWashBoard.org gives you three areas to tell us about yourself, your personal statement, your financial situation, and how going to college will help you get closer to your goals and dreams. Write something different for each area. If you feel like you want to copy and paste from your personal statement into the additional question space, that's not great. At least shorten it up and condense it so the committee is not reading the same thing twice. You can do it, just edit it a little.
Our preference is not a requirement, just a preference.
Woman of Wonder has a preference for single moms, women raised by a single parent, or women trying to pay for their own college. If you fit into one of those categories, say it straightforwardly, "I live with my single mom and two sisters." Provide the true picture, "While my dad is part of our lives, I live with my mom and two sisters." Or, if you find yourself in this situation, "I live on my own, with no parental support," And, it's okay to let us know, "I have a great family who cheers for me all the way."
Whatever your situation is, honesty is your best friend in our application process.
Letters of recommendation.
If you are in school now, ask for letters of recommendation before the end of the school year. It will be an arduous task to track down a teacher and ask for a favor when your time under their tutelage has ended. They’re busy and thinking about next year’s students.
Ask when you’re still in front of them, and bug them to get it done. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just reflective of you as a student, an athlete, a community participant, a person pursuing a career path . . . whatever that is.
Who should write a letter of recommendation for you?
Here's what we see, and all of these are okay:
Current or past teachers or coaches
Someone who knows you from your volunteer work
College professors
Current or past employers managers, supervisors, co-workers
Pastors, youth group leaders
The letters do not have to be addressed to Woman of Wonder, they can be a recommendation someone wrote for you to get accepted into a college or a recommendation to get a job.
But, letters of recommendation should be dated and signed, a PDF is best. And they should be current. Anything older than five years is not going to be considered.
It’s okay to ask.
If you’re uncertain, it is WAY okay to email us and ask a question about the application process: scholarships@womanofwonder.org
Before you hit “submit.”
Before you hit the submit button, read everything through. You probably made some edits and missed a random word here or there. Then read it again, and check your spelling.
While we won’t knock you down for what is obviously an oversight, it’s just so much cleaner when the spelling is correct and the extra “the" words are gone.
Don't exaggerate.
You are enough.
Lastly?
Get it in before the deadline.
Follow directions. Photo by Daniel Gonzalez.
Tell us where you are headed – as clearly as possible. Photo Austin Neill
Preferences are not restrictions. Photo by James Wheeler.
Provide two (2) letters of recommendation. Photo by Rae Tian.
Post some good stuff on your social media, maybe delete some that’s not so good. Photo by Leon.
You are enough. Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf.