How to Write a Scholarship Essay and Win BIG (2024 Edition)
How to Apply: Submit a 3,000-4,000-word essay about challenges that awaken your conscience, including the ethics of any problem, question, or issue, whether close to home or in the world at large.
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students at accredited four-year colleges in the U.S.
Amount: Awards range from $1,000 to $10,000
Deadline: December 30, 2024
Website:
Junior Molina Lemus Memorial Scholarship Fund—One (1) $1,000 Scholarship (renewable)
“I am a person that wants to be someone in life.” These are the words of Junior Molina Lemus, a rising senior at the National Academy Foundation School of Baltimore (NAF), who passed away unexpectedly in the summer of 2020. Junior brought out the best in people through his exceptional kindness and unparalleled compassion. He was able to rise above his missteps and mistakes to become a driving force for change at NAF. Despite a busy work schedule, Junior was a member of the Boys’ soccer team, volunteered his time to organize the school’s Hispanic Heritage Month Assembly, and supported many programs and projects in the school. Learn more about Junior, in his own words,
Criteria: You must be a high school senior immigrant student at the National Academy Foundation School of Baltimore. There is no GPA requirement. All applicants must submit a resilience essay (300-900 words) describing challenges you have overcome and why you want to attend college. Essays may be in any language. Undocumented students are encouraged to apply.
Lewis H. Richardson, Jr.—Edmondson High School Class of 1972—One (1) $500 scholarship (non-renewable)
The Edmondson High School Class of 1972 established this scholarship with the intention of giving back to the community and the environment that enabled their growth and development. Their relationship with Principal Lewis H. Richardson, Jr. was one that provided advice, counsel, leadership, discipline, encouragement, guidance and unconditional love during their years at Edmondson High School. Dr. Richardson was an educator, whose accomplishments set his career path leading him to Edmondson at a time when his unparalleled leadership style would be the catalyst for change in the lives of many students. The Baltimore Sun obituary described him as a “teacher and administrator, known as a disciplinarian who cared about his students.” It is our hope that we provide support to an aspiring educator with a commitment to educational excellence with care, concern and compassion for students. The Edmondson High School Motto, “Excellence Demands Sacrifice” is one that modeled the legacy of Lewis H. Richardson, Jr. and we are proud of his legacy in providing support to a deserving high school senior.
Criteria: You must be a senior at Edmondson High School; have a cumulative high school GPA of at least a 2.5; with plans to major or minor in education; and submit a Merit Essay. Describe your academic and professional goals, why you have chosen them, what you have done to prepare yourself thus far and how college will help.
14 Scholarship Essay Examples That Won Thousands 2024
The Late James M. Griffin, Women Behind the Community (WO-BE-CO), Inc. Scholarship—One (1) $1,000 (non-renewable)
Women Behind the Community (WO-BE-CO), Inc. is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization committed to empowering women, children, and families in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. This scholarship honors the life and legacy of the late James M. Griffin, a civil rights and social justice advocate who dedicated his life to ensuring equality in education, housing, and health care. A founder and owner of his own physical therapy office, he mentored and trained countless physical therapists, encouraging them in their academic and professional pursuits. As a proud graduate of Dunbar High School, he earned a scholarship for his athleticism to attend Johnson C. Smith University which changed the trajectory of his life. Through his active involvement in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated (Pi Omega Chapter) he helped establish the Principle Achievers Mentoring Program and enthusiastically mentored African American males from ages 8 to 18. He shared his life lessons in his autobiography (Lessons Learned through the Power of My Journey) to pave the way for others, especially young people to learn from his experiences, encourage them in their pursuit of achieving their academic, career, and personal goals, while at the same time he underscored and modeled the importance of giving back to your community. To keep Mr. Griffin’s legacy alive, WO-BE-CO endeavors to award a $1,000 (non-renewable) scholarship to an African American male who embodies his values including, high scholastic achievement, compassion, and service to others. The ideal recipient would be interested in pursuing the field of Physical or Occupational Therapy, or other related Allied Health field, and/or plans to attend Johnson C. Smith University, although not required.
Criteria: You must be an African American male who is graduating from Mr. Griffin’s alma mater, Dunbar High School, who will be attending a community college, 4 year college/university or trade school, demonstrates financial need, and submits a Resilience Essay. The essay should describe the challenges you have overcome at school, home, or in your community and why you want to attend college or trade school.
The late Cardrienne P. Griffin, Women Behind the Community (WO-BE-CO), Inc. Scholarship—One (1) $1,000 (non-renewable)
Women Behind the Community (WO-BE-CO), Inc. is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization committed to empowering women, children, and families in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. This scholarship honors the life and legacy of the late Cardrienne P. Griffin, WO-BE-CO Co-Founder, and former Baltimore City school teacher who had a passion for cultivating young people and serving the community. Mrs. Griffin spent her lifetime dedicated to making a difference mentoring girls and women in education, career development, health care, voter equality and civil rights through her active involvement in WO-BE-CO (as well as, numerous local and international organizations). As an educator and community volunteer, she enjoyed organizing book drives, social and cultural activities for our girls mentoring program, taking students on college tours, and more. To keep Mrs. Griffin’s legacy alive, WO-BE-CO endeavors to award a $1,000 (non-renewable) scholarship to an African American female who embodies her values including, high scholastic achievement, compassion, and service to others.
Criteria: You must be an African American female who attends one of the designated schools below, aspires to attend college/university or trade school, with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above, demonstrate financial need, and submit a Resilience Essay. The essay should describe the challenges you have overcome at school, home, or in your community and why you want to attend college.
Scholarships include the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest, Love Your Career Scholarship, Car Detail Calgary Scholarship, American Society for Enology and Viticulture Scholarship, The Gallery Collection Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship, CNA Scholarship, and BigSun Scholarship.
Scholarships include the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest, Love Your Career Scholarship, Car Detail Calgary Scholarship, American Society for Enology and Viticulture Scholarship, The Gallery Collection Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship, CNA Scholarship, and BigSun Scholarship.
How to Get Scholarships for College (Write a Great Scholarship Essay)
Criteria: You must be a male high school senior graduating from Coppin Academy High School, have a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better, submit a Resilience Essay. Everyone faces and overcomes challenges. Describe the challenges you have overcome and how that relates to you wanting to attend to college (300-900 words; 2-4 pages).
Grants and Scholarships for College
First, pick a cliché topic that you might use for an essay. In fact, maybe it’s the sport you’re considering writing about for a scholarship essay.
Scholarship Application Essay Example
Many scholarship candidates make the mistake of writing before they know what they want to say. They are floundering, and their writing reflects it. When you only have 200 words to sell your idea, each word has to count double. That is why a clear thesis statement is so important. A thesis is your guide – it helps make sure that every word you write is pointing in the right direction. To arrive at your thesis, carefully study that mess of notes from your brainstorming and filtering sessions. Your thesis is there, I promise. You just have to find it. Once you figure it out, write it down. Chose your words carefully. Rewrite it a time or two (or 20) until every word you have written has importance. Now, take a deep breath. The hardest part of the process is behind you.
Scholarship Essay Examples That Won Money
My older sister is the first in my family to go to college. I was always the shyer one. She's taught me through her efforts that the only limits you have are the ones you place on yourself. With my sister's example I have followed in the footsteps of never letting money become a reason why I can't or won't do something. If my sister can do it, I can do it. I see the leadership characteristic is genetic and it runs in my entire family. I witness my parents be leaders everyday as they tackle cultural obstacles in a country that wasn't the one they were born into, speaking a language that is not their own, and raising children to succeed in a system of higher education; one they never had the privilege to be part of. My family and I are one. We stack our efforts, and obstacles on top of each other to further our successes as a whole. When I think back to my family's story I'm amazed to think that my grandpa came to the US in the midst of WW2, a bracero, leaving his family to help feed millions of Americans in time of war. My grandpa, a man of the fields, paved the way so I could defy the odds with my prosperity.