Ael Collegiate Essay Contest (2024)

FAQs

How do you win an essay contest scholarship? ›

The Collegiate Laws of Life Essay Contest asks Penn State students to explore ethical values and intercultural issues, and their talent for expressing their views in writing.

This is where you're encouraged to share details of how you got to where you are today, what inspired your hobbies, interests, or drive to attend college, and how the scholarship will help you achieve your academic and/or personal goals. Remember to use specifics rather than make general statements!

Winning a scholarship essay contest can be tough, but with the right tips it's definitely doable.

Many applicants are attracted to opportunities that are easy to apply to, and since many no essay scholarships are essentially scholarship sweepstakes, that means you have a very low chance of actually winning.

Sure, many writing contests do charge a submission fee. But these fees are usually small and they go towards the cash prize, or to keep the publication or organization running. So you're not throwing your money away. So, yes, even if they're not free, writing contests are totally worth it!

Comprehensive Criteria: Along with creativity and structure, include criteria like relevance to the theme, use of language, and persuasive power of the argument. This helps students understand different facets of good writing.

What is a collegiate essay? ›

The essay is an opportunity for students to personalize their college application beyond grades and scores. It can also be one of the more nerve-wracking parts of the application process.

The best choice is to write an attention-grabbing sentence. It should be something persuading or intriguing that will make a person continue reading your essay with great interest. Avoid long explanations or introductions. Instead, this sentence should be short and clear.

Don't quote others in your essay. It's great that you know what others say, but scholarship and or college admission committees want to know your thoughts, not what Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King, JR. or Betsy Ross may have said. Don't write an essay that reads like a newspaper editorial.

Introduce yourself and why you're applying

Include information such as your current or prospective college major, your professional goals and what potentially receiving the funding means to you. You can use this first paragraph to highlight your understanding of the organization, its expectations and the award.

Before you start writing, make sure you read the essay guidelines so that you're following all of the rules. Come up with a topic that fits the contest's theme and craft a detailed, descriptive, and interesting essay. By making your essay original and error-free, you'll be much more likely to win the contest.

The best choice is to write an attention-grabbing sentence. It should be something persuading or intriguing that will make a person continue reading your essay with great interest. Avoid long explanations or introductions. Instead, this sentence should be short and clear.