Five Tips for Getting a Head Start on Scholarship Applications

It’s scholarship season! Scholarship applications have deadlines throughout the year, but the majority of scholarship contests open after the first of the year. Now is a great time to get a jump on scholarships and start pulling together the most common scholarship requirements so you’ll have them ready to go when applications open. Here’s a list of commonly requested items.

1. Transcripts

Scholarship applications often require academic transcripts. Work to keep your grades high, or see if you can earn extra credit to boost your grades. If there’s a year or semester where your grades weren’t great, explain why in your essay and point out your improvements. Scholarship organizations often want an official transcript sent directly from your school, not from you, so be sure to give your school plenty of time to meet deadlines. Request an electronic copy of your transcript for your records, and so that you’ll have a copy easily available if a scholarship organization will accept one from you.

2. Test Scores

If you are applying for an academic scholarship, test scores may be required. Make sure to take the SAT or ACT if you are planning to apply for academic merit scholarships. If your scores were not as high as you would like, consider retaking them. Many scholarships will take your best score as part of the application.

3. Resume

A resume can be a great companion to your transcript and test scores, showing what you’ve accomplished outside of the classroom. Make sure to include part-time jobs, volunteer work, school clubs, sports, and any community involvement experience. Even if you don’t need a resume for a scholarship application, it’s good to have one as resumes are needed for employment and other applications.

4. Letters of Recommendation

These letters aren’t always required but can add a boost to your scholarship applications and increase your chances of being chosen. It's often easier for someone else to sing your praises. Though college applications often require teacher and school counselor recommendations, scholarship applications usually leave the choice up to you. Be thoughtful and creative when thinking about who can write a recommendation that might show a side of you not otherwise demonstrated in your application. Coaches, employers, or community officials can be great options if you have good relationships with any of them. 

5. Essay

Not all scholarships will require an essay, but don’t shy away from those that do. Many students will skip scholarships requiring an essay, resulting in a smaller pool of applicants for those scholarships. Topics can vary from scholarship to scholarship, but most essay topics will involve something about you and your career and life goals. Work on a general essay about yourself that includes interesting examples of experiences that have shaped you and your goals. Incorporate personal reflections on what you’ve learned or how you’ve changed. When it’s time to submit an application, tailor the essay to meet the scholarship’s requirements.

Scholarship applications can be time-consuming but can really pay off when well done. Pulling together possible scholarship requirements ahead of time can help reduce your stress and increase the number of scholarship applications you're able to submit. It’s never too early to get started! 

For more information about scholarships and a list of scholarships for Maine students, visit our Maine Scholarship Search page. 

You can also check out our animated video, Scholarship Success to get more tips and tricks to great scholarship applications. 

For additional helpful information and resources, find previous tips on our website.

FAME's College Access and Financial Education Team:

Mila Tappan, College Access and Outreach Manager

Jessica Whittier, College Access Counselor 

Nikki Vachon, College Access Counselor

Maria MacDougal, College Access Counselor

Floreka Malual, College Planning Advisor

Mary Dyer, Financial Education Programs Manager

Sarah Newcomb, Financial Education Programs Specialist