Personal Statements--Project the Real You

On occasion, students, in an attempt to appear scholarly, have used vocabulary that comes off as phony. Many times the words used weren't even appropriate to the content of the personal statement. This error is easily spotted and does not lend credibility to your paper.

Although it is important to start to build up your vocabulary, you must understand the meaning and be comfortable using "important" words. I can't stress enough the importance of projecting the real you. Be sincere--speak from the heart with honesty.

Choose to be Happy

"If there is something in your life you're not happy about, change it."

--Elaine St. James

Keep Life Simple

"You know it's time to simplify your life when you can't make it to the end of the month without a credit card."

--Elaine St. James

Attendance & Being on Time

The first step toward being a successful student is to go to class. Of course, being on time is part of the package. It is important for you not to miss anything that is being presented, but there is also the consideration of your classmates and the professor.

Walking into a classroom late is a great distraction. You are cheating yourself of important instructions, but it shows total disregard for others. Of course, unavoidable "stuff" happens occasionally--that's life.

When being late becomes a habit, you lose credibility and in many classrooms it will affect your grade. Don't lose your integrity as a student. Do the right thing no matter what.

Excellence

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to his committment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor."
Vince Lombardi, Football Coach

The same is true when completing your scholarship application. Think "excellence" on everything you write. Perfect your spelling and grammar. The first contact the reader will have with you is the appearance of your application packet. Follow directions to a tee. Believe that you are a winner.

Character and Your Personal Statement

Prior to writing your personal statement, give some consideration to the values that make up a desirable character. Give some thought to the meaning of integrity, honesty, sincerity, ethics, values, and morals. Are you projecting these qualities in the way you live your life? Are you projecting a positive image when you write about yourself?

Periodically, I ask a class of young students for the definition of integrity. The response is usually a sea of blank faces. The education of character is no longer taught in our schools and it is sad that so few of our leaders possess the strong character traits that we want them to have.

The only way that we can change that is to strive hard to develop strong character traits within ourselves. Become strong role models for your children and future generations. As you prepare to write your scholarship essays (also, college entrance statements), start writing a paragraph or two on your interpretation of these values. What do these mean to you? How can you develop these traits?

You might try adding a couple of authors to your reading list. Dr. William Bennett has a number of books on character and honor. Perhaps, one of the most popular is Book of Virtues.

Another author that I love is Dr. Will Keim. He and a partner have started a character institute. The first book of his that I bought and actually used as a textbook one semester was The Education of Character.

There are thousands of scholarships out there waiting for your applications. Make your personal statement shine. Show the scholarhip review committees that you are the one who deserves the award. They are looking for future leaders. Project your committment to education--write to win.

First Impressions

Whether you like it or not, people do judge you by the way you look. The same is true for the scholarship application that you submit. It is really important that it looks as though you have put a great deal of thought and preparation into completing it.

As I mentioned yesterday, it is critical to follow directions. Have everything in order and follow the checklist if it is included in the directions. You want your documents to look neat, organized and easy to read. White space makes your papers look clean and visually pleasing.

You want to make your application stand out. The first contact that the scholarship donor has with you is your application, personal statement and letters of recommendation. You want to project professionalism--you want credibility.

You want to stand out. You want to have a competitive edge. You want to demonstrate that you are a good investment. You want to have your application read. The first impression may make a big difference in the selction process.