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College Scholarship Judging
What can students do to sway important college scholarship judging decisions? Keep reading…
[2023 Edition]
Students who take the time to learn about college scholarship judging will be one big step ahead of all the other applicants.
I wrote extensively about what I learned and all of my strategies are found in my scholarship guide ebooks, but here is a little taste:
Judges love to hear about how a scholarship applicant has faced a major hurdle or challenge in his or her life, but it is HOW they overcome this challenge that really helps them win a scholarship.
Let’s face it, we’ve all had our own personal challenges, no matter how big or small they may be.
Scholarship judges don’t just want to know that you have had a challenge, but EXACTLY what you did, how you felt, what you learned along the way, and the outcome of your challenge.
Let’s look at the beginning of two different scholarship essays that are answering the question, “Why I deserve to win this scholarship”
1. I deserve to win this scholarship because a few years ago I was very sick but somehow survived and now I need the money to go to college. (yada, yada, yada.)
2. I can still remember the smell of the hallway as my mom and dad said goodbye as the nurses wheeled me away and into surgery. The questions floated around my semi-induced sleepy state of mind and again I wondered why I had to be the one to be diagnosed with leukemia. It seemed like my life had turned into one painful fight after another, but slowly I could feel myself getting stronger and my will to live and overcome the unfairness of my situation started to change me…
Can you see the difference between the two? Can you FEEL the difference? I can!
Students, pour your heart and soul into your scholarship application essays!
Don’t skim over important details of your life. The judges want to know YOU and not just your name on the application.
Be sure to read this post for more ideas on sharing details in scholarship essays.
None of my boys had any huge problems either, but we found a way to highlight the challenges they did face and share details about what they did to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.
I could go on and on here, but I won’t. You need to read my scholarship guide ebooks to find out other ways to get into the minds of the scholarship judges.

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What I found when researching college scholarship judging is GOLDEN.
Don’t just take my word for it.
This is what parents are saying about the How to Win College Scholarships ebooks:
“We are SO excited! We used the ideas in your scholarship guide ebooks and THEY WORK! At a dinner we had to attend to pick up one scholarship check, one of the judges told me that it was the way my son’s scholarship application was put together and presented that made it stand out and get chosen among the many that they had narrowed the stack down to. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas!” S.W., Marysville, MI
All my winning scholarship secrets are revealed right here >>

Monica Matthews is the author of How to Win College Scholarships. She helped her own son win over $100,000 in college scholarships and now shares her expertise with other parents and their students. She truly has “been there, done that” in regard to helping parents and students navigate the scholarship process.
Her method of helping students in finding college scholarships, writing unique and compelling scholarship essays, creating amazing scholarship application packets, and more have taught desperate parents to help their own students win thousands of scholarship dollars. She teaches them how to apply S.M.A.R.T. with outstanding results.
Monica’s scholarship tips have been featured on many prominent websites, and she has been dubbed the “Go-To” expert on college scholarships.