scholarship application? You bet. Generally speaking, most
local scholarship committees may find a few minor mistakes
acceptable, but the higher the level of competition, the
less tolerance there is for a faux pas. And when you go for
the gold at the national level of competition, no mistake
is permissible. Even at the local level, if the competition
is heavy, one error can result in the loss of money.
Even small spelling mistakes can cause an application to be
thrown out. A judge reviewed a submission from a girl who
was second in her class. She had a 3.95 GPA. The problem?
She misspelled salutatorian. Believe it! How does that
happen? Surely, it should have been noticed. Was it a
keyboarding error? Maybe.
Another application from a boy on the baseball team noted
that he won the league batting title with a .259 average.
Know anything about baseball? Most likely, the number 2
should have been a 3, 4, 5, or even 6.
Yet, another listed the applicant's age as "88." Do you
suppose she was the oldest high school student in the
country...in the world? But wait, she listed her birth date
as eighteen years earlier. Those are the kinds of silly
little miscues that can disqualify good candidates. Use the
computer spell check and have someone read for context and
spelling problems. Most people cannot do a good job of
proof-reading themselves. Why take a chance?
Another blunder is leaving blank spaces. This is not a good
thing. The committee may think that you are trying to hide
something. If the question or statement is not applicable
to you, write DNA on the line, which is the standard
abbreviation or acronym for Does Not Apply.
Use a computer and keyboard whenever possible. Investigate
the many inexpensive and free form-filling computer
programs. No long hand here. Never write in pencil. And,
NEVER, NEVER. EVER, EVER use whiteout.
Follow directions exactly. It is not unusual to see lists
where paragraphs are required and vice versa. Sometimes a
signature is needed with the name printed. A simple YES or
NO may be necessary, Instead, an opinion is given.
Here's a tricky one that trips many juniors and seniors
with honor roll credentials. After ten years in school, they
still have problems using to, too, two, and they're, their,
there.
Oops! I saw a sure regional and possible national winner
disqualified, because her application missed the deadline
date...by one day. Always beat the deadline. Mail early.
How could this happen? An app arrived without the parent
permission slip signature.
Check, Check, Check.
This bears repeating: most mistakes can be eliminated when
others proof the application. Then read it aloud while
someone else listens.
What can you do, if the mistake cannot be corrected? Be
sure to make a copy before you start. If it says "copies
are not permitted," go back for one or two more originals.
Planning produces positive outcomes when the scholarship
effort is truly a family affair.
To learn more about planning to win scholarships, visit
http://ScholarshipDoctor.com
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©2006 The Scholarship Doctor, Dale Clifton - All Rights
Reserved - Dale is an educational consultant and expert at
helping families win college scholarships.