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College Scholarship Tip: Begin With a Hook
Winning scholarship essays are ones that capture the attention of the judges from the very first sentence. To do this, students need to always begin with a hook instead of what most students will begin with, which is this:
“I need this scholarship money because…”
This is a common way to start scholarship essays and winning scholarships is all about being different and catching the eyes of the judges as soon as they start reading.
[Be sure to read: College Scholarship Judge Reveals Winning Secrets]
Also, don’t spit back the prompt or repeat the essay question.
Students, if the question is, “What are your goals and dreams?”, resist the urge to start with, “My goals and dreams are…” This is what most students do and it is, well, BORING.
Use real-life examples, describe something you are passionate about, and then lead into the reasons why how winning the scholarship money would help you fulfill your dreams.
Using an interesting “hook” at the start and end of your essays will help the judges remember you and give your scholarship applications more reasons to be placed in the possible winners’ pile.
Great college scholarship essays are the ones that the judges WANT to read after the first sentence and not those they HAVE to read because it’s their job.
Find an example of how to use an essay hook right here.
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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.