How to write a winning scholarship essay - Gen Tanabe, Kelly Tanabe 2018
Index
a
d
accomplishments 57
Dao, Alex 85
Alcazar, Dalia 84, 195
Darne, Michael 26
American Association of School
Deshmukh, Swati 115
Administrators 40, 153
De Anda, Mario A. 41, 155
Angier B. Duke Memorial Schol-
DiFiore, Laura 35, 37, 39, 42, 50,
arship 121
154, 156
authors 17
Discover Card Tribute Award
Avian Veterinarian 111—112
Scholarship 17, 33, 39, 40,
A Fight against Discrimination
101, 115, 119
115—116
Dow Scholarship 113
A Lesson for Both of Us 104—105
Drage, Brent 22, 33, 204, 205
A Mother’s Sacrifice 75—76
e
b
Eadie, Mark R. 58, 68—70
Babcock, Brian C. 64—66, 170,
editors 59—60
187
Educationality 137
Bazemore, Trisha 36, 38, 154
Edwards, Cathy 33, 39
Bei, Sara 125
Eleven Year Old Scientist 119—
Bengali, Shashank 93—95
120
Bloom, Jonathan 117
essays 46—62
Briggs, Tracey Wong 33, 35, 37,
accomplishments 57
39, 41, 155
answering the underlying ques-
tion 51—52
c
choosing a topic 54
conclusions 61—62
Camp ReCreation 103
editors 59—60, 61
Carroll, Leah 79, 156, 170, 206
fit with application 46—49
Carroll, Wanda 34, 37, 39, 42,
importance of 46, 152
154, 156
importance of being positive
Chicago Scholars Award 82
47, 59
Childhood 85
importance of originality 49—51,
Chiu, Jennifer 73—75
55
choosing an essay topic 54
importance of passion 53—54
CIF Scholar-Athlete of the Year
introductions 60
33, 125
mistakes 50, 130—149, 155
Coca-Cola Scholars Program 36,
personalizing 56
38, 58, 68, 154
qualities of winning essays
Cohen Foundation Scholarship
49—54, 153
75
research 55
conclusions for essays 61—62
sob stories 58
Cryptography And Encryption
using examples 58
117—118
Index
writing tips 54—59
My Family’s Hope 82—83
essay examples 64—128
My Name Is Brooke 138—139
about academic accomplish-
My So Called Life 132—133
ments 117
My Trip to Europe 135—136
about artistic talents 127
New Hampshire Primary 93—95
about athletics 125
Nuclear Nightmare 148—149
about career plans or field of
Only the Strong Survive 71—72
study 106
Organ Donor Project 97—98
about community service and
Science Nerd 121—122
volunteerism 99
Scientific Inspiration 113—114
about experiences and chal-
Serving and Protecting 99—100
lenges 64
STARS 89—90
about family 75
Superpan 123
about leadership 115
Ten Years from Now 143—144
about national or international
Thank You, Dr. Seuss 77—79
issues 87
The Highway of Life 141—142
Avian Veterinarian 111—112
The Power to Change the World
A Fight against Discrimination
91—92
115—116
The Right Fit 109—110
A Lesson for Both of Us 104—
Tokai Nuclear Disaster 87—88
105
When Drinking Water 80—81
A Mother’s Sacrifice 75—76
Where Has Time Gone?
Camp ReCreation 103
130—132
Childhood 85
essay mistakes
Cryptography and Encryption
creativity overload 141
117—118
excuses 146
disasters 130—149
influential person 139
Educationality 137
Judges’ Roundtable 155
Eleven Year Old Scientist
Miss America essay 133
119—120
no connection to life 144
Giving Back to My Community
no point 130
101—102
simple solution 147
Inspired to Teach 67
sob story 132
Inspiring Greatness 125—126
too many statistics 137
International Journalism
travel 135
106—108
vocabulary 136
Invisible Handicap 68—70
your future 142
It’s Not My Fault 146—147
I Love My Family 139—140
f
Lessons from a Pitbull 73—74
Lessons from the Outdoors 65
finding scholarships 20—23, 26
Liza 144—145
activities 23
Musically Inspired 127—128
church or religious organization
My Dedication to the World
24
134—135
How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay
community organizations 23
Inspiring Greatness 125—126
counselor 21
International Journalism 106—108
employer 23
Internet
financial aid office 21
finding scholarships 20
Internet 20
interviews 160—173
local businesses 24
asking questions 164
local government 24
body language 166
newspaper 24
by telephone 169, 173
parents 23—24
creating conversation 161
professional organizations 23
disasters 172
scholarship directories 20
dress 166
Fortson, Danny 106
good qualities of 205, 206, 207
FreSch! Let’s Get Creative Short
group 165, 173
Story and Poetry 35, 37,
hostile 170
39, 42, 50, 154, 156
importance of 204
Frishberg, Ellen 33, 42
practicing 168
Fulbright Grant 127
preparation 162—164
thank you notes 173
g
typical questions 205
interview examples 176—202
Get Free Cash for College 17, 20
academic experience 193
Giving Back to My Community
achievement 176
101—102
activities 198
grade point average
career plans 194, 195
importance of 17
community involvement 199
educational influence 187
H
educator influence 192
favorite book 183
Hall, Kimberly 36, 41, 47, 152,
favorite subject 189
153, 155
future plans 196
Haskins, Jessica 77—79, 81, 84
importance of education 186
Heikamp, Emily 121
issues 200
Heras, Daniel 67
leadership 178
Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards
major selection 190
32, 35, 38, 153, 157, 207
role model 182
Hispanic Scholarship Fund 42,
significance of winning 185
155
strengths and weaknesses 179
Hobbs, Russ 22, 36, 40, 42, 167,
why chose college 188
206, 207
why deserve to win 184
Horowitz, Janet L. 37, 38, 41
introductions for essays 60—61
Hyde, Lindsay 96—99
Invisible Handicap 68—70
Ishida, Marie M. 33
I
It’s Not My Fault 146—147
I Love My Family 139—140
Inspired to Teach 67
Index
J
mission of scholarships 27—28,
32—34, 162
Javaras, Kristin N. 61, 100, 163
Moreno, Corisa 34, 36, 39, 41
Johns Hopkins University Hodson Morimoto, Jason 100, 173
Trust Scholarship 33, 42
Murray, Bob 34, 38
Juarez, Elisa Tatiana 89, 91, 141,
Musically Inspired 127—128
179, 181
Music Center Spotlight Awards
judges
34, 37, 39, 41
interpreting 181
My Dedication to the World
interviewing 167
134—135
who they are 35—36
My Family’s Hope 82—83
Judges’ Roundtable
My Name Is Brooke 138—139
essays 152—158
My So Called Life 132—133
interviews 204—209
My Trip to Europe 135—136
selection process 32—44
n
K
National Association of Second-
Keller, Shirley Kennedy 17, 40,
ary School Principals 34,
153
37, 40, 42, 154, 156
Kendall, Emily 104—106
National Honor Society Scholar-
Kennedy, Chris 111
ships 40
Knight Ridder Minority Scholars
National Merit Scholarship 111,
Program 25, 34, 35, 39, 55,
117
71, 109, 152, 154, 204, 205,
National Re-act Take Action
206
Award 96
Koehler, Andrew 127
New Hampshire Primary 93—95
Kovacs, Patricia R. 41
Nuclear Nightmare 148—149
l
o
Lee, Nhia TongChai 71—72
Oleck, Cecilia A. 109
Lessons from a Pitbull 73—74
Only the Strong Survive 71—72
Lessons from the Outdoors
Optimist International Essay
65—66
Contest 87
Liza 144—145
Organ Donor Project 97—98
m
p
Marshall, Jacqui Love 25, 34, 35,
Pan, Nancy 123
39, 55, 152, 154, 204, 205,
PCUSA Scholarship 91
206
Perplies, Vanessa Deanne 99
Matsuda, Donald H. 80—81, 84,
Pleitez, Emanuel 69, 141, 191
96, 103, 170, 201
Principal’s Leadership Award 34,
40
How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay
Prudential Spirit of Community
Knight Ridder Minority Schol-
Award 34, 40
ars Program 25, 34, 35, 39,
55, 71, 109, 152, 154, 204,
Q
205, 206
Music Center Spotlight Awards
Quezada, Zeke 67
34, 37, 39, 41
National Honor Society 40
R
National Merit 111, 117
National Re-act Take Action
Rhodes Scholarship 61, 100, 163,
Award 96
207
Optimist International Essay
Rotary International Ambassado-
Contest 87
rial Scholarships 22, 33,
PCUSA 91
36, 40, 41, 42, 106, 167,
Principal’s Leadership Award
204, 205, 206
34, 40
Prudential Spirit of Community
s
Award 34
Rhodes 61, 100, 163
Salguero, Georgina 32, 35, 38,
Rotary International Ambas-
153, 157, 207
sadorial 22, 33, 36, 40, 41,
SAT
42, 106, 167, 204, 205, 206,
importance of 17
207
Scantron Scholarship 67
Scantron 67
scholarships
Scripps-Howard College Jour-
Angier B. Duke Memorial 121
nalism 93
Chicago Scholars Award 82
Silver Knight 181
CIF Scholar-Athlete of the Year
SuperCollege.com 18, 77
33, 125
Target All-Around Scholarships
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
89, 99
36, 38, 58, 68, 154
Telluride Association Summer
Cohen Foundation 75
Program 73
Discover Card Tribute Award
Toyota Community Scholars 96
17, 33, 39, 40, 101, 115, 119
Truman 64, 80, 96, 103, 170,
Dow 113
201
FreSch! Let’s Get Creative Short
United Negro College Fund 36,
Story and Poetry 35, 37,
41, 47, 152, 153, 155
39, 42, 50, 154, 156
USA Funds Access to Education
Fulbright Grant 127
34, 38
Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards
USA Today All-USA Academic
32, 35, 38, 153, 157, 207
Teams 33, 35, 37, 39, 41,
Hispanic Scholarship Fund 42,
155
155
Wendy’s High School Heisman
Johns Hopkins University Hod-
Award 34
son Trust 33, 42
scholarship directories 20
Index
Science Nerd 121—122
Tip #3 from a scholarship win-
Scientific Inspiration 113—114
ner 191
Scripps-Howard College Journal-
Tip #4 from a scholarship win-
ism Scholarship 93
ner 195
selecting scholarships 26—27
Tip #5 from a scholarship win-
selection process 32—44
ner 201
Serving and Protecting 99—100
Use examples and illustrate 58
Setters, Andrea 113
What it’s like to be an inter-
Silver Knight Scholarship 181
viewer 167
Singla, Svati 101, 119
When and where to find schol-
sob story essays 58
arships 26
Sok, Chheng 82—83
Work experience and financial
Special Features
aid 25
Advice from a Rhodes Scholar
STARS 89—90
163
SuperCollege.com 213
Ambassadors wanted 22
SuperCollege.com Scholarship
A scholarship support network
18, 77
69
Superpan 123
Be true 141
Essays get better with each revi-
T
sion 61
Essay advice from the winners
Target All-Around Scholarship
81, 84
89, 99
Focus on solutions 47
Telluride Association Summer
Go beyond the superficial 55
Program Scholarship 73
Hard to believe but true essay
Ten Years from Now 143—144
mistakes 50
Thank You, Dr. Seuss 77—79
Make sure you make your point The Highway of Life 141—142
173
The Power to Change the World
Misinterpreting the judges 181
91—92
More essay advice from the win-
The Right Fit 109—110
ners 100
Tokai Nuclear Disaster 87—88
Not just looking for straight A
Toyota Community Scholars 96
students 17
Truman Scholarship 64, 80, 96,
The group interview 165
103, 170, 201
The hostile interview 170
The importance of getting edi-
u
tors 96
The intangible benefits of apply-
U.C. Berkeley Haas Scholars 79,
ing 79
156, 170, 206
Tip #1 from a scholarship win-
U.C. Berkeley Scholarship Con-
ner 179
nection 79, 170
Tip #2 from a scholarship win-
United Negro College Fund 36,
ner 187
41, 47, 152, 153, 155
250
How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay
USA Funds Access to Education
Scholarships 34, 38
USA Today All-USA Academic
Teams 33, 35, 37, 39, 41,
155
v
Valadez, Rodolfo 75—76
w
Wendy’s High School Heisman
Award 34
When Drinking Water 80—81
Where Has Time Gone? 130—132
winners
qualities of 38—40, 40—41
Wood, Elizabeth Ashlea 87
writing tips for essays 54—59
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About the Authors
Harvard graduates Gen and Kelly Tanabe are the founders of SuperCollege and the award-winning authors of eleven books including The Ultimate Scholarship Book, Get Free Cash for College, Get into Any College and Accepted! 50 Successful College Admission Essays.
Together, Gen and Kelly were accepted to every school to which they applied, all of the Ivy League colleges, and won over $100,000 in merit-based scholarships. They were able to leave Harvard debt-free and their parents guilt-free.
Gen and Kelly give workshops at high schools across the country and write the nationally syndicated “Ask the SuperCollege.com Experts”
column. They have made dozens of appearances on television and radio and have served as expert sources for respected publications including U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, The New York Times, the New York Daily News, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Money, Woman’s Day and CosmoGIRL.
Gen grew up in Waialua, Hawaii, and was the first student from Waialua High School to attend Harvard. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a degree in both History and East Asian Studies.
Kelly attended Whitney High School, a nationally ranked public high school in her hometown of Cerritos, California. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a degree in Sociology.
Gen, Kelly, their son Zane and their dog Sushi live in Belmont, California.