common scholarship essay questions

Top 10 scholarship essay prompts and how to answer them (with infographic)

Checking each scholarship application’s questions and essays can be time-consuming. But what if you could find out what the most common essay topics were–and then reuse those same scholarship essays across multiple applications?

Well, Going Merry can help you do just that. We took a random sample of about 700 scholarship applications on our scholarship platform and categorized the prompts for any essays requiring 250 or more words. Finally, we ran the numbers to find out what the top 10 most common scholarship essay prompts are. 

These 10 topics represented a whopping 90% of all scholarship essay prompts. So that means if you had these 10 essays ready to go, you could apply to the vast majority of scholarships with very little additional work, especially when you use Going Merry’s auto-filled application forms .  

Here’s our list of the Top 10 Most Common Scholarship Essay Prompts.

• Here’s an excerpt of the winning scholarship essay from John Flowers Jr.:

2. How have you contributed to your community?

3. tell us about yourself., 4. tell us about a time you failed and what you learned from it., 5. what are your academic and/or career goals, 6. what impact has sports had on your life.

• And here’s a winning essay on this scholarship topic from Jesús Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez:

Here’s an example of a winning scholarship essay from Gabby DeMott in which a student developed a new understanding of herself and others.

Here’s a winning going merry scholarship essay from daniel gill on what makes him unique (hint: he brings puppetry and education together with expressive arts):, 10. why do you want to study/pursue [x], download the top 10 scholarship essay prompts, more resources related to writing for college, ready to start writing some of these top scholarship essay prompts.

1. How will this scholarship help you?

You should answer this scholarship essay prompt by explaining how the award money will help you in at least one of the following ways: financially , professionally, and/or academically. 

Financially, you can share family hardships or goals on how you plan to use the money to help pay for portions of college – for textbooks, tuition, a laptop, or other school supplies. 

Professionally, the scholarship might help you pursue a degree in a field you’re interested in. If you’re a first-generation student, you can highlight that this would help you pursue both academic and career dreams as the first in your family.

For example, John Flowers Jr., a Going Merry scholarship winner , described in his scholarship essay that the award would help him be able to pay for his books. 

“Winning this scholarship will make a difference to me because it will allow me to cover college financial issues that may hold me back from reaching my career. Being less stressed about worrying about college fees will allow me to focus more of my attention in class to earn the credits, and not worry about how I’m going to pay for the class.”

Here’s an excerpt of the winning scholarship essay from John Flowers Jr. :

My parents were never given a shot at having an education beyond high school. They were never given a shot to show their full potential and make a difference in the world  […] Being young and seeing my parents struggle is hard for me. It’s challenging seeing the people you love go through a hard time and you can’t do anything about it. […] But then I realized I can do something about it. I can get good grades in school. I can take college level courses throughout high school. I can attend a 4-year university and earn my bachelor’s degree in Business Entrepreneurship. That was my thought process as a Freshman.  Now being a Senior I turned those “I cans” into “I did.” I DID get good grades all through school. I DID take college level courses. I will be walking straight out of high school with 17 college credit hours.  […] I DID get into a 4-year university; and 4 years from now I want to be able to say I DID earn my bachelor’s degree in Business Entrepreneurship. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to take care of my parents the way they have been taking care of my all my life; and nothing would make me better as a person than to be able to say I did this. […] Winning this scholarship will make a difference to me because it will allow me to cover college financial issues that may hold me back from reaching my career. Being less stressed about worrying about college fees will allow me to focus more of my attention in class to earn the credits, and not worry about how I’m going to pay for the class. Even book fees will add up over time due to how many different classes there are. Being able to use this scholarship to pay for books that are required for a certain class will be a big help, especially for a student who has lots of classes that have to be taken.

This is a common essay prompt for community service scholarships . In this essay, describe your experience in community service, explain how you’ve given back, or share volunteer opportunities you’ve participated in. For example, if you’ve organized a community donation box and taken the donations to a nonprofit organization, share how you got involved in that and how it helped the community. 

Two more things to mention–even when they’re not explicitly asked: 

• How have you learned or grown due to your community service? Scholarship committees want to know how this work has contributed to your character. 
• How do you plan to continue to support your community in the future? Bonus points if your college plans (which they’d be partially funding!) help you further contribute. Sometimes this is easy because your intended career path is service-oriented (for example, if you want to be a nurse, doctor, teacher, or social worker), but other times you may wish to give back on the side (for instance, by doing pro-bono work if you want to be a lawyer). 

You have a lot of creative freedom with this scholarship prompt! But don’t get too crazy. Generally, this kind of “open-ended” prompt is a bit of a trick. In the end, the scholarship committee still wants to know: 

• What motivates you to do (study or pursue a career in) what you plan to do? Remember, they’re funding your future, so they want to know about your plans and why you’re passionate about them. 
• What kind of (good) characteristics do you have? They’re ultimately choosing people to invest in, so they want you to be a good person. Characteristics you might want to show are empathy, service, leadership, perseverance, or determination. 
• What kind of successes have you had in the past? This is your chance to brag about what you’ve accomplished so far. 

This essay topic is quite similar to writing a college personal statement , except that with this one, you want to more explicitly tie things back to your future plans.

Scholarship providers understand that no student is perfect, and they want to know how you learned from a failure – this can be an academic, professional, or personal failure. Break down how you failed, why you failed, and how it made you better. You can also reveal something you learned from that failure, such as what you would do differently in the future, so you don’t run into that situation again, or how that moment changed your life and how you picked yourself up. This is a moment to show how you can learn and persevere. 

If the essay is very short (say, 100-300 words), be clear and concise. Explain what you want to study, and then what kind of career you want to lead afterwards. Be sure to save room for 1-2 sentences explaining why you’re motivated to pursue that path. 

If you have a longer essay (for example, 500-1000 words), take the time to describe what inspired you to pursue certain academic and/or career goals. For example: One of your parents has always owned his or her own business and now you’re inspired to be an entrepreneur, to pursue a degree in business. Describe that moment of realization when you decided that would be your career goal. Maybe a conversation with that parent sparked inspiration to pursue that, or maybe it was simply watching them work as you grew up. Looking to the future, how do you plan to pursue that career goal? How will the scholarship award help you pursue it? Tell a story; paint a picture. Get creative with it!

Check out these blog posts for additional information on writing an essay about your academic goals and/or career goals .

This essay prompt is generally for scholarships supporting student-athletes.

So if you played sports throughout high school, share how it’s affected your life, You can reflect on experiences with teammates (if it’s a team sport), what you learned (or gained) from practices or meets/competitions, any injuries you had to overcome, how you balanced athletics and academics, how it affected your schedule (early-morning wake-ups, anyone?), and time with your coach(es) or sports mentors. 

You’ll also want to look forwards and not just backwards. How will you take your sports experiences with you, into college and beyond? Maybe there’s a direct connection: being on a team inspired you to one day pursue a career in sports and eventually coach. Or the effects can be more indirect: You’ve learned time management skills that will help you in college, or you’ve learned teamwork skills that will help you when you begin working.

7. Why do you deserve this scholarship?

Scholarship providers are basically asking, “Why should it be you?” with this scholarship essay prompt. Paint a picture of why you’re the most deserving student for this scholarship award. 

You’ll want to establish at least these two things:

• You’ve proven yourself as high-achieving (in the past). Discuss accomplishments you’re proud of or any accolades (honors, awards, or simply verbal compliments) you’ve received. 
• You’re driven to succeed (in the future). Show that you’ve got clear future plans and the gusto to make them happen. 

In addition to that, a strong essay will show at least one of these additional traits: 

• You’re passionate. If you’ve got a good story to explain your motivation for your studies or future career plans, now’s the time to tell that tale. Here’s the moment to wow the scholarship committee with why you care more than anyone else, and why. 
• You’re unique. Scholarship committees love finding someone who’s just different and stands out from the rest. If you’ve had an unusual upbringing or an uncommon interest, lean into that. (For instance, scholarship winner Daniel Gill wrote about his passion for using puppetry to help autistic children — now that’s cool and unique!)
• You’ve got a particular financial need . For need-based scholarships, this essay question may in part be asking you why your financial need is greater than other applicants’.

Want more tips? We have a whole separate post dedicated to answering this scholarship essay prompt.

And here’s a winning essay on this scholarship topic from Jesús Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez :

I always knew I was different than my friends in some way. Growing up, I struggled to speak English while everyone else had little to no problems. I needed extra help in school while my friends coasted by with ease. My friends would hop on planes and travel all around the world while I had to stay at home. At the age of 13 all of my friends started driving while I still couldn’t. I built up the courage and asked my mother why I did not have access to the simple liberties everyone else did. My name Is Jesús Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez, and I was illegally brought to this country when I was just six years old. At the time I had no clue that I was breaking any laws, and I did not realize the fact that my life was going to change forever. Growing up with a different citizenship situation than my peers was and still is the biggest challenge I have to face in my life. Looking back there is not a single thing that I would change. Knowing that I had to work harder than everyone else led me to be the person that I am today. I took that fire inside of me, pushed myself, graduated first in my class with a cumulative 4.0 GPA, became a Kansas Scholar, and graduated High School with a semester’s worth of college credit. In November of 2016, everything began to look up for me. I received a work permit and a social security card all thanks to the DACA program. I was finally able to get my license, get a job, and most importantly attend college. I plan to continue my success in the classroom and do everything to the best of my ability as I know that under my current circumstances it can all be ripped away from me at any moment. Growing up with my situation has taught me to not take advantage of a single opportunity. There has been continued support around me past and current and I know there are people out there rooting for my success. I will strive to be the first generation in my family to graduate from an American University and I will set a stepping stone for my future family so they will not have to struggle as I did. My citizenship is not a setback, it is a mere obstacle that I will always learn to work around if it means giving my future children a better life, just like my mother did for me.

8. Tell us about a time when you had a belief or idea challenged.

Have you studied abroad? Visited a foreign country on a family trip? Had a thought-provoking discussion with a teacher, religious leader, or friend? Think about an experience or a moment that challenged – or even changed – one of your beliefs or ideas. Explain what your original understanding of the idea was, when that idea was challenged, and how you felt about it afterward. Scholarship providers are interested in seeing reflection and growth, so expanding on every detail, including where you were, who you were with, and what you were feeling, can help tell your story in your essay.

There were only a few minutes to go and our eyes were glued to screen. On the edge of our seats, clutching whoever happened to be next to us, we watched as the referee blew his whistle and the German players took their free kick. The ball was hit with precision and skill; it flew up over the Swedish players, past their goalie, and was caught safely in the back of the opposing team’s net. We all jumped up and screamed, a mixture of German and English, of excitement and relief, of pride and anticipation. We stood, enraptured, for the last several minutes of the game as Germany kept its 2-1 lead over Sweden. The horde of us, Germans and Americans alike, hugged and cheered and made our way out onto the balcony, where we chanted “Deutschland! Deutschland! Deutschland!” for the whole village, the whole country, the whole world to hear. Never have I felt so accepted while being an outsider, so proud of a country that isn’t even mine, so part of something I didn’t really belong to. My German friends didn’t care that we were from different countries; they didn’t care that we would only be staying for three weeks. They accepted us into their homes and their daily lives, their traditions and their celebrations. In watching that World Cup game, it didn’t matter that we were from different places; we were all cheering for the same team. The acceptance I felt in Germany extended beyond that living room. I came to the country on a three week exchange with ten other students from my school. We each stayed with host families and attended the Wildermuth Gymnasium, which was surprisingly accommodating to a gaggle of loud American teenagers. The teachers were friendly and welcoming, the students treated us like ordinary peers, and even the people I interacted with in public were understanding. Before coming to Germany I feared judgment based on my level of the language (which is nowhere near as good as the German students’ English) and American politics. It was intimidating to be in a country with limited knowledge of the language and the customs, even though everyone was welcoming. People did ask myself and the other students about the US’s political climate, but no one blamed us for it. They recognized that we were outsiders, that the place we came from had flaws, and they accepted us anyway. Since that trip, I’ve found myself trying to provide that acceptance to people in my own country. For example, I work at a canoe livery and we receive a lot of visitors with limited English. Some of my coworkers will avoid such customers because they don’t want to take the time to explain things, to exercise patience with someone who may not understand them. If people had done this to me in Germany, my time there would have been much less enjoyable; in fact, I would have been offended. So now when someone walks up to me at the livery and asks a question in English that isn’t perfect, I smile and welcome them. I take my time to make sure they understand, that they can have a good time, and that they feel accepted. It’s a small action, but I know firsthand that it can make a big impact, at my place of work and in the world.

9. How are you unique? (Discuss your background, identity, interest, or talent) 

Everyone has a trait, a quirk, an activity that makes them unique, whether it’s sports, their upbringing, their hobbies, or interests. Go into as much detail as you feel comfortable to answer this scholarship essay prompt.

Share a story about your family culture, how you were raised, moments that shaped you into being who you are today. If sports is your thing, for example, share how playing sports at a young age taught you about teamwork, working with a coach, discipline and structure. If you couldn’t play sports due to an injury or a disability, explain how you felt when you learned that you had to find other ways to thrive and how it affected your actions.

Sometimes we think that a topic has been written about so many times that it doesn’t matter, but what makes you unique – your story, your history – is your story to tell.

As an Expressive Arts specialist, I use puppet play and the arts (with three to five-year-olds) to teach sharing, identifying and working with feelings, making friends, mindfulness, and asking for what you need in peaceful ways. Additionally, I perform developmentally appropriate puppet shows in classrooms about fairness, valuing difference (including differences in gender expression and skin tone), and peaceful conflict resolution. By teaching diversity, equity, and inclusion through puppetry, I feel that I am making a difference. In this work, I have noticed an unexplained phenomenon. Educational puppetry is particularly effective in helping children with ASD develop social and communication skills. One girl with ASD in my school refused to follow the daily routine until a parrot puppet helped guide her through the transitions. Through puppet play, a boy with impulse control challenges learned to manage his feelings and stop hitting other children. One boy with Autism showed remarkable progress with puppet play. Now in Kindergarten, his ability to communicate and make friends makes his academic success possible. Teachers value this work; it reinforces the social and emotional teaching they practice daily. One teacher told me, “What you do with puppets and our kids is amazing. You need to share this work beyond our preschool.” Application Questions and Answers My goal is to support young children with Autism in public school settings develop the social-emotional skills they need for academic and personal success. I aim to accomplish this by creating and implementing evidence-based strategies that use puppets as intervention tools. A Masters and Credential in ECSE, and the Autism Spectrum Graduate Certificate program I will complete, are essential to broadening my impact. The program will provide me with the theoretical foundation, the student teaching experiences, the credentials, and the academic community required to work with children and families in public school settings. For example, as part of the ECSE Program Masters and Credential Roadmap, I am taking the Seminar in Educational Research course. I am learning how to conduct scholarly research, a fundamental skill in creating innovative approaches that work. I am eager to apply the knowledge and skills I learn at SFSU toward helping more children open doors to connection. Additionally, I am learning leadership skills by volunteering for SFSU’s Early Childhood Special Education Conference. Most conference attendees are undergraduate students, interested in working with young children at-risk and with disabilities. As Co-Chair of the Presenter Committee, I am recruiting dynamic and engaging speakers who will lead workshops. I am eager to apply all of the knowledge and skills I learn at SFSU toward helping more children open doors to connection. I am at a critical juncture in my path. Helping children who experience social disconnection integrate into their classrooms, is my passion. This scholarship will help me work toward a world where every child has access to education and all children know they belong.

Reflect on what inspires you to want to pursue a certain field of study. If you’re interested in studying psychology and pursuing a career as a psychologist, for example, explain how you enjoy understanding how and why people make certain decisions, how you became fascinated by the science behind it.

Another example: Let’s say you’re interested in pursuing a career in communications. This might seem like a broader category, but you can highlight your love for writing, your ability to pick up on details in and out of school, and presenting this in a way that makes sense to the people around you. Just be careful not to get stuck in broad generalities. For this essay prompt in particular, many applicants will often have the same basic answer as you. So you’ll want to use specific anecdotes to make your essay stand out. 

Check out these blog posts to continue researching how to answer scholarship essay prompts:

• How to write an essay about yourself
• Writing about your career goals 
• How to write the best personal statement
• Write a winning scholarship essay about your academic goals
• Scholarship essay format and structure

Now that you have a better understanding of how to answer these scholarship essay prompts, it’s time to put your knowledge in motion with your scholarship applications. Sign up for a free Going Merry profile where you can upload your scholarship essays. You’ll enter your information once – such as your expected graduation year, what you plan to study in college, and your location – and then we’ll match you with thousands of scholarships. You can even sort scholarships by competitiveness, location, amount, and deadline!

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The 16 Most Popular Scholarship Essay and Application Questions

by Gabrielle McCormick | Nov 17, 2018 | Applying for Scholarships , Finding Scholarships , Scholarship Essays | 0 comments

Believe it or not, scholarship committees generally ask the same types of questions and have similar applications.

That’s right! The scholarships you find are going to fit into specific themes which you must be able to identify in order to save your family time, frustration, stress, and most importantly – money.

The 16 themes below are designed for you to use as a reference until you can spot them on your own. Also, make sure you check out our Scholarship Fast Track videos , specifically the Application Accelerators Module , that outlines these scholarship essay themes and questions even more!

The Top 16 Scholarship Essay Themes

• Committee Composition
• Competition
• Contribution
• Credentials

I’ve provided a definition as well as common scholarship question examples for each theme.

[info-box type=”success”] Real Talk: These questions are not made-up and, in fact, come from actual scholarship applications that are open to students at all levels. I hope that they serve you well in preparing for your upcoming applications. [/info-box]

Common Scholarship Questions and Essay Prompts

Scholarship essay theme: career.

The career theme is pretty self-explanatory. The committee wants to know any and everything relating to you or your student’s career goals.

Common Scholarship Questions:

• What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
• Why did you select this career?
• How will you change the field/industry?
• Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Catch-All

This is a student’s life summary or autobiography which usually includes information about the past, present, and future. Some committees refer to it as a personal statement or brief bio. (Warning: Not all personal statements will be looking for a life summary. Make sure you read the application carefully.)

• Please write a short autobiography including information about your family, work experience, community involvement, hobbies, spare time activities, and what you hope to do in the future.
• Please include a short summary or personal statement describing your accomplishments and goals.
• List any honors and awards you’ve received.
• List your extra-curricular activities.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Challenges

Everyone loves a good underdog story. An essay theme that focuses on Challenges asks the student to identify a time when they were down or faced conflict. The committee wants to hear how instead of giving up, you rose to the occasion or at least learned what was necessary to achieve success.

• Write a short essay that describes areas in your life where you demonstrated leadership and overcame obstacles either through your school, social, or family life.
• What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve ever faced? How did you handle it?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Champion

Why you? Out of all the available applicants, why should you or your student earn the scholarship?

• Why do you need this scholarship?
• Please list any additional comments you believe would be helpful in the committee’s decision.
• In 100 words or less, tell why you would like to receive the XYZ scholarship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Change

This is one I’m starting to see more and more of in the scholarship world. Committees are interested in the opinions, thoughts, and ideas of applicants. With topics like legislation, population control, and the environment, committees want to see analytical and critical thinking skills.

• What do you think we should do about gun control in this country?
• How would you handle texting and driving?
• Create an innovative solution to reduce waste.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Character

As Defined by Merriam-Webster , “Character is the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves .” Essentially, it’s what makes you who you are.

• Describe a time in your life that has shaped who you are as a person.
• This is what I believe in…
• How do you define success?
• What traits do you possess that will enhance your education or future career?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Classroom

Academics, teaching methods, assignments, and anything that pertains to student learning fall under this category.

• How has technology impacted student learning?
• If you could design a college curriculum, what would it be?
• Do you believe that standardized testing has helped or hindered student learning?

Scholarship Essay Theme: College

This is one of the most common scholarship essay themes. The premise: Why do you want to go to college?

You’ll often see this theme attached to others as an additional question or a required component of the application.

• Why do you want to go to college?
• What do you expect to gain from earning a college degree?
• What are your educational goals?

Is this helping you? Are you beginning to see how this can save you a lot of time? If so, let me know in the comments below, Tweet Me @ScholarshipTalk, or just share the following message and I’ll know you see the benefits of organizing your scholarships based on themes. ?

[clickToTweet tweet=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time! #OwnYourDegree” quote=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time!”]

Scholarship Essay Theme: Committee Composition

I’m sure you’ve seen some of the eccentric scholarships out there that challenge you to write about your favorite ice cream, talk about using their product, or design a logo for their company. These scholarships tend to be unique or inspired by the sponsoring organization.

• Create a greeting card and be featured in our upcoming holiday card collection.
• Design a mascot for our company.
• Write an essay about how lights and fixtures could impact your mood.
• Develop an innovative video to end smoking.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Community

This is also a popular scholarship theme. Instead of looking at a student’s GPA, test scores, or major, the community essay theme focuses on community service, community initiatives, and community improvement.

• Describe a meaningful volunteer experience?
• Make thank-you cards for military service members.
• Share a project you developed to change your community.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Competition

A common theme for athletes, band members, dancers, or those involved in groups/organizations is the Competition scholarship essay. It highlights participation and its associated benefits.

• What does it mean to be a good student on the field, in the classroom, and in the community?
• Define what it means to be a good teammate?
• Describe a moment of sportsmanship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Contribution

Again, this is another scholarship essay theme that you may see added to another scholarship question or application. The committee wants to know about you or your student’s contribution to society at various levels.

• How will you make a difference in our world?
• How have you made a difference in your community?
• What do you think our country should do to foster unity?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Control

Control , i.e. leadership, oftentimes stands alone as a scholarship theme because of the many questions that can be asked. From being a leader to follower and everything in between, the committee is seeking answers regarding group interaction, the organization of people, or participation within a group setting.

• What does leadership mean to you?
• Explain a family, social or school situation, in which your leadership made the difference. What was accomplished?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Creative

I’m starting to see a rise in Creativ e scholarship essays as well. You may notice some similarities with the Committee Composition theme because these scholarships are usually committee-driven and created.

The committee will provide a question, but give you freedom in depicting or representing the theme or category they’ve selected.

• Write a short story of 2,000 words or less.
• Create a video of 2-minutes or less to encourage young people to stop texting and driving.
• Submit a photograph depicting the word “family”.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Credentials

As defined by Merriam-Webster , “Credentials are a qualification, achievement, personal quality, or aspect of a person’s background, typically when used to indicate that they are suitable for something.”

These scholarships will require specific credentials to apply or may use the credential within application questions.

• To apply for this scholarship, you must be a female student majoring in a male-dominated industry. Please tell us why you selected this career?
• Applicants must be a member of the LGBTQI community. Describe a volunteering activity you conducted for your community.
• Students must be a dependent of an active military member or veteran. Why do you need this scholarship?
• Students applying for this scholarship must be undergraduate students entering their first semester. What study habits do you think are imperative to freshmen student success?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Culture

Cultures can be comprised of many different components. From college communities to hometown traditions, the Culture theme is based on the defining characteristics of a student’s environment.

• Tell the committee why you decided to attend college out-of-state?
• What does your university’s tradition and pride represent?
• Submit a piece of artwork that captures your town.

[info-box type=”alert”]Do you want a downloadable version of these themes and questions for your notes? Click here for a FREE copy . [/info-box]

Save a Ton of Time by Using These Themes

Scholarship applications may have one or several themes present. Focus on identifying your possible scholarship themes.

Labeling scholarships by themes and working on them at the same time allows the student to divide and conquer. If your family can get good at identifying themes, you’ll immediately save hours of time on applications .

As I start to see new themes emerge, I’ll be sure to add them to the list. For now, this should keep you pretty busy as you continue to find and apply for scholarships.

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10 Common Scholarship Essay Questions and How to Answer Them

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Updated on July 15th, 2022

When your student applies for scholarships, writing the essay often feels like the most challenging part. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be. By learning about common scholarship essay questions and how to answer them, your student can be prepared for most of the topics they’ll need to address.

Knowing how to answer common scholarship essay questions is only part of the battle. You also have to track down great scholarships to pay for college. If you and your student want to learn more about exciting scholarship opportunities,  sign up for our free college scholarship webinar ! Just head to http://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar and reserve your spot today .

If your student wants to get ahead of the curve and write winning scholarship essays , here’s a look at ten common scholarship essay questions and how to tackle them.

• 1.1 1. Tell Us About Yourself
• 1.2 2. How Will This Scholarship Make a Difference for You?
• 1.3 3. Can You Tell Us About a Time You Failed? What Did You Learn from That Experience?
• 1.4 4. Tell Us About a Contribution You’ve Made to Your Community
• 1.5 5. What Are Your Academic (or Professional) Goals?
• 1.6 6. Tell Us About a Time Where You Stepped Up as a Leader
• 1.7 7. Who Has Been Your Biggest Influence (or Inspiration)?
• 1.8 8. Why Do You Want to Go to College?
• 1.9 9. How Are You Planning on Financing Your College Education?
• 1.10 10. Why Do You Deserve This Scholarship?
• 2 Using Common Scholarship Essay Questions to Prepare

1. Tell Us About Yourself

This is possibly one of the trickiest college scholarship essays to write, not because it’s complicated, but because it’s so broad. Students have a lot of freedom with this prompt, so it’s easy to become overwhelmed about how to proceed.

Typically, students shouldn’t just give an overview of their life stories. Instead, they need to provide the committee with insights about their passions and drives, events that shaped their perspective, and relevant successes or achievements.

It’s also wise to be a bit future-focused, discussing not just where they’ve been but where they hope to go. Students can touch on valuable personality traits along the way, too, as that helps the reader gauge who they are as a person.

2. How Will This Scholarship Make a Difference for You?

Generally, students have a few options for addressing this question. First, they could showcase how the scholarship helps them overcome a relevant financial hardship. This can include being able to afford tuition, get needed equipment or supplies, or access a program at a college that may otherwise be out of reach.

Second, they could concentrate on how the scholarship will help them achieve their academic or professional goals. For example, your student might want to discuss how the award would allow them to pursue their preferred field.

Students should focus on how the scholarship eliminates roadblocks, though the exact type of obstacle can vary. Additionally, they should discuss what they’ll be able to achieve if they receive the award, both in the short- and long-term.

3. Can You Tell Us About a Time You Failed? What Did You Learn from That Experience?

For many students, even figuring out how to start a scholarship essay introduction for this topic is hard, let alone writing the whole thing. It’s difficult discussing a failure with others, so many students hold back if they are given this prompt.

However, honesty is the best policy. Additionally, even when talking about a failure, it’s possible to keep the essay positive.

Students should start by outlining the scenario and giving an overview of how the failure occurred. The misstep can be academic, personal, or professional, as long as it’s clear that something went wrong along the way.

After the overview, it’s all about a quick pivot. Students should explain the lessons they learned and what they would do differently if faced with a similar situation again. That helps them demonstrate their self-awareness and growth, along with their ability to persevere.

4. Tell Us About a Contribution You’ve Made to Your Community

This scholarship essay prompt is incredibly common for volunteering scholarships or awards focused on service. Students need to share insights about their community service-oriented activities, as well as the positive impact created by their participation.

Additionally, it’s smart for students to spend some time explaining how the experience impacted them. They may also want to touch on any plans they have to continue to remain active in their community, as that can help them stand out.

5. What Are Your Academic (or Professional) Goals?

With this common scholarship essay question, students need to clearly outline what they want to achieve, either academically or professionally, depending on exactly what they are asked. Usually, it’s best to start off with the basics. Students should explain what they want to study or the career path they hope to have.

However, they shouldn’t stop there. It’s also wise to dig a bit deeper, diving into precisely what motivated them to head in this direction. Some students do this by sharing their epiphany moment, while others talk about how it’s the culmination of a life-long passion. As long as it paints a great picture, any approach is potentially a winner.

6. Tell Us About a Time Where You Stepped Up as a Leader

Leadership is a hot topic for college scholarship essays. Many committees ask questions like this one to see what applicants bring to the table. Usually, your student needs to provide a clear example of when they took on a leadership role.

There are a lot of options for approaching this. Heading up a school project counts, as well as captaining a sports team. Coordinating volunteer efforts may work, along with a wide variety of work-related activities.

Again, exactly what your student chooses is less important than how they describe it. It’s all about sharing a story, ensuring the reader can get a good gauge on what happened and how your student’s involvement made a difference.

7. Who Has Been Your Biggest Influence (or Inspiration)?

Many scholarship essay questions want students to talk about their heroes. While it may seem odd to ask students to discuss someone other than themselves, it’s actually a great way to learn more about an applicant’s passions.

As they describe why the person influenced or inspired them, they incidentally talk about how they are motivated, their priorities, and their values. It also allows the reader to learn more about what shaped your student’s goals and aspirations, which can be quite enlightening.

Ideally, students want to be story-oriented. While they can certainly discuss the person’s traits and background, the focus should largely be on moments that inspired or influenced their way of thinking. That makes the essay more meaningful.

8. Why Do You Want to Go to College?

For some students, this question is surprisingly tough. Many students saw college as a must from a relatively young age, essentially viewing it as anything as optional. However, students do have choices about how they move forward after high school.

Scholarship committees want to know that heading to college isn’t an afterthought or something a student is doing solely because they were pressured in that direction. Ideally, students should discuss personal motivations or goals that made college the right choice for them. That way, their passion can shine through.

9. How Are You Planning on Financing Your College Education?

If a scholarship is focused on financial need, your student may face questions about how they intend to fund their education. This can be a difficult topic, particularly for students who may not be able to afford school without outside support, such as scholarships or grants. It’s hard to talk about financial hardship, but this question makes it necessary.

Students should actually start their essay by giving the committee insight into their situation, particularly regarding personal or household circumstances that make affording college difficult. After the overview, students should outline all of their efforts to secure enough funding. That can include everything from applying to scholarships, exploring work-study, getting a part-time job, or anything else.

Often, scholarship committees appreciate it when students are taking every chance to find ways to pay for college. It lets them know that the student is passionate enough to go the extra mile and demonstrates that they aren’t afraid of challenges if it means achieving their goals. So, students should touch on everything they are doing to make their college dream possible.

10. Why Do You Deserve This Scholarship?

Writing an essay about why they deserve a scholarship can be hard for any student. However, it’s a topic they need to be ready to discuss. This is one of the most common scholarship essay questions around.

Previously, The Scholarship System took a deep dive into how to write an essay on “Why I deserve this scholarship,” making that a great resource for any student who wants to prepare. As an overview, it’s about showcasing their perspective without coming across as arrogant and discussing achievements (academic or otherwise) that highlight why they are a standout applicant.

Using Common Scholarship Essay Questions to Prepare

Simply knowing what the common scholarship essay questions are usually isn’t enough. Instead, students should take extra steps to prepare to write their essays.

First, it’s wise to spend a little time brainstorming about the topics. That way, students can develop several ideas that they may want to explore and see if one approach resonates more than another.

Second, checking out some scholarship essay examples that won money is an excellent idea. This helps students learn more about what scholarship committees connect with, as well as more about how to tackle certain topics.

Finally, it’s wise to learn more about essay writing techniques. Along with reviewing how to write scholarship essays , it doesn’t hurt to research college personal statements , as those can be very similar to scholarship (and college application) essays. Similarly, checking out scholarship essay formats is a smart move. It will help your student figure out how to start a scholarship essay introduction, how to end a scholarship essay, and everything in between.

By doing that additional research, they’ll have as much information as possible. And, in the end, that could increase the odds that their essay will be a winner.

Related Videos:

• 7 College Scholarship Essay Ideas to Win More Funding
• How to Reuse Scholarship Essays & Win Over and Over

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March 9, 2021 at 6:35 am

Thanks for sharing this nice piece of information i personally believe scholarships are very improtant for every student

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Scholarship Essay Writing

Scholarship Essay Prompts

Most Popular Scholarship Essay Prompts & Questions

12 min read

Published on: May 16, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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Scholarship Essay - A Complete Writing Guide

Winning Scholarship Essay Examples for Students: Tips Included

Scholarship Essay Format - A Complete Guide

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Are you dreaming of a scholarship that could help you achieve your academic goals? The good news is that you're not alone, and we're here to make the process a little less intimidating. 

Don't know where to start?  No worries! We've got you covered with this guide on how to tackle the most common scholarship essay prompts. By the end, you'll be able to confidently share your unique story, stand out from the crowd, and win the scholarship of your dreams.

So, let's dive into the world of scholarship essays and show the judges why you deserve that financial support!

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Popular Colleges Scholarship Prompts We Cover

In this article, we provide you with the best and most commonly used essay prompts for the following colleges.

• College scholarship essay prompts
• Robertson scholarship essay prompts
• Park scholarship essay prompts
• Vanderbilt scholarship essay prompts
• Easy scholarship essay prompts
• UCLA alumni scholarship essay prompts
• Gilman scholarship essay prompts 
• Johnson scholarship essay prompts

Feel free to choose any and start writing your scholarship essay or personal statement and show the admission committee why you indeed deserve the financial aid. Make sure to follow the proper  scholarship essay format  when you are answering these questions.

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Current Scholarship Essay Prompts- 2024

• Discuss a current global issue and explain how you would propose a solution to address it.
• Describe a personal experience that influenced your decision to pursue a particular field of study.
• How have you overcome a significant challenge in your life, and how has it impacted your personal growth?
• Share a time when you demonstrated leadership and the impact it had on those around you.
• Discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion in today's society and how you have contributed to promoting these values.
• Describe your career aspirations and how you plan to achieve them.
• Discuss a book, movie, or other piece of media that has had a significant impact on your life and explain why.
• Share a time when you had to work with someone with a different perspective or background, and how you navigated those differences.
• Discuss a community service project you have participated in and the impact it had on the community.
• Explain the importance of financial literacy and how you plan to manage your finances in the future.

List of Best College Scholarship Essay Prompts

Here are the most common scholarship essay question examples that you can find on most college applications in the US.

• Tell us about yourself.
• How will this scholarship help you?
• Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
• How will you make a difference in our world?
• Describe a volunteer experience?
• Why do you need this scholarship?
• Describe a challenge you have overcome.
• Who do you admire the most?
• Why do you deserve this scholarship?
• Briefly describe your short- and long-term goals.
• What are your academic and future goals?
• Tell us about a time when you had failed in something.
• What makes you unique?
• Does any quality or attribute distinguish you from others?
• What are your most important extracurricular activities?
• What is your biggest strength and weakness?
• What are your greatest accomplishments?
• What are your strongest personality traits?
• How has your education contributed to who you are today?
• What is your most prominent achievement, and how does it relate to your field of study?

Additional Scholarship Essay Prompts

• Describe a time when you had to step out of your comfort zone and take a risk. What did you learn from the experience?
• How have your experiences with diversity and inclusivity shaped your perspective and goals?
• What motivates you to pursue your academic and career goals, and how do you stay focused on them?
• Describe a moment when you faced adversity and how you overcame it.
• How have your family, cultural background, or community influenced your values and beliefs?
• Discuss a book, movie, or event that has impacted your life and explain why.
• What is the most significant challenge facing your generation, and what solutions would you propose to address it?
• Describe a time when you collaborated with others to achieve a common goal. What did you learn from the experience?
• What impact do you hope to make in your chosen field or industry, and how will this scholarship help you achieve that goal?

Describe a mentor or role model who has inspired you and explain why.

General Scholarship Essay Topics

Here are some more random scholarship essay topics that you can choose from

• A person who has a major influence on your life
• Things you have done outside of the classroom that has demonstrated your skills
• Have you struggled for something and succeeded?
• What leadership qualities do you have?
• Why do you want to be a ___?
• How do you define leadership?
• Describe the importance of a good teammate?
• What do you expect to gain from a college degree?
• What does success means to you?
• A book that has affected you deeply

The 16 Most Popular Scholarship Questions

We have compiled a list of the 16 most popular scholarship questions and how to effectively address them. Let’s take a look!

1. Career How will this scholarship help you achieve your career goals?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your future career aspirations and how the scholarship will support your academic and professional pursuits. Highlight any relevant experiences, skills, or certifications that will contribute to your success.

2. Catch-All Why do you deserve this scholarship?

This prompt allows you to discuss your overall qualifications and achievements that make you a strong candidate for the scholarship. Discuss your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, community service, and future goals.

3. Challenges Discuss a personal or academic challenge you have overcome and how it has shaped you.

When addressing this prompt, be honest and open about a challenge you have faced and how you have overcome it. Highlight any lessons or skills you have gained from overcoming this challenge.

4. Champion Who is a person that has influenced you and why?

When addressing this prompt, discuss a person who has had a significant impact on your life and why. Highlight how their influence has shaped your personal or academic pursuits.

5. Change How will you make a positive impact in your community with the help of this scholarship?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your future community service goals and how the scholarship will support these efforts. Highlight any past community service experiences that demonstrate your commitment to making a positive impact.

6. Character How have your personal values and beliefs influenced your academic pursuits?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your personal values and beliefs and how they have influenced your academic and career goals. Highlight any experiences or achievements that demonstrate your character and commitment to your values.

7. Classroom How will you contribute to the academic community at your future college or university?

When addressing this prompt, discuss how you plan to contribute to the academic community at your future college or university. Highlight any academic or leadership experiences that demonstrate your potential to make a positive impact.

8. College Why have you chosen this particular college or university and how will this scholarship support your academic goals there?

When addressing this prompt, discuss why you have chosen your particular college or university and how the scholarship will support your academic pursuits. Highlight any relevant experiences or goals that align with the college or university's mission or values.

9. Committee Composition What unique perspective do you bring to the scholarship selection committee?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your unique experiences, skills, or background that you believe will contribute to the scholarship selection committee. Highlight any achievements or experiences that demonstrate your potential to make a positive impact.

10. Community How have you contributed to your local community and how will this scholarship support your future community service efforts?

When addressing this prompt, discuss any past community service experiences and how they have made a positive impact. Highlight any future community service goals and how the scholarship will support these efforts.

11. Competition How have you demonstrated your competitive spirit and drive for success?

When addressing this prompt, discuss any academic or extracurricular achievements that demonstrate your competitive spirit and drive for success. Highlight any leadership roles or experiences that demonstrate your potential for future success.

12. Contribution How will you contribute to your field of study through research or other academic pursuits? When addressing this prompt, discuss any research or academic goals you have for your field of study. Highlight any past academic or research experiences that demonstrate your potential to make a positive impact.

13. Control How have you taken control of your academic or personal life and achieved success?

When addressing this prompt, discuss any personal or academic challenges you have faced and how you have taken control of your life to achieve success. Highlight any skills or lessons you have gained from these experiences.

14. Creative How have you used your creativity to solve a problem or make a positive impact?

When addressing this prompt, discuss any experiences or achievements where you have used your creativity to make a positive impact. Highlight any problem-solving skills or unique approaches you have taken to achieve success.

15. Credentials How do your academic credentials and achievements make you a strong candidate for this scholarship?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your academic achievements and credentials that make you a strong candidate for the scholarship. Highlight any honors, awards, or certifications that demonstrate your academic excellence.

16. Culture How have your cultural experiences and background influenced your academic pursuits and goals?

When addressing this prompt, discuss how your cultural experiences and background have shaped your academic pursuits and goals. Highlight any experiences or achievements that demonstrate your unique perspective and potential to make a positive impact in your field of study.

How to Address Scholarship Essay Prompts?

Below you can find some of the most common scholarship questions and tips to answer them. Keep in mind these guidelines while answering the scholarship essay topic of your choice.

Your answers should show that you have a plan for your future and are serious about it. The scholarship committee wants to see that their money is going to someone who has the necessary drive, so don't be shy with what you say.

There's a competition going on - one that you can't afford to lose when your future is at stake. You need to stand out, and the best way to do it is by addressing any weakness with an answer like ‘I currently have limited knowledge in this area, but I will be able to make up for my lack of experience through diligent study.’ These scholarship committees look for applicants who show potential rather than people who already know everything about what they want from life.

It is very important to show the scholarship committee that you are passionate about your goals and ambitions. This will help them decide who they offer scholarships to, so it makes sense to take this question seriously.

While it is impossible to paint a complete image of your entire life in such a short time, you can give an overview of the information about your life that matters most with this scholarship.

To answer this question, show you have a serious plan for the future through education.

Maintaining a strong GPA throughout college is not enough; scholarship committees want more than just an educated student. They also want someone who will use their degree in ways that correspond with it. You'll have some tough competition when trying to prove yourself as a deserving candidate. So, make sure you are realistic about what types of goals and plans can realistically be achieved by going back to school or taking on another graduate program at one university.

This common scholarship essay question is a perfect way to share your thoughts about the importance of community service.

This prompt allows applicants to discuss what they have learned by doing this work and why more students should participate so that communities everywhere will improve.

Tips for Writing an Effective Scholarship Essay

Here are some key tips to keep in mind when writing your scholarship essay:

• Address the Prompt: One of the most important things you can do when writing your scholarship essay is to address the prompt directly. Make sure you understand what the prompt is asking you to write about, and focus your essay on that topic.
• Be Concise: Scholarship essays often have strict word limits, so it's important to be concise and to the point. Make sure every sentence in your essay serves a purpose and contributes to your overall argument.
• Focus on Personal Experiences: Scholarship committees want to get to know you as a person. Thats why it's important to share personal experiences and stories in your essay. Use specific examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points for the scholarship.
• Edit and Proofread: Once you've written your essay, take the time to edit and proofread it carefully. Look for typos, grammatical errors and make sure your essay flows smoothly and is easy to read.

Other Scholarship Questions

Here are some scholarship essay prompts with answers in the form of PDF samples:

Why Do You Deserve This Scholarship?

Describe a Challenge You Have Faced and How You Overcame It

Who Has Been The Biggest Influence in Your Life, and Why?

How Will You Use Your Education to Make a Positive Impact on Society?

Remember, it's not easy to predict every scholarship essay question. But trying out an AI essay generator can give you an advantage in your application

If you're still not sure where to start or if your essay needs some expert help,  CollegeEssay.org  is here for you.

We offer a top-notch college essay writing help  that can provide you with an impressive high school or college essay. Our service is the best and only option you need for all your scholarship essay needs. 

Contact us today to receive expert guidance on how to succeed and win. Don't hesitate, connect with our scholarship essay writing service now!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a scholarship essay be.

Scholarship essays are usually about 500 words or one page long. If you can't find the information about the word or page limit for the essay, it's usually safe to stick to 500 words or one page.

Do scholarship essays need a title?

You can also include a title for your scholarship essay if you want, but this is usually unnecessary. 

Is it okay to lie on a scholarship essay?

Scholarships are a great way to save money for college, but lying about your academic achievements could result in serious consequences.

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Scholarship Essay Writing

Scholarship Essay Prompts

Practical Scholarship Essay Prompts For Students in 2023

19 min read

Published on: Mar 18, 2019

Last updated on: Nov 3, 2023

People also read

Share this article

In the scholarship application process, essays give students a great opportunity to showcase their abilities and strengths. 

A well-written scholarship essay can be the most effective part of the whole application process, as it may affect your future plans. So, it is important to put much time and careful attention into its preparation. 

Essays are often required for scholarship programs. However, not all scholarship essays have similar prompts or questions to answer. 

Take a look at this guide, find some easy scholarship writing prompts, and learn how to address them. 

• 1. Common College Scholarship Essay Prompts
• 2. Top 16 Scholarship Essay Themes
• 3. How to Address Scholarship Essay Prompts?
• 4. Gates Scholarship Essay Prompts
• 5. Robertson Scholarship Essay Prompts
• 6. Vanderbilt Scholarship Essay Prompts 
• 7. Bryan Cameron Scholarship Essay Prompts
• 8. Dell Scholarship Essay Prompts 
• 9. Park Scholarship Essay Prompts 
• 10. Flinn Scholarship Essay Prompts
• 11. Scholarship Essay Prompts High School
• 12. Scholarship Essay Prompts College
• 13. List of Unique Scholarship Essay Prompts 2023

Common College Scholarship Essay Prompts

Writing a scholarship essay can vary with the subject, but most of them are all about recounting a personal experience. Most of the scholarship programs ask students to write an essay.  

So, it is better to have four to five pre-written essays before beginning to apply for a scholarship. This will help you complete the application process fast and will allow you to prepare and apply for more scholarships. 

Here are some common scholarship essay prompts and popular essay questions used by colleges to improve your scholarship chances. Don’t forget to follow the proper scholarship essay format when you are answering these questions.

• How did you become a dedicated student? What experiences have persuaded you to continue your education?
• How did you become a school policymaker, and what changes did you make in your classroom?
• Does your skill, attribute, or quality differentiate you from everyone else? How did you develop that attribute?
• How has your favorite book or movie influenced your life in a good way?
• How did you come out at the most crucial time of your life? And how did your perspective on life change after that difficulty?
• What would you most like doing right now, and where would you most like after five years? 
• Have you tried so hard for something and succeeded? What factors contributed to your success?
• What is your strongest personality trait?
• How do your family and friends characterize you? And how would they write about you in your scholarship essay?
• Have you ever participated in any activity outside your classroom that demonstrates your qualities?
• What are your extracurricular activities, and what made you participate in these activities? Why do you continue contributing to them? 

Top 16 Scholarship Essay Themes

Scholarship essays are your opportunity to stand out from the crowd and secure financial aid for your education. While there are countless scholarships available, certain essay themes tend to be common. 

Here are the top 16 scholarship essay themes and how you can answer them:

Overcoming Adversity 

Share your personal experiences dealing with challenges such as family hardships, personal setbacks, or financial difficulties. 

Explain not only what these challenges were but how you navigated them, demonstrating resilience, problem-solving skills, and a strong determination to overcome obstacles.

Educational Goals

This theme is an opportunity to provide a clear vision of your academic aspirations. Describe your chosen field of study and the specific academic and career goals you wish to achieve. 

Elaborate on how receiving the scholarship will aid in realizing these goals, making it easier for the selection committee to see the direct impact of their support.

Community Involvement

When discussing your involvement in the community, share the nature and extent of your volunteer work. 

Explain the organizations or causes you've supported, and provide examples of how you've made a difference in your community. Highlight not just what you did but how these experiences have influenced your personal growth.

Cultural Diversity

Delve into your cultural background. Describe the traditions, values, or experiences that are unique to your cultural heritage. 

Discuss how this background has shaped your beliefs and perspective on the world, as well as your ability to connect with people from different cultures.

Leadership Experiences

Detail your leadership roles, whether as a captain of a sports team, president of a club, or coordinator of a community project. 

Share your accomplishments and how these experiences have taught you valuable leadership skills such as communication, teamwork, and decision-making.

Passion for a Cause

If you're passionate about a particular cause, such as environmental sustainability or social justice, explain the roots of this passion and your involvement in related activities or organizations. 

Show how you've actively contributed to the cause and outline your vision for creating positive change.

Career Aspirations

This theme is an opportunity to map out your career path. Describe your intended profession and the positive impact you aim to have within that field. 

Explain how the scholarship will enable you to pursue your career goals, whether through specific educational opportunities or financial support.

Academic Achievements

Highlight your academic successes, such as top grades, research projects, or significant awards. 

Explain the significance of these achievements and how they reflect your commitment to academic excellence and your potential to excel in your chosen field of study.

Innovation and Creativity

If you've been involved in innovative projects, inventions, or creative works, this theme allows you to showcase these endeavors. 

Describe the ideas behind these projects and how they demonstrate your creative thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Extracurricular Activities

Discuss your involvement in extracurricular activities, whether it's participation in sports, clubs, or student organizations. 

Explain how these activities have enriched your life, imparted important skills, and contributed to your personal growth and development.

Role Models

Introduce the individuals who have been your role models, mentors, or sources of inspiration. 

Share their stories and qualities that have impacted your life and influenced your values, ambitions, and aspirations.

Personal Values

Elaborate on your core values, such as honesty, integrity, or social responsibility. Explain how these values have guided your choices in education, work, and community involvement. 

Show how they've influenced your decision-making and actions.

Travel Experiences

Describe your travel experiences, the places you've visited, and the cultural encounters you've had. 

Discuss how these experiences have broadened your horizons, changed your perspective on the world, and influenced your future goals or career choices.

Family Background

Share insights into your family's background, discussing your family's history, values, and any significant challenges they've faced. 

Explain how your family's experiences have impacted your life, values, and ambitions, emphasizing the influence of your family's background on your personal and educational journey.

Global Awareness

Express your awareness of global issues such as poverty, climate change, or human rights. 

Discuss how you stay informed about these issues and your desire to contribute to positive change on a global scale, whether through advocacy, research, or direct involvement.

Adaptability and Growth

Reflect on moments when you've had to adapt to new challenges, whether it was moving to a new city, facing personal setbacks, or encountering unexpected obstacles. 

Describe how these experiences have shaped your ability to adapt, learn, and grow, as well as how they've prepared you for future endeavors.

How to Address Scholarship Essay Prompts?

The way to address your scholarship essay prompt will determine how successful is your application.

Every scholarship essay question should be approached differently. Below, you can find some scholarship essay prompts, examples, and guidelines on how to approach them. 

Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

To answer this question, you need to show that you have a plan for your future that corresponds to your degree program. 

The scholarship committee will make sure that their money is going to a deserving candidate. So, you need to create an answer that shows your realistic goals and how they can be achieved through education.

Let's look at the example below to get an idea about answering this question;

Why this Answer Stands Out: The answer to the question is well-structured and concise. It tells a compelling story that includes a clear vision, connects to education, and shows passion and commitment. These are all important parts of a good scholarship essay.  

What Is Your Biggest Weakness?

Remember, there are thousands of students applying for the scholarship program. So make sure your answers set you above the other candidates. 

To address this popular scholarship essay prompt, you need to turn your weaknesses into great opportunities. 

You can achieve this by selecting a problem and then coming up with a solution will show that you are forward-thinking and that quality is worth rewarding. 

Let’s look at the example below; 

Why this Answer Stands Out: The response strikes a balance between acknowledging a genuine weakness and demonstrating self-awareness and a proactive approach to personal growth. 

It also leaves room for further discussion if the interviewer wants to explore how the candidate manages this weakness in a professional context.

What Is Your Greatest Personal Achievement?

To answer this question, you can choose any achievement in your life. You just need to make sure that you can relate it to your education. 

The example below can help you get an idea of how to answer this;

Why this Answer Stands Out: This answer does a great job of relating personal achievement to their academic journey. It also shows that the person understands how this achievement connects to their future goals.

What Are Your Contributions to Your Community?

This is a very common scholarship essay question in which you need to describe your experience in community service. Share your experience and the work you have participated in. 

In this scholarship prompt, you need to address what you have learned by participating in community service and how you plan to contribute to your community in the future. 

Here is how you can answer this;

Why this Answer Stands Out: The answer shows the applicant's dedication to community service, their participation in various activities, and their goal of setting a good example. 

It's an informative description of their community contributions, making it a strong choice for a scholarship essay.

What Makes You Unique?

Everyone has a trait or, an attribute that makes them different and unique. It could be their habit or interest. Provide as much detail as possible to answer this prompt in the best way possible. 

Here is how you can answer this prompt:

Why this Answer Stands Out: This response is compelling because it provides a clear vision for the future. It shows that the candidate not only identifies their uniqueness but also understands how to apply it, making it a standout response.

Gates Scholarship Essay Prompts

The Gates Scholarship is a highly prestigious program that offers full financial support to low-income students with high academic and leadership potential. 

Their essay topics seek to understand your commitment to making a difference in your community and how you plan to utilize your education to achieve this.

• Describe a significant challenge you've faced due to your economic circumstances and how you've overcome it.
• Share a story that illustrates your dedication to community service and its impact on those you've helped.
• Reflect on a personal experience where you demonstrated leadership and how it contributed to your growth.
• Discuss a time when you actively advocated for positive change or justice in your community.
• Explain how your academic achievements align with your long-term career goals and the impact you hope to make.
• Share a book, film, or artwork that has influenced your values and perspectives.
• Describe your involvement in a STEM-related project or initiative and its significance.
• Discuss an instance when you've had to adapt and grow in response to a challenging situation.
• Explain how you've contributed to fostering diversity and inclusion in your school or community.
• Reflect on an ethical dilemma you've encountered and how you resolved it.

Robertson Scholarship Essay Prompts

The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program is a unique opportunity that provides full funding for students to attend both Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

The essay prompts for the Robertson Scholarship often focus on your leadership experiences, passion for creating social change, and how you plan to contribute to the community.

• Share a leadership experience that has had a significant impact on your community and how it has shaped your values.
• Describe a project or initiative that exemplifies your passion for social entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Explain your vision for promoting collaboration and teamwork in a diverse setting.
• Discuss a challenge you've encountered while pursuing your academic or extracurricular interests and how you've overcome it.
• Reflect on a book, research paper, or intellectual pursuit that has influenced your academic interests and goals.
• Describe your commitment to addressing global issues and your role in creating a positive impact.
• Share a project or initiative you've led that contributed to meaningful change in your community.
• Discuss how your academic achievements reflect your commitment to excellence.
• Explain your long-term career goals and how you plan to make a difference.
• Reflect on a time when you actively promoted inclusivity and diversity in your community.

Vanderbilt Scholarship Essay Prompts 

Vanderbilt University offers a range of scholarships to recognize and support outstanding students.

The essay prompts for these scholarships typically seek to understand your academic and extracurricular achievements and how you envision your college experience at Vanderbilt.

• Share a leadership experience that has had a significant impact on your community and how it has shaped your character.
• Describe a specific academic or extracurricular achievement that reflects your commitment to excellence.
• Explain your passion for a specific field of study and how it aligns with Vanderbilt University's offerings.
• Discuss your vision for fostering inclusivity and diversity on your college campus and the role you plan to play.
• Reflect on a book, piece of art, or cultural experience that has influenced your perspective.
• Share a time when you demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.
• Describe your involvement in community service and its impact on your understanding of social responsibility.
• Explain your long-term career goals and how Vanderbilt University's scholarship will help you achieve them.
• Share a project or initiative you've led that has contributed to positive change in your community.
• Discuss how you plan to make a positive impact on the Vanderbilt campus and the broader community.

Bryan Cameron Scholarship Essay Prompts

The Bryan Cameron Impact Scholarship is a unique opportunity for students who are deeply committed to civic engagement, leadership, and social responsibility. 

The essay prompts for this scholarship program often ask applicants to reflect on their efforts to make a positive impact in their communities, leadership experiences, and long-term goals related to social change.

• Describe a social or environmental issue you're passionate about and the actions you've taken to address it.
• Share a significant leadership role you've held and the impact you've had on your community.
• Explain your commitment to civic engagement and its alignment with the Bryan Cameron Foundation's mission.
• Discuss a moment when you've demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness in overcoming adversity.
• Reflect on a book, article, or piece of art that has influenced your values and aspirations.
• Describe your vision for a socially responsible business or organization you'd like to create.
• Explain how you've promoted inclusivity and diversity in your school or community.
• Discuss how your academic and extracurricular interests align with the Bryan Cameron Foundation's goals.
• Share a project or initiative you've led that has contributed to a significant positive change in your community.
• Explain your long-term goals for social impact and how the Bryan Cameron Impact Scholarship will help you achieve them.

Dell Scholarship Essay Prompts 

The Dell Scholars Program is designed to support students from underserved backgrounds in completing a college degree. 

The essay prompts for this program often focus on the applicant's personal or family financial challenges, commitment to education, and how they've demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness.

• Describe a personal or family financial challenge you've faced and how it has affected your educational journey.
• Explain your commitment to pursuing a college degree and how it aligns with the Dell Scholars Program's mission.
• Share a time when you demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness in overcoming obstacles.
• Discuss the impact of mentorship on your academic and personal development.
• Describe your long-term career goals and how a college degree will support them.
• Explain how you've contributed to your community and its positive change.
• Discuss your academic achievements and their reflection of your commitment to excellence.
• Share a project or initiative you've undertaken to address a pressing community issue.
• Explain how the Dell Scholars Program can help you achieve your educational dreams and make a positive impact in your community.

Park Scholarship Essay Prompts 

The Park Scholarships program at North Carolina State University aims to support students with exceptional leadership and service qualities. 

The essay prompts for this program often center around leadership experiences, academic accomplishments, commitment to diversity, and contributions to the community.

• Share a meaningful community service experience and its impact on your leadership skills.
• Describe a specific academic or extracurricular accomplishment that demonstrates your commitment to excellence.
• Explain your passion for a particular field of study and how it aligns with the Park Scholars Program's goals.
• Discuss your vision for fostering inclusivity and diversity on your college campus.
• Reflect on a book, work of art, or cultural experience that has influenced your perspective.
• Share a personal challenge you've overcome and how it has contributed to your personal growth.
• Discuss your involvement in community service and its impact on your understanding of social responsibility.
• Explain your long-term career goals and how the Park Scholarship can support your journey.
• Share a project or initiative you've led that has contributed to a positive change in your community.
• Discuss your vision for your college experience at North Carolina State University and how you plan to contribute to campus life and the broader community.

Flinn Scholarship Essay Prompts

The Flinn Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship program in Arizona that focuses on identifying exceptional students with a strong commitment to service, leadership, and academic excellence. 

The essay prompts for this scholarship program often center around leadership experiences, civic engagement, and the applicant's vision for addressing complex social issues.

• Share a meaningful leadership experience and its impact on your community.
• Explain your commitment to service and civic engagement and how it aligns with the mission of the Flinn Scholarship.
• Discuss a project or initiative you've undertaken that exemplifies your passion for creating social change.
• Describe a time when you've worked with diverse teams to address a complex issue.
• Reflect on a book, research paper, or intellectual pursuit that has influenced your academic interests.
• Explain your long-term career goals and how the Flinn Scholarship will enable you to achieve them.
• Share a global issue that concerns you and the role you envision in addressing it.
• Explain how you've demonstrated a commitment to ethical leadership.
• Reflect on a time when you contributed to a significant positive change in your community.

Scholarship Essay Prompts High School

High school students are in the early stages of their academic and personal journey. Scholarships are a great way to support their education, and many organizations are eager to invest in your potential. 

• How do you plan to continue promoting these values in college and beyond?
• What lessons have you learned from this experience, and how will they shape your future?
• How has this experience influenced your values and aspirations for furthering your education and making a positive impact on society?
• How do you plan to use your STEM knowledge to address real-world challenges?
• How do you envision contributing to a greener future during your college years and beyond?
• How will you continue to lead and inspire others in college?
• How will your growth continue in your college journey?
• How do you plan to incorporate your artistic interests into your future?
• How have financial challenges shaped your determination to pursue higher education?
• Explain your long-term career goals and how you plan to make a positive impact in your community and beyond.

Scholarship Essay Prompts College

For college students, the academic and personal landscape has evolved, presenting both challenges and opportunities. Scholarships continue to be a valuable resource to support your ongoing education and personal growth. 

• How have you excelled in your field of study, and what academic goals do you aspire to achieve in the future?
• Explain how this project contributes to your academic and career objectives.
• How do these experiences align with your career goals and innovative aspirations?
• How do you plan to apply this global perspective in your academic and professional endeavors?
• How have you inspired and guided others, and what's your vision for continued leadership?
• How do you plan to promote well-being in your community and beyond?
• How did you work to address systemic issues during your college journey and outline your future goals for creating positive change?
• How will you continue to advocate for environmental causes in your academic and professional life?
• How have these experiences influenced your career path?
• How do you plan to apply your interdisciplinary skills to make a difference in your chosen field?

List of Unique Scholarship Essay Prompts 2023

Besides the most general topics, scholarship applications may also ask questions regarding your achievements, background, field of study, and future goals. 

Here are a few more topics that you can choose to show the scholarship committee who you are and why you deserve this scholarship. 

• Describe a person whom you admire the most.
• What are your short and long-term goals?
• Choose a book that has affected you deeply.
• Why are you the best fit to get this financial aid? 
• What inspires you?
• What leadership qualities do you have?
• Describe a solution to a current social issue of your choice.
• Why do you need a scholarship?

It is best to look at some scholarship essay examples and learn how to respond to each prompt in the best way.

By now, you must have gotten an idea about scholarship essay prompts and how to answer them in your essay. 

It is not easy to predict every scholarship essay question. Nevertheless, knowing some of the important ones can give you an advantage in applications. 

Still, if you don’t know where to start or are looking for expert help, get one-on-one help from the best essay writers at MyPerfectWords.com. 

Our scholarship essay writing service is all you need to stand out from other applicants and win the scholarship. 

Just say " write my essay for me online " and get instant help!

Cathy has been been working as an author on our platform for over five years now. She has a Masters degree in mass communication and is well-versed in the art of writing. Cathy is a professional who takes her work seriously and is widely appreciated by clients for her excellent writing skills.

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Overview of Common Scholarship Essay Prompts

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Applying for scholarships can be intimidating, but it’s reassuring to remind yourself that many applications share common essay prompts. Once you come up with answers to some of the most common scholarship essay prompts, applying for new scholarships becomes much easier. Our overview of common scholarship essay prompts will help you write your best essays to date.

In the guide below, we offer advice about answering eight of the most popular scholarship essay prompts. When you encounter these questions on your applications, you can refer back to this list for guidance on how to answer the prompts effectively and leave an impression on your reader.

Don’t miss: Top writing and essay scholarships

“Tell us about yourself.”

This is a very open-ended question, and the most common problem that students face is trying to accomplish too much in their responses. To avoid this pitfall, remember why the scholarship committee is asking the question: they want to get an idea of your passions, your ambitions, and any life events or circumstances that may be relevant to the scholarship you are applying for. 

While it is impossible to give a thorough rundown of your entire life in a short essay, it is much more feasible to give a succinct overview of the information about your life that is relevant to the scholarship. Here are some ideas of what to include in the essay:

• Formative experiences that inspired you to pursue your field of study
• Values that you hold that align with the values of the scholarship organization
• Demographic information
• Short-term and long-term goals for the future

“How will this scholarship help you?”

This question is a great opportunity to describe the opportunities that you will be able to take on as a result of receiving the scholarship. Scholarship committees are not only looking for qualified candidates, but also candidates who stand to benefit the most from their assistance. 

EXAMPLE: A scholarship might help a student accept an unpaid internship in a lab this summer rather than working as a lifeguard to save up money to pay for tuition for next year. Or it could allow them to attend their first-choice college rather than a college that was lower on their list but offered a better financial aid package. 

See also: How to write a statement of financial need

“Tell us about a time where you demonstrated leadership.”

There is a lot of room to get creative when answering this question. You should tell an anecdote about a time that you demonstrated independent thinking and effective teamwork. This can be in a formal leadership position or an informal one; a creative interpretation of the idea of “leadership” could help your essay stand out. 

The most effective part of this essay will not be the story itself, but rather your reflection on it. Try to communicate your story succinctly to leave adequate space for reflection. Discuss how the values and skills you learned will make you successful in college and beyond.

It can be helpful to tell your story to a friend or family member, and ask them what values or characteristics they think it demonstrates. They might be able to identify characteristics about you that you hadn’t even noticed.

Read more: How to start a scholarship essay (with examples)

“Tell us about a time that you failed and what you learned from it.”

This question allows you to show an advanced sense of self-awareness, as well as an ability to learn from your mistakes and adapt to a situation. As a general rule, try to avoid any failures that are overly personal or speak poorly to your character. 

EXAMPLE: You could write about failing to meet a project deadline at school or at your job. This incident could teach you about the importance of scheduling your time and to seek out help from your teacher or supervisor when you need it. This response depicts a failure that many people face, but puts you ahead of the crowd by showing that you learned a skill that will be very useful in a college environment.

Related:  How to answer scholarship essay questions about your career goals

“Where do you see yourself in five years?”

With this question, the scholarship committee wants to know about your ambitions that extend past your college career. In your essay, you should apply your educational goals towards some specific career and personal goals. This question will help persuade the scholarship committee that you will go on to be a success story for their organization. 

You can also use this prompt to showcase your understanding of the path to achieve your goals. After laying out your ambitions, you should provide an explanation of how you envision yourself reaching them, to show that you have researched your goals and are confident in your choice to pursue the degree you are pursuing.

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“tell us about a contribution you’ve made to your community.”.

This question is a great opportunity to demonstrate the impact you’ve had and hope to have on the people around you. Your contribution may have been formal or informal; you can write about anything you’ve done in your community that has affected others. This could be volunteering with a local nonprofit, working in a student organization at your high school, or even a creative project that you shared with the public. 

Remember, the main reason why a scholarship committee cares about what you’ve done in your past is how it forecasts what you’ll do with your future. After you have described your contribution, make sure to reflect on it and describe how it relates to the contributions you hope to make in the future.

Read more: What’s the best scholarship essay format?

“How are you planning on paying for your education?”

When answering this prompt, you should show that you have a thorough plan to finance your college education. This demonstrates a sense of responsibility and shows that you have a feasible plan to finance your education should you receive the scholarship. 

You can outline all of your revenue streams, but emphasize the ones that you have taken the lead on. Make sure to include:

• College savings accounts
• Jobs that you have worked to save up for college
• Other financial planning such as research about different types of loans
• Mention that there is still a gap between your funding and the amount you are being asked to pay, to show the importance of the scholarship to you

“What are your academic and professional goals?”

This is a similar question to “Where will you be in 5 years?” An effective answer will provide an overview of your future goals and how you plan on getting there. You can also circle back and emphasize how this scholarship would help you to achieve those goals. It’s also a good idea to relate these goals to your values; discuss personal experiences that led you to set these goals. 

Key Takeaways

• Because so many scholarships use very similar prompts, you should save and compile your responses so you can adapt them for future prompts
• Most prompts will ask you questions about yourself, so you should become as comfortable as possible with writing essays about yourself
• While some applications may ask you the same questions, you should keep in mind that it can be worth changing some of the language to address the values of a specific scholarship organization
• Remember to have a well-researched financial plan as well, as that may be something you are asked about and you should be prepared to answer

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Frequently asked questions about common scholarship essay prompts

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How To Answer Common Scholarship Essay Questions

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What Are Your Long and Short Term Goals?

These questions may be phrased in several ways: “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” “How will your current education contribute to your overall career goals?” Your answers should show that you do in fact have a plan for your future that corresponds to your degree program. The scholarship committee wants to see that their money is going to a worthy cause, not someone just testing the waters in college. Create an answer that shows realistic goals that can be achieved through continued education.

What Are Some of the Most Important Issues in Your Field of Study?

Questions like this are designed to gauge your knowledge of current events in your field. A worthy scholarship applicant will be invested in his or her future career. More importantly, the education that leads to that career will ultimately be used to address current issues. At least, that’s how they will view it. Come up with solutions for each problem, or explain how your education would allow you to develop effective solutions.

What Are Your Biggest Weaknesses?

Since this is a scholarship application, you still want to create answers that will put you above other applicants. Turn your weaknesses into opportunities. “I currently have limited knowledge in this area, but with my degree, I will be able to…” you may be sensing a trend here – scholarship committees love solutions . Coming up with a solution shows that you are forward-thinking and intuitive, and both of those qualities are worthy of being rewarded.

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Why Do You Need a Scholarship?

Describe an Adult Who Had a Major Influence on Your Life

These are common scholarship essay questions because they give a glimpse into you past. While most people will say a parent, grandparent, or instructor, you could choose someone that is slightly less expected. This doesn’t take away from the value of a good parent, but think about how many scholarship applicants respond with those answers.

If you were raised by a single parent, you could discuss how the other parent was a strong influence because you had to learn how to live without him or her in your life. If you had a neighbor who had a positive work ethic, you could explain how that shaped the dedication you have to your degree. Take some time to look beyond the obvious choices, and you may be surprised by what you come up with.

What Are Your Greatest Personal Achievements?

You can choose any achievement you want for this answer as long as you relate it back to your education or career. For example, if you won a singing competition, you could explain how you learned the importance of practice and preparation. Those lessons could help you during your degree and your career. Take the opportunity to brag on yourself, but don’t forget the mission of the scholarship application.

When All Else Fails, Ask Yourself WHY

Why are they asking me this? What will my answers tell the scholarship committee about my life, my goals and my future? What can I say that will show how worthy I am to accept this award? No matter what scholarship essay questions you come across, try to identify the underlying reasons behind the prompts. This will help you create the best answers to earn their financial support.

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• How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example

How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example

Published on October 11, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

A good scholarship essay demonstrates the scholarship organization’s values while directly addressing the prompt. If you plan ahead , you can save time by writing one essay for multiple prompts with similar questions.

Table of contents

Apply for a wide variety of scholarships, make a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, tailor your essay to the organization and the prompt, write a focused and relevant personal story, scholarship essay example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Scholarships are a type of student financial aid that don’t require repayment. They are awarded based on various factors, including academic merit, financial need, intended major, personal background, or activities and interests.

Like college applications, scholarship applications often require students to submit their grades, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and an essay.

A scholarship essay shares your values and qualities in the context of a specific question, such as “How does technology affect your daily life?” or “Who has had the greatest impact on your life?”

Be wary of scholarship scams

While some applications may not require an essay, be wary of scholarship scams that do the following:

• Guarantee you scholarship money for a fee
• Claim scholarship information is exclusive to their company
• Ask for your bank or credit card information to hold the scholarship

Some legitimate companies do charge for releasing comprehensive scholarship lists or creating a tailored list of scholarship opportunities based on your profile.

However, you can always discover scholarship opportunities for free through your school counselor, community network, or an online search.

Many students focus on well-known, large scholarship opportunities, which are usually very competitive. To maximize your chance of success, invest time in applying for a wide variety of scholarships: national and local, as well as big and small award amounts. There are also scholarships for international students .

In addition to charitable foundation and corporate scholarships, you should consider applying for institutional scholarships at your prospective universities, which can award money based on your application’s strength, your financial situation, and your demonstrated interest in the school.

Check with your guidance counselor, local organizations, community network, or prospective schools’ financial aid offices for scholarship opportunities. It’s a good idea to start applying as early as your junior year and continue throughout your senior year.

Choose the right scholarships for you

Choose scholarships with missions and essay topics that match your background, experiences, and interests. If the scholarship topic is meaningful to you, it will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay.

Don’t shy away from applying for local scholarships with small dollar amounts. Even a few hundred dollars can help you pay for books.

Local scholarships may be more tailored to your community, background, and activities, so they’re likely more relevant to you. Fewer students apply for these scholarships, so you have less competition and a higher chance of success.

Some places to look for local scholarships include

• Civic organizations, such as the Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc.
• Your church, mosque, synagogue, or place of worship
• Community groups, such as the YMCA
• Ethnicity-based organizations
• Your local library or local small businesses
• Organizations related to your intended major
• Your city or town
• Your school district
• Unions, such as SEIU, the Teamsters, CWA, etc.
• Your employer or your parents’ employers
• Banks, credit unions, and local financial institutions

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

While researching scholarship opportunities, create a scholarship tracker spreadsheet to keep track of the following:

• Scholarship amounts
• Required application materials

You can use our free Google Sheets template to track your scholarship applications.

Scholarship application tracker template

You can also include scholarship essay prompts in your college essay tracker sheet . By grouping or color-code overlapping essay prompts, you can plan to write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can also reuse or adapt your main college essay .

Even if you’re adapting another essay, it’s important to make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, stays within the word count limit , and demonstrates the organization’s values. The scholarship committee will be able to tell if you reuse an essay that doesn’t quite respond to the prompt, so be sure to tailor it to the questions asked.

Research each organization

Before writing, research the scholarship organization’s mission and reason for awarding the scholarship. Learning more about the organization can help you select an appropriate topic and relevant story.

While you should tailor your essay to the organization’s values, maintain your authentic voice. Never use false or exaggerated stories. If the organization’s values don’t align with yours or you can’t brainstorm a relevant story for the scholarship, continue searching for other scholarship opportunities to find a more appropriate one for you.

After researching the organization, identify a specific personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies why you will be a successful student.

Choose a story with the following criteria:

• Responds to the prompt
• Demonstrates the organization’s values
• Includes an authentic story
• Focuses on you and your experience, not someone else’s

A good scholarship essay is not

• A resume of your achievements
• A lengthy opinion piece about the essay topic
• An essay featuring a negative tone that puts down others

If appropriate, you can briefly address how the scholarship money will help you achieve your educational goals. You should also end with a brief thank-you.

Take a look at the full essay example below. Hover over the underlined parts to read explanations of why they work.

Prompt: Describe how working for Chelsea’s Chicken restaurant has developed leadership skills that will help you succeed in college. Give specific examples of leadership characteristics that you have exhibited during your employment with us.

As a nervous 16-year-old, I walked into Chelsea’s Chicken for my first day of work determined to make enough money to put gas in my car and buy pizza on the weekends. My only previous job was mowing my neighbors’ lawns when they were on vacation, so I had no idea what to expect. I was a bit intimidated by my new responsibilities, especially handling money and helping disgruntled customers.

However, it didn’t take me long to learn my way around the cash register and successfully address customer complaints. One day, Roger, the store manager, asked me if I wanted to join Chelsea’s Chicken Leadership Training Initiative. He said he saw leadership potential in me because of my attitude with the customers and my enthusiasm for learning new job responsibilities. It surprised me because I had never thought of myself as a leader, but I quickly agreed, and Roger handed me a three-ring binder that was thicker than my math and science textbooks put together! He told me to take it home and read over it during the following week.

In that binder, I discovered that being a leader means taking the initiative, especially when the job is undesirable. One week later, I got to practice that idea when a little kid threw up in the bathroom and missed the toilet. It smelled terrible, but I stepped forward and told Roger that I would clean it up. My coworkers thought I was crazy, but I started to believe in my leadership potential.

That night as we closed the store, Roger pulled me aside in the parking lot and told me that he could tell that I had been studying the manual. He wanted to give me more responsibility, along with a dollar-per-hour pay raise. I was surprised because I had been working there for only a couple of months, but his encouragement helped me make a connection: good leadership helps other people, and it often is rewarded. I was determined to experience more of both.

Within a month, I was ready to take the Team Leader exam, which mattered because I would receive a promotion and a much bigger raise if I passed. But, when I got to work, two of the scheduled team members had called in sick. We were noticeably short-handed, and our customers weren’t happy about it.

I walked back to the lockers, put on my vest and hat, and took my place behind an open register. Customers immediately moved into my line to place their orders. Roger looked at me with surprise and asked, “Did you forget that you’re testing tonight?” I responded, “No, sir—but what’s the use of taking a leadership test if you aren’t going to lead in real life?” Roger smiled at me and nodded.

He stayed late that night after we closed so that I could leave early and still take the test. I noticed that Roger was always staying late, helping employees learn new skills. His example taught me that leaders take the initiative to develop other leaders. He gave me a clear picture of what shared leadership looks like, making room for others to grow and excel. When I asked him where he learned to do that, he said, “From the same leadership manual I gave you!”

Chelsea’s Chicken has offered me so much more than a paycheck. Because of Roger’s example, I have learned to take the initiative to care for my family and friends, such as being the first to do the dishes without my mom asking or volunteering to pick up my friend for our SAT prep course. Now, as I prepare to enter college, I have confidence in my leadership ability. I know I’m signing up for a challenging major—Biology, Pre-Med—yet I also know that Chelsea’s Chicken has helped me to develop the perseverance required to complete my studies successfully.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

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Scholarship Essay Prompts and Topics - Best Questions and Answers

Preparing a scholarship essay is always a significant step for a high school or college student. Your task is to impress the admissions committee and make your case stand out. To attain that goal, you must know what message to convey and the right way to do it. How to decipher scholarship essay questions and answer them? The action plan for this paper isn't that different from your average college essay.

• Study the given scholarship essay prompts and pick the one you like the most.
• Think about the experience you can use to make the writing interesting.
• Provide supporting evidence pertaining to your common scholarship essay topic.
• Create an outline to ensure a logical flow and a balanced structure.
• Write an essay example or two to avoid mistakes and come up with a top-notch paper.

An application scholarship committee needs much more than a simple essay to grant you a fund for education abroad or reward you for succeeding in the academic field. Hence, in this guide, we are going to focus on the most important element of your preparation. We offer you a collection of common scholarship writing prompts - here, we've gathered the most general aspects you can dwell on while writing. For each essay prompt, we've picked several ideas that may inspire you or help to formulate your own subject matter (if such an option is available).

Scholarship Essay Prompts for College

When working on this essay, you have a chance to express yourself and show that you deserve a scholarship - for your academic accomplishments, sports performance, artistic skills, etc. That is possible if you:

• Have well-developed writing skills and can apply them appropriately
• Prove your academic competence as well as critical and analytical skills
• Make your writing to be more than words - provide reliable facts and examples
• Know how to show your best qualities and prepare a distinctive work

Try to pick a topic in which you can combine all these aspects well. Keep in mind that this essay should resonate with your own beliefs and attitudes toward different issues. That will let the scholarship committee to assess your writing better and decide whether you deserve to be awarded.

Leadership Prompts

Your thoughts are focused on one particular question "how to win?". Therefore, the whole process reminds a competition, and you want to be the leader by any means. This essay question is good for demonstrating your perception of this phenomenon and presenting your skills as a leader. On the other hand, after reading your work, the committee members can see you like a really self-motivated and diligent student. Here are some questions and statements that may help.

• What is leadership for you? Do you consider yourself a leader?
• The time when I learned that being a leader isn't an easy task
• What are the leader's main objectives? What aim did I have as a "boss"?
• What makes a respected leader? How can they facilitate a team spirit?
• How to distinguish leadership and lording over?
• What kind of person can become a leader easily? Is it easy for me?
• How to raise a leader in oneself? Did my family raise me as one who leads?

The meaning of leadership may vary depending on your personality, and here, the including of your own experience in an essay plays a pivotal role.

Challenges as Scholarship Prompt

It would also be effective to include your responsible attitude to problems in the scholarship essay. Any education process is usually filled with various pitfalls, and it would be a good decision to prove that you can deal with all of them easily. Or, at least, you understand how to approach them reasonably. When writing an essay on challenges, you have a wide range of aspects to emphasize and consider. Therefore, here is a list of good scholarship prompts that guarantee you a triumph:

• My biggest challenge when I was a child.
• What is your absolutely winning strategy? Have you tried it?
• How the positive/negative challenge you've encountered affected you?
• Is there a "compulsory" challenge everyone should face? Have you faced it?
• Is it true that the hardest challenge is the one you create yourself?
• Is there a challenge you would like to face again?
• Do you agree with the idea that the only way to development is going through challenges?

When you want to write about something difficult you've faced and dealt with, emphasize your personal achievements, show an attitude to wins and failures, and prove your ability to think strategically. A good set of features for a scholarship applicant!

Prompts about Social Issues Around the Globe

There are scholarships where you can show your competence and interest in current events and social issues that are highly discussed. Here, you can describe particular aspects of life through the prisms of various societies or highlight certain problems looming over us. But, you can write not only about impactful or hazardous phenomena but emphasize the bright and positive sides of this topic. By adding facts from your experience and describing your own attitude towards different phenomena, you may express concerns about particular problems or highlight the joy of every day. Below, you will find some ideas that can be covered during your writing.

• Gender discrimination and domestic violence in developed countries
• Bullying and abuse in educational institutions and ways to prevent them
• Challenges of same-sex marriage and the role of the LGBTQ in social development
• Social issues we should solve now. Your actions toward its prevention.
• Racism and cultural appropriation as stumbling-blocks for social progress.

When preparing an essay on social issues, you can come up with different thoughts or efficient solutions. If your topic mentions a certain problem, just ask yourself, "Is there something I can do to solve it?" Such thoughts may inspire you to write.

Happiness and Sadness Prompts for Scholarship Essay

These two phenomena and their meaning will remain the biggest secret for humans. Everyone has their own interpretation of sadness and happiness that help to make life more fulfilled. You can be asked to write a scholarship paper on one of these matters since such a task will show your original way of thinking, imagination, and life priorities. That's what a scholarship committee needs to know about you. Here are some ideas:

• What do happiness and sadness mean to you?
• Should we be grateful for every day of your life?
• Does being a realist mean you will always be sad?
• Can money buy happiness or ease sadness?
• How do good people around make us happy?
• Do we create our happiness ourselves?
• Are the optimists luckier?

Now, a strong scholarship essay is what can make you happy, but is there any secret of a winning paper? Confidence, attention to detail, and persuasion. We hope our scholarship essay prompts for 2020 will be helpful, and your paper will impress anyone. Good luck with reaching your goals!

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29 Great Scholarship Essay Topics & Popular Questions

Going through each scholarship application’s essay topics and questions can get cumbersome. However, it gets easier if you can access common essay topics and popular scholarship questions. Then, you can reuse them repeatedly as you apply for more scholarships.

This article will supply common scholarship essay questions that you can start with. You can prepare an essay already on any one of these prompts and use them across multiple scholarships.

Scholarship Application Questions

There are diverse questions a scholarship committee can ask applicants. It would help if you brainstormed several subject ideas; you might come across one you did not consider before.

Sometimes, a scholarship board gives you scholarship essay questions; how you answer those questions matters. You should know what answers they expect and what information they don’t need from you.

6 College Scholarship Essay Questions:

• How do you believe this scholarship will help you achieve your goals?
• Have you contributed anything to your community: How?
• What are the innate or developed qualities that make you unique?
• What field of study are you going into?
• What are your career or academic goals?
• Why should we award you this scholarship position?

5 Other Scholarship Questions Examples:

• Have you ever had a moment of revelation where you’ve had your eyes opened to things you were otherwise blind to?
• If your friends were to write an essay about you, how would they characterize you?
• What dreams do you have; if you look back in 30 years, what do you hope to have achieved?
• How did you develop the attribute, quality, or skill that distinguishes you from everybody else?
• Do you typically have unwavering beliefs or philosophy: What are they?

Scholarship Essay Prompts

These are questions scholarship providers ask to decide whether an applicant deserves the scholarship or not. The way you answer scholarship essay prompts is important because you are selling yourself to the board. When answering scholarship essay prompts, you want to establish that you are high-achieving and well-deserving of the scholarship.

6 Scholarship Essay Prompt Examples:

• Write a short autobiography of yourself telling us about your work experience, family, hobbies, and future plans.
• Talk to us about a time you failed and the lessons you took from it.
• Tell us ways sports have impacted your life, positively or negatively.
• Tell us why we should award you this scholarship out of thousands of others.
• Tell us about a time a belief or idea of yours was challenged, how you reacted, and the result.
• Write a short essay telling us areas in your life, school, social, or family, where you demonstrated a leadership skill that helped you overcome an obstacle.

Scholarship Essay Topics

The scholarship application process also involves essay topics being given to the applicant. This is where an applicant gets to showcase his strength, personality, and abilities in a way that’ll compel the board. This part of the application process can be the most persuasive; therefore, you should put your all into it. Applicants are advised to have 5 to 7 pre-written essays, which can be used across different scholarship applications.

6 Popular Scholarship Essay Topics:

• Traits That Will Enhance My Education and Future Employments
• Innate/Developed Leadership Qualities That Make Me Unique
• A Book That Inspired Me Greatly
• 10 Things I have Accomplished in Life
• Why I Believe I Deserve This Scholarship Award
• Awards and Honorable Titles I Have Received

Scholarship Essay Titles

Scholarship essay prompts may require that applicants come up with titles. However, applicants sometimes find it hard to come with scholarship essay titles. Below are some ideas on scholarship essay titles that you can use to land that scholarship award.

6 Scholarship Essay Titles:

• The Person Who Challenged and Changed My Beliefs
• Goals I Plan to Achieve in 10 Years
• My Dreams and Aspirations
• Issues I Have Resolved in My Family With My Innate Leadership Skills
• What I Consider to Be My Biggest Success Yet
• Things And People That Inspire Me

In conclusion, you shouldn’t wait until you land a scholarship award before writing a scholarship topic. There are many suggestions on scholarship essay questions online, including those listed here. You should choose at least five and write on them and have professionals vet and correct them for you. As such, when the scholarship opportunity arrives, you are ready – and your chance of getting it is high!

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10 Best Crypto Mining Apps for iPhone and iPad (2024)

One of the methods to mine cryptocurrency is via software application and the mobile device’s processing capacity.

It’s different because it’s readily available, has a wide range of uses, and requires little upfront investment. Crypto mining apps for iPhone and iPad users are pretty common these days.

As the popularity of cryptocurrencies grows, multiple developers are making specialized applications to mine crypto.

You can quickly use these best Crypto mining apps for iPhone and iPad that possess highly efficient mining features. This article will list some of the top-notch crypto mining apps for iPhone and iPad.

So, if you’re an iOS lover, these best crypto mining apps for iPhone and iPad can do wonders for you.

1. CryptoTab

The world’s initial browser with mining functionality, CryptoTab, is available for both desktops (Windows & Mac) and smartphones (Android & iPhone/iPad).

Watching films, talking, or playing online games is a great way to earn bitcoins. Currently, CryptoTab Browser is being used by more than 20 million individuals throughout the globe.

Downloading the CryptoTab application on your iPhone allows you to join in on the fun because this is one of the top crypto mining apps for iPhone.

Once you’ve installed the application, all you have to do is turn on Bitcoin mining and sit calmly as it does all the work for you.

If you have a private connection to the mining network, you may also improve your profits and get your first Bitcoin by bringing in new members.

You don’t have to worry about the safety of your mobile device since the mining algorithm in CryptoTab gives excellent productivity and security without shutting things down.

In addition to a cryptocurrency wallet and exchange, ECOS is a portfolio management tool and a cryptocurrency checking account for its users, making it one of the finest crypto mining apps for iPhone users. See Also New MacBook Pros ‘Insanely Efficient’ at Crypto Mining, but Isn’t Worth the Effort MacBook Pro cryptocurrency mining profitable, but only just - 9to5Mac Mining Ethereum Using Macbook M1, It Turns Out You Can!

Investing in digital investment portfolios is made possible by the platform’s portfolio section, which includes several risk-to-return ratio indicators.

In addition to iPhone, PC versions are also available. If you want to mine Bitcoin on the site, the only thing you need to do is acquire a crypto cloud mining contract.

3. NiceHash

It is a cloud mining company that lets you pay for hash power while mining in the cloud.

The app quickly became a well-known brand among cryptocurrency miners due to regular payouts, good customer service, state-of-the-art security, system reliability, and immense hashing power.

While the app has its cryptocurrency exchange, it also offers Bitcoin mining software. It is one of the best crypto mining apps for iPhone lovers, allowing you to connect your GPU/CPU and start earning Bitcoins right away.

You can use their live trading interface, which offers a variety of advanced trading options and an API. You can manage your NiceHash account and other activities via their mobile app.

NiceHash also offers a private endpoint for medium and large mining farms looking to optimize their NiceHash connection for maximum performance and profitability.

4. Robomine

The program also contains an AI that employs artificial intelligence technology to improve Bitcoin mining operations.

You may automatically mine 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and make 10% -15% monthly earnings. This program includes one of the best crypto mining apps for iPhones.

The Robomine program may be downloaded and used on your smartphone to mine Bitcoin while using very little power, which is ideal for your smartphone’s battery life.

5. SlushPool

With over 1.2 million BTC mined since 2010, SlushPool was the first mining pool. The software has several intriguing capabilities, including intelligent payments, monitoring, etc.

Using the mobile app, you can have an opportunity to engage in a safe learning platform, mine Bitcoin, and have a quick dashboard overview with important alerts for desired activities.

This program includes one of the best crypto mining apps for iPhone. SlushPool monitors all actions and guarantees that every issue is recorded in monitoring.

They would happily give you notices of these incidents through email or the mobile app if you permitted them so that you could take proper action.

However, remember that SlushPool can only do this monitoring activity depending on how you manage in-app settings and preferences.

It was one of the first mining pools to open in 2013, and it has since risen to become a worldwide leader in the industry.

The app contains the world’s giant mining pool for BTC, LTC, ETH, and ZEC and supports over 40 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. This package includes one of the best crypto mining apps for iPhone.

On your Android or iOS smartphone, you may use the app to keep track of your hash rate and revenue and critical parameters like network hash rate and difficulty.

You may monitor mining, revenue, and payment information and set up offline alerts by supplying a mining address or a read-only link.

7. Mining Hero

Mining Hero is another one of the best crypto mining apps for iPhone with a $2760 beginning price and a “multi-currency + duration” mining plan.

It’s also a one-stop online hosting solution for group buying, purchasing, hosting, operating, and maintaining the integrated mining equipment.

It offers professional investors large-scale, customized mining solutions while ensuring that the crypto assets produced are safe and transparent.

Binance – Cryptocurrencies Exchange is a free mobile app that enables users to exchange cryptocurrency over the internet.

It provides consumers with an easy and efficient approach to managing their digital assets securely and transparently.

Binance – Cryptocurrency Exchange is not only easy but also accessible to all users, as it allows them to deposit and withdraw funds at any time and from any location.

24/7 multilingual customer support also ensures that problems are swiftly addressed and resolved, allowing users to concentrate on their digital money.

Binance – Cryptocurrency Exchange has millions of registered users from all over the globe, a testament to its high degree of security and professionalism.

Strike is one of the most basic applications available. It’s linked to Twitter for its new tipping feature, but it’s also a free method to purchase bitcoin.

Strike also makes it simple to transfer money to anybody globally through the Bitcoin network, with the money automatically converting to the local currency as it arrives.

Strike also makes it simple for your company to pay you in Bitcoin. This package includes one of the best crypto mining apps for iPhone.

Strike provides you with your bank account information (routing and account number), and you choose how much of your paycheck you want to be in Bitcoin vs. USD.

Overall, it’s a useful software to have on hand if you need to transmit money or acquire bitcoin fast.

You’ll receive $5 if you join using some referral link. Strike also makes it simple to transmit bitcoin to a hardware wallet if you want to keep your bitcoin in your possession.

Casa is a bitcoin-only and bitcoin-first app that you can download on iOS. Casa, like other businesses, allows you to purchase bitcoin.

Casa differs from the competition because it is one of the few providers that offer multi-signature wallets.

These wallets have a monthly membership fee, but they provide extra protection by needing numerous private keys to access cash.

This package includes one of the best crypto mining apps for iPhone. It implies that no one can access your bitcoin unless they have access to at least two of the following: your cold storage key, the key on your phone, and a key held by Casa.

Bottom Line

Mining Crypto on a mobile device is relatively easy and convenient, mainly if you use one of the mining apps described above.

Nonetheless, you should be aware that mining Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency on your iPhone is now illegal, according to Apple Inc.’s new rules.

As a result, if you don’t want to put your iOS device to the test with any of the applications above, you should look into other Bitcoin mining choices.

Can I mine Cryptocurrency on my iPad? ›

CryptoTab. Try CryptoTab, the world's first browser with mining features and it works on desktop (Windows & Mac) or smartphone (Android & iPhone/iPad) . Earn bitcoin without looking up from watching videos, chatting, or gaming online.

ECOS is a Bitcoin Mining Infrastructure with a crypto investment platform that brings together the most essential tools (such as BTC wallet, crypto wallet, crypto exchange, cloud mining) for working with digital assets. It's a safe and simple way to manage all your funds in one place.

• HappyMiner.
• Mobile Miner.
• Awesome Miner.
• Storm Gain.

StormGain is an Ethereum mining application that enables you to mine digital currencies without any hassle. It provides a user-friendly dashboard for viewing assets rising and falling. Supported Coins: Bitcoin Gold, Dash, Ethereum, Cardano, Neo, Bitcoin Cash, etc. Supported platform: Web, Android, and iOS.

The short answer? – Both Android and iOS devices can be used to mine .

It takes around 10 minutes to mine just one Bitcoin, though this is with ideal hardware and software, which isn't always affordable and only a few users can boast the luxury of. More commonly and reasonably, most users can mine a Bitcoin in 30 days.

Nice Hash provides two options for mining as an in-house mining app, NiceHash Quickminer, or any third-party miner app with Nice Hash Miner. It is compatible with F2Pool, SlushPool, 2Miners, and others. Nice Hash also has an Android and iOS app.

Libertex offers its users the unique opportunity to start mining Bitcoin at home and earn rewards with zero risk. The Libertex Bitcoin mining application is free and can run on any internet-enabled device, such as mobile phones, computers or tablets.

It is possible to mine bitcoin on your iPhone. However, you need to have authentic apps without any leaks in the app store. It takes around 10 minutes to mine one block with the reward of 6.25 bitcoins per block from the iPhone.

What is the easiest crypto to mine? Monero (XMR) is one of the easiest cryptocurrencies to mine if you're using a home computer and not a professional setup.

What is the highest paying crypto miner? ›

• Comparison of the Most Profitable Coins to Mine.
• #1) Vertcoin.
• #2) Bitcoin.
• #3) Monero.
• #4) Ravencoin.
• #5) Haven Protocol (XHV)
• #6) Ethereum Classic (ETC)
• #7) Bitcoin Gold.

Best Bitcoin Mining Software Of January 2023 CGMiner: Best overall for cross-platform hardware compatibility. Awesome Miner : Best for centralized hardware management. EasyMiner: Best for fast, secure setup. Kryptex Miner: Best for optimizing mining profitability.

Crypto mobile mining can be performed on iOS and Android systems via solo or pool mining services .

ECOS Mining This Android mining app lets you mine Ethereum for free. It also offers a smart mining feature that automatically switches to the most profitable coin to mine at any given time. The app has a built-in wallet that supports multiple cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and more.

On an iPhone or an Android smartphone, it is possible to mine Satoshi . Since phones are computers, you may perform hash computation on any computer. Data is transformed in one direction using a hash.

Android software for cryptocurrency mining is called AA Miner . The program is a wonderful alternative for novices because it provides a variety of mining possibilities and has an intuitive design. Additionally, AA Miner supports a number of digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum.

Go Ethereum is probably the main and best Ethereum mining software for Windows utilized to mine Ethereum as of 2021. However, if you are looking for platforms that can allow you to mine Ethereum on Android and console in addition to PC, then consider MinerGate .

#1) Block time: This is the time within which a single block is created in Ethereum is about 10-19 seconds .

How long it takes to mine 1 Bitcoin. Technically, it is not possible to mine 1 Bitcoin , especially if you are a solo miner. However, if you mine within a pool, your rewards will typically be in satoshis, which are denominations of the BTC coin that could equal 1 BTC over a period of mining.

• Choose a cryptocurrency to mine. There are many cryptocurrencies you can mine, but not all of them use this method to verify transactions. ...
• Buy your mining equipment. ...
• Set up a crypto wallet. ...
• Configure your mining device. ...
• Join a mining pool.

How much money can you make mining crypto in one day? ›

Technically, you could mine as much as 900 Bitcoins per day taking into account the cryptocurrency's current inflation rate. Bitcoin's inflation rates halves every four year in a process known as the halving.

Automine coins with the highest exchange rate and squeeze the most profit. There are 10 coins available for mining: Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Bitcoin Gold (BTG), Ethereum Classic (ETC), Monero (XMR), Monero-Classic (XMC), AEON, Zcash (ZEC), Bytecoin (BCN) and Grin .

• Mining Bitcoin. Mining is one of the most sorted ways to earn Bitcoin by solving a cryptographic puzzle which helps to add a new block to the Bitcoin's blockchain network. ...
• Lending Bitcoin. ...
• Staking Bitcoin. ...
• Holding Bitcoin. ...
• Bitcoin Trading. ...
• Claiming Airdrops. ...
• Help to Find Bugs.

StormGain is also a member of The Financial Commission's Blockchain Association , which provides a secure and completely reliable trading platform.

• Faucets. Crypto faucets are websites or applications that provide users with small sums of cryptocurrency in exchange for doing things like completing CAPTCHA puzzles or watching advertisements. ...
• Airdrops. ...
• Staking. ...
• Referral programs. ...
• Completing surveys. ...
• Bug bounties. ...
• Trading competitions.

Can I Mine Bitcoin Without Joining a Pool? Yes, you can . However, joining a pool is a much more profitable way to mine Bitcoin, especially since its difficulty increases with every coin awarded.

How do you mine Bitcoin without hardware? It's possible to mine Bitcoin without hardware by paying to use cloud computing resources , which is what cloud miners do. Cloud miners trade the cost of mining hardware for mining fees paid to cloud mining companies.

If a miner is able to successfully add a block to the blockchain, they will receive 6.25 bitcoins as a reward. The reward amount is cut in half roughly every four years, or every 210,000 blocks.

The resources required for mining Bitcoin include: At least one specialized computer (called an Application-specific Integrated Circuit or ASIC miner), which is specifically designed to compete for and support a particular cryptocurrency. A reliable and inexpensive energy supply. A dependable internet connection.

While it is more than possible to mine using your iPhone, according to the mining results caught by Phone Arena, you will only able to get $13 per month or $156 per year. If you want to be able to make more virtual dough, you will need a lot of iPhones hooked up.

What is the cheapest crypto to mine? ›

If you are looking for the cheapest crypto to mine, Monero and Ravencoin will be a good choice. Monero, for instance, can be mined on CPUs with normal computer hardware resources. Nevertheless, Bitcoin and Ethereum should be your top choice if looking for the most profitable cryptocurrencies to mine.

Cryptocurrency mining is still profitable in 2023, but it may not be as rewarding as in the past . That's accurate for a variety of factors, including the fact that cryptocurrency prices were significantly lower than their peaks for the majority of 2022 and into early 2023.

Riot Blockchain (RIOT) is at the head of the list of top bitcoin mining companies with a market cap of $2.15bn. The business also offers its facilities to other large-scale mining businesses so they can establish their own farms by taking advantage of the firm's proprietary infrastructure.

• Mining Technician. Salary range: $27,000-$65,000 per year. ...
• Coal Miner. Salary range: $39,000-$55,000 per year. ...
• Production Miner. Salary range: $31,000-$51,500 per year. ...
• Underground Miner. Salary range: $40,000-$49,500 per year. ...
• Quarry Worker. Salary range: $35,000-$44,000 per year. ...
• Mine Laborer.

The Antminer S19 Pro is the most profitable ASIC miner for Bitcoin and the SHA-256 algorithm for now.

• HappyMiner (9.8 points)
• ECOS (9.2 points)
• Nicehash (9.0 points)
• Genesis Mining (8.9 points)
• IQ Mining (8.8 points)
• BeMine (8.3 points)
• Bitdeer (8.1 points)
• Hashgains (8.0 points)
• Blockfolio.
• Easy Miner.
• Bitcoin Checker.
• BTC SAFARI.
• Free Bitcoin.

1. Coinbase . Coinbase is by far the most popular and one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges because you can invest directly with USD. You can currently purchase Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin and 30+ other coins and tokens on the platform.

ECOS is the only legit cloud mining company . It was established in 2017 in Armenia in the Free Economic Zone. ECOS has more than 100 000 users from all over the world. You can easily use a convenient mining calculator to estimate mining returns and choose the best option for you.

So, mining with an M1 Silicon-powered device could be an option if you don't want to buy additional hardware . However, it's important to note that crypto mining is very energy intensive, meaning your Mac's processor likely won't be able to handle much else if crypto mining is in process.

Can you make money mining on your phone? ›

Mining Crypto on a Smartphone. Mining cryptocurrency on a smartphone is actually possible . There are various crypto mining apps that you can use to mine crypto directly through your smartphone hardware. These apps often allow you to join mining pools that use some of your phone's power in the mining process.

Go to Settings > General > About. To the right of Model Number, you'll find the part number . To find the model number, tap the part number.

• Create your free Ethereum account and complete your KYC. ...
• Refer your friend and get free Ethereum. ...
• Become an Affiliate Start Earning free Ethereum. ...
• Deposit minimum 10,000 INR and get free Ethereum in cash. ...
• Ethereum Trading activities on Buyucoin.

#1) Antminer S19 Pro The Antminer S19 Pro ASIC Bitcoin miner hardware is currently the best cryptocurrency mining hardware with which to mine Bitcoin and other SHA-256 cryptocurrencies. This is given the highest hash rate, efficiency, and power consumption.

How can I get Ethereum for free? One of the best ways to earn free Ethereum tokens is by staking ETH . Alternatively, users can deposit ETH into an interest account provider like OKX, which offers an APY of 5%.

A satoshi is the smallest unit of Bitcoin currency. 1 satoshi = 0.00000001 BTC . satoshi is the namesake of the technical author and creator of Bitcoin, satoshi Nakamoto.

Apple has updated its developer guidelines to outlaw cryptocurrencies "mining" on iOS devices. The new rules restrict apps that drain battery, generate excessive heat, or put unnecessary strain on device resources — all of which take place in bitcoin mining.

Bitcoin Miner Pro is a free to use Android app that lets you mine for Bitcoin in your spare time. This app doesn't require any registration or login and lets you start mining immediately. The app has a simple interface and lets you set up your own custom mining pool as well as choosing between solo and pooled mining.

• Bitmain AntMiner S19 Pro.
• Bitmain AntMiner S9.
• Bitmain AntMiner T19.
• Whatsminer M30S++
• Canaan AvalonMiner 1246.
• Dragonmint T1.
• Ebang Ebit E11++

What is the easiest coin to mine? ›

What is the easiest coin to mine? 1. Monero (XMR) Monero (XMR) is one of the easiest cryptocurrencies to mine using a home computer. Monero is a privacy-focused crypto based on the CryptoNote protocol and utilizes the RandomX hash function to create increasingly complicated mathematical equations.

Mining cryptocurrency on a smartphone is actually possible . There are various crypto mining apps that you can use to mine crypto directly through your smartphone hardware. These apps often allow you to join mining pools that use some of your phone's power in the mining process.

• #1) Pionex – Use Bitcoin Growth Trading Bot to Earn Bitcoin.
• #3) Bitstamp – Using Staking Rewards.
• #4) Tipping Bots And Platforms.
• #5) Playing Online and Offline Games.
• #6) Mining Browsers And Free Mining Software.
• #7) Earning Free Bitcoins Through Bounties.
• Antminer S19 Pro.
• Antminer T9+
• AvalonMiner A1166 Pro.
• AvalonMiner 1246.
• WhatsMiner M30S++
• WhatsMiner M32-62T.
• Bitmain Antminer S5.
• DragonMint T1.

Ravencoin is also among the most profitable coin to mine. It is used in platforms to represent virtual goods, gold, shares, and other types of assets. Ravencoin is best mined with NVIDIA GPUs, particularly starting with the RTX series. You can opt for GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, GeForce GTX 1080, GTX 1070, and RX 570.

• Monero (XMR) Monero (XMR) is one of the easiest cryptocurrencies to mine using a home computer. ...
• Litecoin (LTC) ...
• Ethereum Classic (ETC) ...
• Dogecoin (DOGE) ...
• Zcash (ZEC) ...
• Bitcoin Gold (BTG) ...
• Vertcoin (VTC) ...
• Ravencoin (RVN)

MinerGate Pricing The vendor allows users to download the program for free and takes a flat fee from all mined coins ; more detailed information can be found on the website.

Miners can download mining apps on iPhones to mine cryptocurrencies without investing in expensive hardware equipment . However, regardless of the mining app miners choose, mobile crypto mining may result in high wear and tear without reasonably rewarding their time and effort.

How to mine cryptocurrency on phone for free? ›

To start mining Bitcoin at home, one needs to obtain a Bitcoin wallet and a mining rig, install the Bitcoin mining software, and join a mining pool .

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First-year essay prompts

Common App has announced the 2024-2025 essay prompts.

Below is the complete list of the common app essay prompts..

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

We will also retain the  optional community disruption  question within the Writing section. 

Looking for tips on how to approach the essay? Check out this video. 

Solutions center for first-year students

Solutions center for transfer students.

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How to Answer 30 Popular Scholarship Interview Questions

What’s covered:.

• Getting To Know You Questions
• Questions About the Opportunity

Closing Remarks

Enter the collegevine scholarships.

When applying for college scholarships, you may be invited to interview if you make it past the initial screening round. The interview may feel nerve-wracking, but being offered one is great news!

Not sure how to prepare? Here are 30 popular scholarship interview questions and example answers to help you to think about your responses. Use these examples as a stepping stone for brainstorming and drafting your own unique responses. You can apply this same formula to many other scholarship interview questions as well.

Getting to Know You Questions

1. tell us about yourself..

This is the most popular among all scholarship interview questions. It’s often used to “warm up” the interviewee. It’s also a very general question that can cause those unprepared to answer to ramble or waffle in their response.

A good answer is concise, provides a brief bio, and highlights why you’re the right person for the scholarship. Use your answer as an opportunity to spotlight the achievements, personality traits, skills, and experiences that make you an ideal candidate for the scholarship.

Example: I’m a sophomore at Carlsbad High School. I’ve been passionate about technology and its impact on human life since my early childhood days. Over the past few years, with the help of my parents and teachers, I managed to explore this passion by taking extra courses in programming languages such as C++, Android app development, and graphic design. My hobby is to help fellow students with their Android apps and program games for them.

See more examples in our guide about responding to “tell me about yourself” in college interviews .

2. Were you involved in any activities at school or in your community?

Interviewers use this question to better know an interviewee’s interests outside of their application and gain an understanding of their involvement at school and in the greater community.

This interview question is great for students with leadership roles, providing them an opportunity to talk about their experiences and involvement in clubs or sports. It’s also a chance to talk about how you contribute to your community or help people in need.

Example: I’m the editor of our school newspaper. As an editor, I manage other students who write articles for the paper and come up with topic ideas. Additionally, I’m a member of the swim team and volunteer at the historical society. I enjoy having a balance between physical, intellectual, and community activities because they keep me active in different ways.

3. Tell us about your greatest strength and greatest weakness.

Interviewers love this question, as it allows them to judge your self-awareness, honesty, and interest in personal growth. When talking about your strengths, prioritize quality over quantity and focus on two or three attributes that are relevant to the scholarship. Stories are more memorable than generalizations, so share examples of how you demonstrate your best characteristics.

It can help to reframe the second half of this question—instead of thinking of areas of weakness, they’re opportunities for improvement. No one is perfect, but you’re conscious of the areas in which you struggle and are taking steps to improve. It’s especially important to avoid cliches when responding to this question; you don’t want to be the 1,000th student to answer “I’m a perfectionist.”

Example: My greatest strength is that I can prioritize what needs to be done first today and which tasks can wait until tomorrow. Because of this, I’m efficient with my time management and able to succeed in both school and extracurricular activities. However, my greatest weakness is that I can become too focused on one task and forget about other assignments or projects which need attention. I’ve been working on this by setting reminders in my calendar throughout the day.

4. Tell us something about yourself that no one else knows.

This is another question designed to allow the interviewer to better get to know you and while it’s a personal question, it’s important to avoid sharing anything too personal or sensitive. Focus on something unique and interesting about yourself—such as an accomplishment, hobby, talent, interest, or experience—that makes you stand out from other applicants.

Example: I am proficient in sign language. This has always been a passion of mine and I wish to work with children in a clinical setting who are deaf or hard of hearing one day. I have studied sign language throughout high school and I plan to continue learning at university so that I can interact with these children without any language barrier.

5. How would you describe yourself?

This question allows interviewers to get to know you better as a person, understand how you perceive yourself, and gain further insight into your personality. Highlight the traits that are relevant to the scholarship and call attention to any relevant skills. This question is a great opportunity for students who might not have extracurricular activities related to the scholarship but have qualities that align with the scholarship.

Example: I believe my positive attitude and ability to work in a team environment contribute to my character. In my part-time job, I lead a team of baristas at my local café. The role is equal parts delegating tasks and ensuring customer satisfaction. My enthusiasm for coffee and my ability to operate in a collaborative environment left an impression of optimism on both my coworkers and customers. Regulars have even acknowledged that they visit my café specifically because of the happy atmosphere I create.

6. What are your biggest accomplishments?

This question allows interviewers to learn about your achievements while also gaining insight into your ability to set goals and achieve them. It’s a great chance for you to brag about yourself a little bit as well.

Bring up something that makes you stand out from other students, especially if it’s related to the scholarship you’re applying for! Whether it’s winning awards or competitions, being president of an organization, graduating at the top of your class, or anything else that enhances your application.

The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) Method provides a great structure for responding to this question: provide specific details about the situation, the task or challenges you faced, the actions you took, and the results you achieved.

Example: I noticed that my high school created a lot of food waste, so I helped implement a composting program that used students’ leftovers as fertilizer for the school garden. We faced a lot of pushback at first from the school board, as they weren’t familiar with the environmental benefits of composting. After speaking at three board meetings, I was given permission to start the program. Our cafeteria was recognized by the food services director who wanted to take this idea and implement it system-wide. My team and I were then given special permission to start a “Garden Club” where we could continue to grow fresh vegetables for our peers. Since then, five additional high schools have followed suit.

7. Describe your biggest mistake.

How you respond to this question informs interviewers about your ability to take responsibility for your actions and how you learn from your mistakes. Rather than trying to appear perfect, use this opportunity to show that you can own up to your errors, learn from them, and take steps to ensure you don’t repeat them. Here, again, the STAR Method provides an outline for composing a strong answer.

Example: In my sophomore year of high school, my brother and I switched schools. My brother has always been the outgoing one and never had trouble making friends, so I failed to recognize that he was actually going through a hard transition. I had gotten so busy with my new activities that I didn’t read too much into his increased moodiness and time spent alone in his room. It was only when we got into an argument that he revealed how lonely he’d been feeling. Now, I make it a point to be more sensitive to the feelings of my friends and family, and to try to check in more regularly. I actually now have a weekly scheduled hangout with my brother where we go on a random adventure and talk about life. Last week, we went geocaching!

8. Tell me about your leadership experience.

Interviewers use this question to gauge how you build and maintain relationships, how you work with others, and how you motivate them to get something done. Highlight a time when you had to lead a team or group and how you inspired them to achieve a goal. Remember stories are more memorable than statements, so paint a detailed picture and avoid generalizations.

Example: As one of the co-presidents for my high school’s Amnesty International club , I organized and supervised the organization of all meetings and events that we attend to raise awareness about social justice topics such as refugees or endangered species. When I first joined the group, it was relatively inactive and focused mostly on letter-writing campaigns. However, in the wake of George Floyd, I rallied the group to become more involved with the Black Lives Matter movement. We attended events and reached out to local politicians to call attention to racial inequality in our community. This experience has taught me how to effectively manage a team, rally a diverse group around an issue, and organize efforts to effect change.

Do you have enough leadership experience to get accepted to your top school? Calculate your chances for free now .

9. What is your favorite book and why?

This question is asking you to show your personality and interests. It aims to get a sense of who you are so they can determine if you would be a good fit for the scholarship. Share a book that you enjoy, are comfortable talking about, is substantive enough that you can explain its importance, and aligns with your interests and passions.

Avoid choosing a book that you think will impress your interviewer—it can come off as insincere.

Example: My favorite book is Finding You by Lydia Albano. The main character, Isla, is sold into slavery, and at first, she hopes that someone from her past will come to rescue her. She doesn’t think she can escape because she’s small and not very strong. But in the end, she actually winds up saving a bunch of other girls when she creates an escape plan for them. I like this book because I would also like to work to end human trafficking. Like Isla, sometimes I feel like I can’t do anything to help, but she gives me the courage to try.

10. What subject is your favorite in school?

This is another question where you want to show your personality more than just listing off random facts about yourself. You should choose a subject that relates to the scholarship and/or one you are passionate about. You can mention how this subject makes you excited, why it’s important for you to study it, etc. Your answer demonstrates your interest in learning and in taking your education further.

Example: My favorite subject is history because I find it interesting to study how people interacted with one another over time. It’s refreshing seeing different perspectives of different cultures and studying significant historical figures. I hope to one day become a lawyer, and I know that studying history will give me the perspective, research experience, and writing skills needed to succeed.

11. What is your dream job?

This question allows the interviewer to gain a better understanding of your goals and ambitions. The position doesn’t need to be overly specific but should reflect the skills and responsibilities you hope to use. It also should tie in with the scholarship.

Example: My dream job is to work in the media industry as a producer or editor. I am passionate about sharing people’s stories and would love to brainstorm ways that we could create more awareness through reporting. This career would allow me to use my creativity to positively influence others.

12. What is a meaningful experience or class you’ve had in school?

This is a more advanced version of the question asking you about your favorite subject. Its intent is to learn how coursework has shaped your interests and shown you new perspectives on certain topics.

Example: In my senior year of high school, I took a course on Media and Society. I specifically recall the final essay assignment where we had to compare two different media elements. Analyzing the portrayal of women in video game advertisements was my topic for this project. At first, I was really nervous about the topic; would I offend some friends within my gaming circle? I didn’t want to seem like an overly sensitive female gamer. But, doing the research provided me with a better understanding of how women are often objectified in advertising, and after talking to my friends, they ended up being really supportive of my project and we have since become more aware of the kinds of media we’re consuming.

13. Who do you look up to? Who is your role model?

The expectation of this question is to see which qualities you admire, what inspires you, and who has shaped your interests or helped you become who you are today. This could be a public figure, teacher, mentor, family member, friend—really anyone. Your answer should demonstrate your values and align with the values of the scholarship.

Example: I admire Amelia Earhart because she was a women’s rights activist and broke social barriers by being the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. She was able to pursue what she wanted despite harsh criticism, which helps me feel more empowered to follow my own dreams.

14. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

This is a question to learn about your future aspirations and goals. It’s also an opportunity to show the scholarship committee that you are ready for college and beyond. You want your answer to demonstrate that you have a plan moving forward; it doesn’t have to be super specific or set in stone, but you should have an idea of what you hope to achieve. You’ll also want to speak to how the scholarship fits into your future goals.

Example: In five years, I plan to have graduated college with a degree in economics and have landed a job in financial planning where I can put both my analytical and people skills to work. I’m passionate about helping people make informed financial decisions and meeting their personal goals and this scholarship will help me gain the education I need to pursue a career in the field.

15. How do you define failure?

This question is meant to see how you respond when faced with a challenge and gain insight into your problem-solving skills. It is important not to simply say that failure means giving up, as this will show that you lack initiative and drive. The best way to answer this question is by using personal experience, demonstrating what you learned from it and how you’ve used the lessons for self-improvement.

Example: I define failure as a missed opportunity. When I first began to play rugby during my freshman year of high school, I quickly realized that our team was not very strong. At times, it felt like we were bound to lose every game. But rather than letting this bring me down, I saw the season as a chance for me to try my hardest and become an impact player on the field. As the years went by, I continued to improve and our team grew closer together. Our losses began to transform into opportunities for growth, and by senior year, I was nominated captain. I had done everything in my power to make sure my teammates succeeded—even though it meant that on the scoreboard we would inevitably lose more than we won.

16. How do you manage stress?

This question seeks to determine how you deal with difficult situations. It’s common for students to respond that they like to focus on what is happening in the present moment, but this answer will show that you do not have a strategy for coping with stressors. A better way to answer would be by mentioning a specific skill or habit that you have developed over time. Make your answer memorable by citing a specific example of a stressful time and how you handled it.

Example: Last fall I was feeling particularly taxed—I was taking two AP courses, studying for the SAT, playing varsity soccer, and preparing to apply to college. I felt a lot of pressure to get everything done and it was overwhelming. I’m a very organized person, and when I have a lot of work to do, I break it down into manageable tasks. Seeing everything that needs to be done in one sitting can be exasperating for me, but if I give myself smaller goals to meet each day then it all becomes more manageable.

17. Tell me about a time you overcame adversity.

Interviewers ask this question for a variety of reasons, including learning about your problem-solving, creative thinking, and resourcefulness. It’s also a chance to gauge your resilience and determination. A strong answer highlights something that was difficult for you, the steps you took to meet the challenge, and how the experience would help you handle adversity you might face in the future. People remember details, so be specific.

Example: Many of my friends love playing sports and were busy much of the year with after-school practices. Unfortunately, I’m not particularly athletic. I tried out for the football team but failed to make it because I didn’t have enough experience. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I decided to join the swim team and began training with one of the best swimmers in school. She allowed me to shadow her until she felt that my technique was on par with the rest of her team. By the end of my sophomore year, I qualified for state-level tournaments!

18. What motivates you?

This question is usually asked to see what motivates you to do your best, but more importantly, provides you with a chance to show off the positive aspects of your personality. Your answers should focus on something that aligns with the scholarship—was there something that jumped off the screen/page when you read about it? Equally important to what you say is how you say it; make sure your answer is positive and enthusiastic.

Example: Curiosity is my main motivator. I love learning new things, and I am constantly trying to figure out how things work—I attended a JAVA camp last summer just to learn more about how video games are designed. This scholarship will allow me to further explore coding and help satiate my natural curiosity.

19. Tell me about a time when you didn’t agree with an authority’s decision.

This question aims to gain insight into how you think through tough situations and is a test of your maturity. The interviewer wants to know if you are able to provide constructive feedback and what your approach would be when taking a stand against an unpopular decision.

Example: I was extremely disappointed when the school board decided not to purchase new science textbooks for our school library. While it made sense to save money, I decided that I needed to write a letter about my concerns. By explaining how this would impact the students’ discovery of new ideas and knowledge, I was able to convince my classmates to join me in signing an online petition. Luckily, they agreed with my perspective and the school board changed their decision.

20. Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond on a task.

This question is meant to see your dedication, motivation, and work ethic. A good answer will highlight a specific attribute you want to call attention to and use an example of a time you went beyond what was required to convey that attribute. While it’s tempting to talk about a big accomplishment, it’s important the story also focuses on a time you did more than you needed to. As always, include a specific example!

Example: Over the past two years, I’ve worked in my hometown library. While I always make sure that each day’s work gets done in a timely manner, I also try to go the extra mile. If someone comes in looking for help with an assignment, if possible, I stay late with them until everything is complete. It’s super fulfilling. I even had one of the students I’ve helped come in to tell me she’d improved her math grade from a C to a B+!

21. How would you describe a good school environment?

This is a question that allows you to visualize your ideal environment, and what your priorities would be if you were in charge. It’s also a way for interviewers to learn about your personality and preferences. If an interviewer asks this question, it may mean that they are trying to figure out if you would fit into the scholarship’s culture.

Example: I think the most important thing about school is being able to personalize your learning. I’m looking for a place where I can learn the specifics of my field, but also have the freedom to pursue different ways of learning. For example, in my Spanish class, we were learning about language and identity, and we had to write a paper analyzing the specific works we studied at the end. I asked my teacher if I could instead write a personal paper about my experiences with language and identity while incorporating the works. This reflection was super meaningful to me as a Mexican-American student. I want to attend a school where this sort of academic freedom is the norm.

22. Tell me about a personal achievement that makes you proud.

This question is meant to see what makes you proud in life and how you define success. Answering this question provides an excellent opportunity to brag about a big accomplishment and spotlight scholarship-related qualities, like perseverance and problem-solving. Make sure to credit those who helped you along the way and share what you learned from the experience. Let the interviewer know that you’re setting the bar high, not just coasting along.

Example: During my senior year, I helped plan out our high school’s first mock trial event. The debate team had been around since my freshman year, but they never considered a mock trial until my graduating year. I wanted to make a good first impression on the debate team since I intended to become team captain. To show my commitment, I volunteered to be a co-lead coordinator for our team which meant I helped recruit participants, organized our plan of action, and was one of the main points of contact for our group before and during the mock trial. Thanks to the efforts of everyone, the competition turned out to be a huge success, and it helped our high school stand out as one of the top debate schools in the Midwest. After that, I was asked to become the captain of the debate team.

23. Describe your personality in three words.

The interviewer is looking for a glimpse of your personality, to understand how you view yourself, and to see if you’re a good fit for the scholarship. Make sure to concentrate on your unique talents and skills in your response and avoid jargon along with irrelevant and pretentious words.

Example: I would say that I am resourceful, creative, and proactive. I have a way of finding solutions to problems, even when the answer isn’t clear. I believe in tackling challenges head-on and am willing to think outside of the box for solutions.

24. How do you start a project?

This question is meant to determine your process for getting something done. The interviewer wants to know if you are organized or just jumping into things.

Example: I start by making a list of all the things that need to be done. Then, I research everything there is on this topic to make sure that the project is feasible. Once I am satisfied with my amount of knowledge, I make an outline for myself before I begin anything else.

25. How did you choose your major?

Interviewers use this question to learn about your passions and interests. When answering, try to align your major to the scholarship. Highlight the attributes of the major you’re excited about but steer clear of talking about money. For example, engineering might be a lucrative major, but talking about it isn’t likely to score you any points. As always, specific examples and stories are more compelling than generalizations.

Example: My father is a doctor and my mother is a nurse, but when they were young, they were both teachers. They taught me that education is the foundation for everything, so I’ve always taken school seriously, and I especially enjoyed my science classes. I initially didn’t want to go into healthcare because I didn’t want to just “follow in the footsteps” of my parents, but after shadowing a doctor for a day, I realized that the field was right for me since it combines education with helping others. I don’t want to be a doctor or nurse like my parents, but I hope to be a biomedical engineer to help build innovative technologies and be a lifelong learner.

Questions About The Opportunity

While scholarship interviews will largely be about you, it’s common for them to also ask about the opportunity itself. Take a proactive approach and prepare yourself to answer questions about the scholarship.

26. Why did you choose to apply for this scholarship?

This question is designed to gauge your interest in the scholarship and your fit with it. Share specifics of what excites you about the scholarship and how it aligns with your college and future goals. Keep your answer positive and focus on the best aspects of the scholarship.

Example: I chose to apply to the Davis-Putter Scholarship because I’ve always been passionate about political activism. Throughout high school, I was active in the fight for women’s rights, particularly reproductive rights. I organized an event at the state capital in support of women’s rights, coordinated a letter-writing campaign at my school to encourage our local elected officials, and created and distributed a list of candidates coming up for election and their stances on women’s rights issues. I’m excited to use this scholarship to learn more about the causes I’m passionate about, meet other organizers, and help make the world a fairer, more equitable place.

27. Why should you be the one to receive this scholarship?

It’s sometimes easier to reposition this question to what makes you unique. Scholarships can receive hundreds, even thousands, of applications—so what makes you stand out and more deserving than other applicants? This is your chance to make a case for yourself and show the interviewer why you’re the right person for the award; link it to your passions, tie it to your skills, and show the positive effect the funds will have.

Example: I am applying for this scholarship because I believe my work ethic and determination make me an excellent candidate. Last year, I helped organize the high school student council’s first blood drive in our county, which was a big success with a 100% participation rate and inspired me to do more community-focused work. This scholarship will help me acquire the education I need to pursue a career in public service.

28. How will you use the scholarship money?

This question is to make sure the scholarship will go to good use. The interviewer wants to know if you are serious about the scholarship application and will represent the scholarship sponsor in a positive light. Have a budget prepared and highlight how you’ll use the funds to further your education. If you don’t have a plan, it will be difficult for the scholarship to believe that this scholarship will be beneficial to either party.

Example: I would use this money toward my bachelor’s degree in sociology with a specialization in gerontology. Furthermore, I would use this opportunity to shadow a gerontologist and volunteer at a nursing home so that I could gain more insight into this field. Having this scholarship would allow me to worry less about finding a paid job to fund unpaid internships or shadowing opportunities and would allow me to focus more on my studies.

How you end an interview can have an enormous influence on your odds of winning an award. The goal is to leave your interviewer confident in your personality, skills, qualifications, and fit for the scholarship.

29. What questions do you have for me?

The interviewer is looking for you to display interest in the program by asking questions. Your response should be tailored to your particular interests and any concerns that you may have had throughout this interview. This is also a great chance to engage your interviewer with questions focused on their experience with the scholarship.

Examples: What was your favorite part of the scholarship program? What characteristics, goals, or accomplishments of the scholarship are you most proud of? What do students say is the best part of this program? What are the former scholarship recipients doing now, particularly those in the fields I’m interested in?

30. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

It is crucial to show the interviewer that you are serious about this program. This question gives you an opportunity to make any additional points or highlight anything that you may have not covered in your response beforehand. If you have something relevant to share that didn’t come up naturally in the interview, this is the time to mention it.

Example: I believe that I am an ideal candidate for this program because my educational background, passions, and future plans align with what this program has to offer. I am excited to be a part of this program and I look forward to hearing from you.

CollegeVine provides a quarterly, no-essay scholarship of $2,000. To sign up, all you have to do is create a free account, which allows you to see your chances of acceptance at 1,600+ schools, get your essays reviewed by a peer, ask questions in our community forum, and more. If you already have an account, just make sure your chancing profile is filled out.

Awards are paid out directly to students to help them cover any educational costs. Learn more about the CollegeVine scholarships .

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