How to Craft Your Essay for the Jason Baker Memorial Scholarship

Brainstorming Across the Four Buckets

Gather material for your essay by exploring the four key areas:

• Background: Consider your personal history, including family, education, and any challenges you've faced. What experiences have shaped your desire to pursue higher education?
• Achievements: Identify specific accomplishments that demonstrate your skills and dedication. Use metrics when possible—such as leadership roles, community service hours, or academic honors—to quantify your impact.
• The Gap: Reflect on what you currently lack in your education or experiences that this scholarship could help you address. Be honest about your aspirations and how further study at Clackamas Community College will help you bridge that gap.
• Personality: Humanize your essay with details that reveal your values and interests. Share anecdotes that illustrate your character and passion for your chosen field of study.

Creating an Outline

Once you have gathered your material, create an outline to organize your thoughts. A strong essay typically includes:

1. Introduction: Start with a compelling moment or story that captures your reader's attention. Avoid generic statements.
2. Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph should focus on one idea, using the STAR method to structure your achievements and experiences. Clearly articulate the situation, task, action, and result of each experience.
3. Conclusion: Reflect on how your experiences have prepared you for future challenges and how the scholarship will impact your educational journey.

Drafting Voice and Style

As you draft your essay, use an active voice and specific language. Avoid vague phrases and clichés. Instead of saying you are “passionate” about a subject, demonstrate your passion through specific examples and outcomes. Make sure each section of your essay answers the “So what?” question—why does your experience matter?

Revision and “So What?”

After drafting, take a break before revising. When you return, read your essay critically. Ensure that each paragraph contributes to a coherent narrative and reinforces your case for the scholarship. Ask yourself if your essay clearly communicates your goals and how the scholarship will enable you to achieve them. Seek feedback from peers or mentors to gain additional perspectives.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Be mindful of the following mistakes:

• Avoid starting with clichés or overly general statements.
• Do not exaggerate or fabricate experiences; authenticity is crucial.
• Steer clear of passive voice and bureaucratic language.
• Ensure your essay has a clear structure, with each paragraph focusing on a single idea.