If you've overcome personal challenges or hardships, you can certainly describe this in your scholarship applications no matter what the award. Almost every scholarship judge will be impressed if you have overcome obstacles and reached your goals despite personal challenges. However, there are a few organizations that are dedicated specifically to recognizing students who have overcome significant challenges.
Two of the better known are the American Cancer Society College Scholarship Program and the Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Program. The American Cancer Society College Scholarship Program offers scholarships for students who are cancer survivors. Each program is run by a local ACS organization. The Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Program is for students who have overcome major obstacles in their life, are committed to using their college degrees in service to others and demonstrate financial need.
The Sallie Mae Fund offers the 911 Education Fund Scholarship Program which was created in response to the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. The scholarship program is open to children of those who were killed or permanently disabled as a result of the terrorist attacks who are enrolled as full-time undergraduate students at approved accredited institutions. The Sallie Mae Fund also offers the Unmet Need Scholarship Program for students who have unmet financial need, which is the gap between the college cost and the financial aid package.
When you write about hardships that you've faced in your application, remember that you need to do more than just describe the challenge. You also need to explain how you have survived or overcome the challenge and what you have learned from the experience. Scholarship winners are not those who have faced the most difficult challenges, but those who have encountered obstacles and grown stronger from the experience.
Whether it's playing basketball or backgammon, we all have interests and hobbies that we pursue outside of the classroom. While we think of these as enjoyable diversions, sometimes they can also be the basis for winning a scholarship. The way to find out if your interest has a related scholarship is to inquire with organized enthusiast groups. If you do some digging around your interests and hobbies, chances are you'll find groups and organizations that want to reward students like you.
You might be a leader and not even know it. While there are many scholarships for leaders, it's amazing how many students don't think they are a leader simply because they don't have the appropriate title such as "president" or "secretary." Being a leader is not just about being elected. You can be a leader simply for organizing your peers. If you have ever organized an event or special project, that is certainly an example of leadership.
One of the most well-known leadership scholarships is the Principals Leadership Award Scholarship sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and Herff Jones. Principals nominate high school senior student leaders based on their leadership skills, participation in service organizations, achievements in the arts and sciences, work experience and academic record. There are 150 students from all 50 states who win US Dollars 1,000 scholarships.
Most scholarships whether they say so or not value leadership. In all of your applications and interviews you should cite examples of your leadership skills when possible. Remember, you do not have to be in an elected office to be a leader. Any time you have taken the initiative to organize an activity, you have shown leadership.
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Note: This article was sent to us by: Kimberly Rowens at 08302010
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