TIPS ON GETTING A SCHOLARSHIP and basically standing out in ANY competition!!! (Pt. 2)

....(continued) Tips I got from different books

1) When we were taught to color inside the lines, our artwork may have been neater, but it was at the expense of creativity

2) The best time-tested method to develop creative ideas that lead to a great topic is through brainstorming. By thinking WITHOUT restrictions, creativity flourishes. Write down ideas for topics whenever they pop into your head.

3) Also, set aside some time for a dedicated brainstorm session where you FORCE yourself to generate new ideas.

4) When brainstorming topics, don't be critical of the ideas you write down. Also, ask your parents and friends for suggestions.

5) If you get stuck and think the topic may not work then set it aside and TRY ANOTHER. We have found that the most students will try and then abandon 2 or 3 ideas for every good one they find. That means that you need a long list of ideas and must be willing to cut your losses and ditch a topic that doesn't pan out.

6) At some point you can't escape the need to START WRITING. The best way to begin is the same as removing a bandage - JUST DO IT, and do it QUICKLY. =)

7) Be SPECIFIC. Write about the exact moment in detail. Focusing on a specific example of your life will help readers relate relate to your experiences and ensure that your essay is memorable and original.

8) Some of the essays written about serious issues like drug abuse or nuclear proliferation have also found ways to incorporate information about the author.

9) Have a thesis. Ask yourself, "what is the point of my essayin a single sentence."

10) Some students approach the essay like a research paper, cramming it with statistics and survey results. You might think the the facts and figures WOW the judges, but they don't make a good essay alone.

11) If you find yourself writing a clique, STOP, and rewrite the idea in your own words. They're boring, lazy, and unoriginal.

12) If your main point is this: "I deserve the money because of the suffering I've been through", you have a problem. Scholarship commitees are not as interested in problems as they are in solutions. What have you accomplished despite these hardships? Remember that EVERY applicant has faced difficulties. What's different and individual to you is how you have overcome those difficulties.

13) Show POSITIVE energy! =D Especially since you have your entire future ahead of you (InshaAllah). Scholarship judges want to feel your enthusiasm. They love to meet positive and enthusiastic young adults who do not have the cynicism or closed minds of adults.

14) Behind every good writer is an even better editor. It could be anybody who can read.

15) Great novels, like great essays, have two things in common - a gripping intro and a conclusion that leaves the reader with something to think about.

16) Create ACTION or MOVEMENT. Use an example or short story. Have you noticed how most movies begin with a striking scene that quickly draws you in? Do the same with your intro.

17) Ask a question. They make readers think about the answers.

18) Use descriptions. You can create a vivid image, readers will WANT to read. Just do so succinctly, since you don't want the intro to be filled with detail that does not move the plot forward.

(More tips to come about interview skills! =D)