BY JOY KROSSCHELL [SHE/HER] | DEVELOPMENT INTERN
Students United has multiple scholarships that require essays. Below are scholarship essay requirements that are currently open to Minnesota State University students. Applications are due April 1st!
Penny Scholarship & Penny Fellowship
Essay: Highlight your commitment, interest, background, and future plans in community service (minimum two pages)
Jared P. Stene Student Leadership Scholarship
Personal Statement: Describe an experience in which your leadership influenced significant change within your educational institution or community and how this affected your short- and long-term goals (500 words or less)
Hull Educational Foundation Scholarship
Essay Question: How will this scholarship help you complete a four-year program leading up to a degree and your financial needs?
Friends Scholarship
Personal Statement: Describe in an essay format the unique financial need that could prohibit you from continuing your education.
Elizabeth Pegues Scholarship Matching Program for Students of Color
Essay: A biography of yourself including a description of your college plans and career goals
Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship Program
Essay: Personal statement about his/her background, educational goals, career goals, and commitment to the causes of human or civil rights. (Limited to two typed pages, double spaced in an eleven (11) point font)
Rubric Guidelines for Strong Essays
Penny Community & Fellowship Scholarships
The essay is clear and consistent with other material. The reviewer will have a strong idea of their experience. The writer shows and doesn't just tell you about their commitment, background, and future plans in community service. Mets the two-page minimum.
Jared P. Stene Scholarship
The essay is clear and consistent with other submitted material. A strong idea of their leadership experience is shown. The writer shows and doesn't just tell you about their leadership. Mets the 500 or less word requirement.
Friends Scholarship
The student’s background and unique needs are clear. The writer is able to show, not just tell what is happening. You have a clear idea about how this financial need impacts their ability to graduate.
Tips on Essay Writing
Give yourself time!
Dedicate a specific date and time to write your essay.
Start as early as possible à simply creating the document and writing down the essay prompt makes you more likely to complete it!
Answer all of their questions
Before starting the essay, write down a brief answer to each question and make sure you clearly include those answers within your essay.
Have the questions/answers visible to you while you write the essay so you stay on topic.
Show the reviewers who you are, don’t just tell them
Back up your essay with specific stories or examples so they can get a better picture of who you are as a whole.
Free Resources
Hemmingway Writing Editor: Helps with readability, grammar, and general structure
Minnesota State Online Tutoring: All MinnState schools get at least 15 hours of FREE online tutoring per semester through Tutor.com (you can also contact your school to request additional free hours). This site guarantees essay feedback within 12 hours.
Your school’s writing center or tutoring center
How Long Does It Take to Write an Essay?
It depends. For a 2-page personal statement, it can take about an hour and a half to write the basics of the essay and another hour to review and edit it. The more time you take to prep what you want to say and edit the work, the better the essay will likely be. Create a general outline before typing the essay if you want the process to go smoother. This means that you have the chance to get anywhere between $500 - $5,000 for only 2 ½ hours of work!