Write your Way to a College Scholarship

With one year of college costing over $60,000 at many schools, even the most affluent families become grateful for any additional scholarship help. Although some essay contest committees consider the need in selecting winners, many others look only at the merits of the essay. Writing a really dynamite essay can pay off handsomely, and, unless the topic is unusually specific, essays can often be tweaked to fit the requirements of several contests.

First, accumulate a list of essay contests and make note of the essay(s) required for each. Group those that address similar topics, and spend your time crafting a really good essay. Your opening sentence needs to grab your reader—paint a scene and place your audience right in the middle. Use specific examples and work on those descriptive phrases. Spend time writing and revising; winning an essay contest can yield more money than a minimum-wage job. Here’s a list of essay contests to get you started—find more by Googling “scholarship essay contests”.

Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead Scholarships: www.aynrand.org

The Jane Austin Society Essay Scholarship: www.jasna.org

The National Peace Essay Contest: www.usip.org

The American Mensa Educational &Research Foundation Scholarship: www.mensafoundation.org/what-we-do/scholarships

Profile in Courage Essay Contest: www.jfklibrary.org/Education/Profile-in-Courage-Essay-Contest

Spirit of Anne Frank Award: www.annefrank.com/fileadmin/safa/index.html

American Foreign Service High School Essay Contest: www.afsa.org/essay-contest

Richard Zimmerman Journalism Scholarship: www.pressclubinstitute.org/national-press-club-scholarship-opportunities/

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: www.artandwriting.org

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