How to write a winning scholarship essay - Gen Tanabe, Kelly Tanabe 2018
Tip #4 from a scholarship winner
Real interview questions & answers
Dalia Alcázar, U.C. Berkeley
“Sometimes you fill out an application, send it off and it was something you did at 3 a.m. Then you get called in for an interview and you have completely forgotten what you had written.
“Before every interview I made sure I knew about the organization, what I had written on my application and what I had written about for the essay. I needed to know what information they had about me. I also took in resumes and I always carried a portfolio with letters of recommendation, a personal profile, certificates and some examples of my writing.”
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When judges ask this kind of question, what they really want to know is what inspires you. They want to see that you have a rationale for entering a profession. Be sure to give a reason even if it is something as simple as being influenced by a TV show. Help the judges understand your inspiration by using lots of examples. They will not only comprehend why you want to work in the industry but also what motivates you in general.
Q: what are your career plans?
a: Eventually I would like to be the managing editor of a major newspaper. I know that I will need to start out working as a journalist for a small circulation paper and slowly move up to higher circulation newspapers. During an internship with a newspaper last summer, I had the opportunity to meet with the managing editor. She described a day in her life.
What really struck me was the number of serious decisions she had to make and that every day was different. I don’t want to be in a job where I do the same thing every day. I want a job that constantly makes me think and interact with a variety of people. I know it will take years of hard work and perseverance, but I think that I have the decision-making and management ability to do this kind of job well.
a: My goal is to start my own nonprofit organization to provide programs for inner-city youth. In high school and in college I have volunteered with groups to help underprivileged kids. It’s been great to see how much of a difference a few hours a week can make in the life of a child. I’m a big sister to a sixth grade student now, and we’ve developed such a strong relationship that she asked me to go to her sixth grade graduation. I’d begin by working for a nonprofit organization.
Eventually I’d like to start my own nonprofit group. I think I can help the most children this way.
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Both of these applicants are aiming high, which is a very good thing.
It’s important to show the scholarship committee that you have high ambitions, will hold a leadership role in the future and that you are striving to make significant achievements in the career field. Explain how you would like your career to progress and what you would like to achieve. Remember that organizations awarding scholarships have limited funds and want their dollars to have the largest impact possible.
This makes it important for scholarship committees to provide their awards to students who will make contributions to the field, who will be role models for others and who may directly participate in their organization in the future. Share with the selection committee what kind of influence you intend to make moving forward. Of course, you don’t need to have your entire future planned out. But the scholarship judges do expect you to have a general idea of what you perceive is ahead of you.
Q where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
a: I’ve asked myself that very question before and while nothing is set in stone, I do have a general idea of what I want to do and where I want to be in a decade. First, I plan to graduate from college with a degree in marketing that focuses on marketing communications. After college I’d like to work for a consumer products company to gain practical experience.
In 10 years, I’d like to take my big company experience and be a marketing manager at a smaller company, perhaps a start-up. I see myself working in marketing communications because I enjoy writing and I like the challenge of communicating complicated ideas to potential buyers. However, I think ultimately I would enjoy working in a smaller, more intimate environment, which is why I see myself at a smaller company after getting some experience. I also hope to have a family. My career will be important but not as important as my family.
a: I am majoring in political science. In 10 years, I’d like to run a nonprofit organization to help women gain equal-ity in the workplace. Even though there have been gains for women with more females serving on executive boards and with increasing equity in pay, there is still a long way to go. Through the nonprofit organization, I’d like to provide training and recruitment programs to help women advance in business. I would also like to survey the track records of the representation of women at the executive level and lobby politicians to support women’s issues.
a: In 10 years, I hope to be working for a clinic as a pe-diatrician. I believe that all children have the right to quality medical care whether their parents can afford it or not.
Those who have lower incomes do not deserve second-class medical care. I’d like to be a part of eradicating that situation, working at a clinic and helping the children who need it the most. I would get more personal satisfaction from this than anything else.
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The key to answering this question is acknowledging that the judges want to understand your motivation, not just the fact that you want to be CEO of a company. These students’ responses demonstrate their inspiration. Judges also like to see the passion of students who still have their entire future ahead of them. Giving this answer with energy and enthusiasm is essential. Of course, it is possible to go too far and sound naïve. Ideally your answers should be a mix of a healthy dose of youthful idealism with a touch of adult reality.