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Although each scholarship, fellowship, grant and award has its own specific application requirements, the general process is much the same for all.
One rule holds true for every step in the process: START EARLY!
It is never too early to begin considering the role nationally-competitive scholarships may play in your future. The earlier in your academic career you begin considering the possibility of competing, the sooner you can begin taking advantage of opportunities that will make you a more competitive candidate. Members of the National Scholarship Team are delighted to meet with first-year students to discuss how they can begin preparing themselves to compete for major awards.
Step One: Find the Scholarship Program that Fits You.
Explore the “Scholarship Profiles” on this web site and consult with a member of the National Scholarship Team to determine which scholarships are a good fit for you. Consider both your past experiences (do you have the credentials they require? or will you, by the time you plan to apply?) and your future goals (do you really aspire to participate in the kind of project the award will fund?)
Step Two: Meet with the Resident Faculty Advisor
Once you have identified a scholarship, meet with the resident faculty advisor for that program. See “National Scholarship Team” or “Scholarship Profiles” for a listing of advisors. If you plan to apply for a nationally-competitive scholarship for which there is no designated faculty advisor on campus, please contact Jody Roy, Assistant Dean of Faculty, who will arrange an advisor for you.
At this stage, the faculty advisor will help you obtain copies of the formal application documents. Together, you will create a plan for your application process, complete with interim deadlines. The advisor also will notify the National Scholarship Team of your intentions and insure that a variety of campus resources are available to support your efforts.
Step Three: Gathering and Preparing Materials
Depending on the scholarship, you may need to submit any or all of the following:
Step Four: Submitting Materials
Deadlines are absolute in the world of nationally-competitive scholarships. There are no extensions and no exceptions. Be certain you know the deadline and its details. Specifically, if your application is to be submitted in hard-copy, must it be post-marked by a particular date or received by that date? With so much at stake, if you are dealing with a “received by” deadline, it is wise to ship your materials early via certified mail.
Each year, more and more scholarship programs are moving to electronic applications, which can pose unique challenges in terms of deadlines. Allow yourself plenty of lead time just in case, for example, an up-load fails to load because of systems incompatibilities. Do not assume your electronic application has been received, or is complete, until you receive formal confirmation from the scholarship program.
Step Five: Interviewing
The most competitive scholarship programs require face-to-face interviews. If you are a candidate for one of those scholarships, the National Scholarship Team will help you prepare. Also, take advantage of National Scholarship Program events designed to groom you for just such interviews, like the annual Board of Trustees Reception.
Step Six: Notification
You will be notified by telephone and/or in writing of the scholarship committee’s decision on your application. If you receive the award, meet with the resident faculty advisor as soon as possible to discuss your next steps. Be forewarned: for some nationally-competitive scholarships, the application process pales in comparison to the paperwork and planning you must do after you win! Depending on the program, you may need to arrange travel visas, register for coursework at a graduate school, or actually begin work on the research or community-service project you proposed in your application. The resident faculty advisor will help you map out a plan for success.
If you are notified that you did not win the scholarship for which you applied, do not dispair! Meet with the faculty advisor to discuss how you might use the experience (and even some of the materials you prepared) to apply for a different scholarship or grant.
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