By: EVA MONHAUT
Staff Writer
Emonhaut@iu.edu
Scholarship applications with additional requirements aren’t something to shy away from. Some require recommendation letters from professors and essays. Here are more tips shared from the talk given by Honors Program Director Neovi Karaktasanis, Teresa Berger, assistant director and scholarship coordinator, and Ginny Heidemann, director of the Academic Center for Excellence.
For scholarship applications that require a recommendation letter, a few tips shared were: Reach out to the faculty member before putting their information into the application. Make sure to visit their office, so as to refresh the academic relationship if it has been a while since having been in the faculty member’s class. It is also recommendable to share a copy of one’s resume with the faculty member, as well as the information on which scholarship one is applying for.
These steps will allow them to write a more accurate letter and strengthen the student’s chances of receiving scholarships.
Berger also recommends checking the other scholarship opportunities on campus like scholarships for study abroad, which can grant awards between $500 to $2000. The ACE scholarship is another choice for most students to pursue.
A few essay writing tips from Heidemann are to outline your thoughts ahead of time, allow yourself enough time to write the essay, reread, read it out loud, and have others read it for you as well. Use your resources as well, such as the writer’s room.
Most importantly, she wants students to remember to “The ACE Scholarship provides an opportunity to be rewarded for regularly seeking academic support as needed and then reflecting on participation in the process,” said Heidemann.
While applying for scholarships does take effort, dedication and time, it is well worth it in the end.
“Students should not get discouraged if they apply for a scholarship and are turned down. It often takes several submissions before an application is successful. Persistence and perseverance are the keys,” concluded Karakatsanis.
