Dion E. Ginanto
Winning a scholarship has become my rooted dream since I was teenagers. I was so proud and sometimes felt jealous knowing my neighbors got a scholarship from abroad. From that moment, I promised to try my best to win a scholarship from overseas. Soon after I graduated from college, I applied for some scholarships right away. In 2008, I applied for four different scholarships; ADS from Australia, Stuned from Neatherland, Aminef from The US, and ALA from Australia. Three months after I applied for those scholarships, I always opened my email hoping to get good news from one of the scholarship sponsors. However, none of the applications were approved. Although I was disappointed at my first trial, I kept trying in the following years. Then at last, on April 4, 2011, on my birth day, I received an email from USAID informing that I was one of the scholars who received a grant to study to the US. I couldn’t believe reading that email, because it has been my seventh trials to read the email from scholarship sponsor and no one but PRESTASI-USAID who approved my application. This scholarship is the best birth day gift from God and therefore I commit to share my experience. One of the secret points why I won this grant is because of my application essay. Thus, I would like to share the readers of how to write a good application essay. Here are some useful steps based on my experience.
First thing first is that you must learn the requirements from the sponsors carefully. For instance, pay a very serious attention of what they want to know from you, how long is the essay? What are the dos and don’ts? What kind of font in computer you need to use? What are the layout and the size of the paper? You need to take a deep concern on these; because each scholarship has its own style of the essay. In addition, you are not suggested to add unnecessary information that is not required by the sponsor since this will obviously decrease your essay quality. If possible, you need to ask for some alumni to ask what the specific contents you need to write.
Next, making a good draft is very important if you want to make a good essay. To make a good essay you need to make an outline. A common outline of an application essay is that it must have an opening, body and closing. The opening is usually answering the question of who you are, what your field of study is and what your background of study is. In the opening part of the essay you are permitted to tell a short story about yourself that might interest the reader. Make a story that makes the readers impressed about you. For example, what you have done so far in empowering social community, or if you are working in the rural area how you managed the shortage of the facilities, etc. Then the body paragraph usually answers the following questions: How does the program of training you wish to pursue relate to your background and your career? What new changes and contributions do you hope to introduce in your field upon completion of the program? How will the program contribute to the position you will assume upon your return home? Finally, the final part of outline is the closing paragraph, or conclusion paragraph. Make a concise and brief summary about what you have done, what you are doing and what you will do.
The third step is to start writing. Start to develop the outline you have made. In this phase, you are suggested to browse the examples of the essay available in the internet. Nevertheless, you must not cheat, because once you are proven guilty of plagiarism you will be black listed. Use your own language. Do not be afraid of making mistake in grammar, spelling or the sentence structure. When you type, do not forget to turn the spelling and grammar checkers on. This will be very helpful to minimize the errors. Writing a good essay needs a continual process, therefore never expect you can finish your writing once. Writing an essay needs a continual process.
The last step is called proof reading process. As I told you before that you must not wrap up your essay in one trial; therefore, it’s better to check and check again of what you have done. Try to review your essay not at the same day you write it. One or two days after you finish writing is good, because you have fresher mind and thought. If possible, grab someone else to proof read your writing. Your English lecturer or the alumni of the scholarship are the appropriate people to be your proof reader. It will be easier for others to check your errors. Nonetheless, do not ask them to rewrite your whole essay since it will be considered plagiarism.
All in all, when you want your application essay to win a scholarship you should follow these steps: learn carefully about the requirements needed in the essay, make a good draft, start to write your essay concisely, and proof read your essay. If you follow these steps, you will follow my success in winning a prestigious scholarship. Good luck.
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