How to write a winning scholarship essay - Gen Tanabe, Kelly Tanabe 2018

Essay advice from the winners
30 winning scholarship essays

Scholarship Winners

Here are some essay tips from scholarship winners. Having survived various competitions these winners have a unique understanding of what goes into crafting a winning essay.—Gen & Kelly Sara Bei

Stanford University student and scholarship winner “Sometimes the ones you end up winning are the ones you almost didn’t apply for. Even if it takes a long time to fill out applications and write essays, think of it as being paid $500 an hour if you win.”

Jason Morimoto

U.C. Berkeley student and scholarship winner “Use your essay to craft a story showing why you are a unique candidate. Include personal experiences, lessons learned and how you are trying to improve yourself.”

chheng sok, chicago scholars foundation winner Every time Chheng announced good news to her parents, they gave her their special smile. Her parents grew up in Cambodia, where her father’s education ended in grade school and her mother did not receive a formal education. So it held special meaning when Chheng was accepted to the University of Chicago. She received her parents’

special smile. And when she won more than $35,000 in scholarships, their smile broadened even wider.

Graduating from Lane Technical School in Chicago, Chheng was president of the Chinese Club and involved in public service. She encourages others to apply for scholarships. As she says, “I’m not exactly the best student, but I still got scholarships.” Majoring in East Asian Language and Civilization and Economics at the University of Chicago, she plans a career in education or international business.

My Family’s Hope

My family and I immigrated to the United States from Cambodia to flee the ravages of the Khmer Rouge when I was only a year old. We did not have a single penny when we came to the United States. I remember seeing my father diligently collect soda cans on the streets to trade in to the local recycling center for a penny each. I remember watching my family silently endure the rudeness of waiters and salespeople because we did not speak grammatically correct English and realizing at the age of five how much illiteracy paralyzes a person.

I am the youngest out of my parent’s nine children, yet I possess the greatest amount of education. My father can barely read English. My mother is totally illiterate. Due to my family’s financial situation, none of my eight siblings have completed college. Throughout my elementary and high school years, I oftentimes had difficulty with my schoolwork. I remember staying up late at night, sometimes until two in the morning, just so that I could figure out the answer to a homework problem. My parents and older siblings, as much as they wanted to help me on my assignments, were unable to because they simply did not understand the material. They would quietly sit by me and bring me refreshments from time to time and offer me encouragement. My siblings make me realize how priceless knowledge is and to make the most out of one’s education.

My parents look at me as my family’s hope for the future. They dream that I will some day graduate from an American university. They want to be able to send back letters to our relatives in China and in Cambodia, telling them about how one person in the family has gained an American diploma. I want to be the realization of their dream and my dream. I dream of graduating from one of the finest colleges in America, the University of Chicago. I hope that someday I will be able to repay my parents for all the years they have lovingly supported me. I want to be able to financially and intellectually provide for my family so that we no longer have to endure the discrimination toward illiteracy.

In addition, I strive to succeed in school because I want to be a role model for my nieces and nephews. As a student, I personally know how tough it can be to excel in school. I want to be there to help them if they need help on a class assignment, to guide them through their first multiplication table and to be their mentor when they start the college selection process.

With knowledge, one need not fear being cheated by a salesman or being looked down upon by an egotistical snob. Education is the door that opens the path to knowledge. With knowledge, I am in control of my life and my destiny.