Crafting Your Essay for the Lorraine Thomas Endowed Scholarship

Brainstorming Across the Four Buckets

To create a compelling essay, gather material in four key areas:

• Background: Reflect on your upbringing, experiences, and influences that have shaped your educational journey. Consider significant moments that pushed you toward your current path.
• Achievements: Identify key accomplishments in your academic and extracurricular life. Use metrics and specific examples to demonstrate your impact, such as leadership roles, projects completed, or awards received.
• The Gap: Acknowledge any gaps in your experience or education that this scholarship could help bridge. Explain why further study is essential for you and how it fits into your long-term goals.
• Personality: Infuse your essay with personal details that showcase your values, interests, and unique perspective. This humanizes your application and makes it memorable.

Outline Your Essay Structure

Once you have gathered your material, outline your essay to ensure a logical flow. Consider the following structure:

1. Introduction: Start with a concrete moment or scene that encapsulates your journey. Avoid generic statements and aim to engage the reader immediately.
2. Body Paragraphs: Dedicate each paragraph to one of the four buckets. Use the STAR method to narrate achievements and challenges, detailing the situation, task, action, and result.
3. Conclusion: Reflect on how your experiences have prepared you for future challenges and how the scholarship will facilitate your goals. Answer the “So what?” question by emphasizing your commitment to making a positive impact.

Drafting Voice and Tone

As you draft your essay, maintain an active voice and ensure clarity. Avoid passive constructions and bureaucratic language. Each paragraph should focus on one idea, with transitions that logically connect your thoughts. Use specific examples and metrics to substantiate your claims, steering clear of vague statements about passion or commitment.

Revision and “So What?”

After completing your first draft, take a break before revising. Read your essay aloud to catch awkward phrasing and ensure it flows well. Ask yourself what changed in you through your experiences and why it matters. Each section should reflect on your growth and articulate your future aspirations clearly.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Be mindful of the following mistakes:

• Avoid clichés and generic statements that do not add value to your narrative.
• Do not exaggerate achievements or fabricate experiences; honesty is crucial.
• Steer clear of heavy academic jargon that may obscure your message.