Top Ten Do’s and Don’ts

for Your Personal Statement or Scholarship Essay

1. DO: Make sure your essay is absolutely perfect in spelling and grammar.
2. DO: Write an engaging and coherent essay.
3. DO: Be positive and concentrate on your strengths. If you must discuss something negative, focus on what you learned and how that applies to your future.
4. DO: Include concrete examples to illustrate your main points and show your strengths.
5. DO: Type your essay and have someone else proofread, such as English faculty in the Writing Center (T217).
6. DO: Read the directions carefully. Follow any formatting guidelines exactly.
7. DON’T: Go overboard in details about yourself or a particular point. Keep your writing succinct and relevant to the question(s) asked.
8. DON’T: Write a list of activities, awards or accomplishments. Choose the ones that are most important and share the most relevant information about you.
9. DON’T: Try to be funny. You don't want to take the risk they won't get the joke.
10. DON’T: Write what you think the committee wants to hear.

For more help and tips, attend the free workshop:

How To Write A Great Personal Statement
Wednesday, June 4th @ Noon, W204F
Presented by Molly Brown, Transfer & Advising Coordinator
 

Helpful Websites:

University of Illinois Writer’s Workshop Tips:

www.english.uiuc.edu/cws/wworkshop/writer_resources/writing_tips/personal_statements.htm   

Kansas State University Scholarship Essay Tips:

www.k-state.edu/artsci/scholarship/essay.shtml  

Daytona Beach Community College Scholarship Essay Tips:

http://go.dbcc.edu/Scholarships/essaytips.html

Purdue Online Writing Lab - Writing the Personal Statement:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_perstate.html

Finaid.org's guide to winning a merit scholarship: 
www.finaid.org/scholarships/winning.phtml

FinancialAidTips.org suggestions for writing a good scholarship essay

http://www.financialaidtips.org/writing_scholarshipessay.htm