STRATEGIES

UCLA

Scholarship Resource Center

STRATEGIES

WINTER 2012 VOL. 17 NO. 2

IN THIS ISSUE:

The 7 Habits of Highly

Effective Applicants

page 1

Choosing a Theme for

Your Personal Statement

page 2

Scholarship Myth Busters

page 3

Interview with Scholarship

Winner Angela Sanchez

page 4

Tips for Winning

page 5

Double Tasking: Time &

Energy Saving Ways to

Fit Scholarships into

Your Schedule

page 6

Acrostic

page 7

Workshop Schedule

page 8

WELCOME BACK!

abit 1: Be Proactive.

No matter who you are and no

matter what your background,

there are scholarships

out there waiting for

you to win them. The

trick is taking the initia-

tive to find those schol-

arships. The most ef-

fective students we en-

counter at the Scholar-

ship Resource Center

frequently use our li-

brary of scholarship

books to search for new

scholarship listings.

Habit 2: Stick to

a Schedule.

The most successful

scholarship applicants treat the process

like a class or a research project: they set

particular days and times each week to

work on scholarships, whether searching

for new ones or polishing an existing ap-

plication. Even if that means only 1-2

hours per week, sticking to a scholarship

schedule keeps you on top of deadlines

and ensures a higher quality for your ap-

plication than a last-minute binge strategy

would.

Habit 3: Get Organized.

Keep a list of the scholarships that most

interest you, whether as an Excel docu-

ment or on a piece of

paper. Be sure to re-

cord the key informa-

tion about each one—

the deadline and the

requirements (essay,

letter of recommenda-

tion, transcript, etc.).

Keep your scholarship

materials, especially

your essays, together

with that list, so that

you will have them

when needed.

Habit 4: Know

Your Teachers.

When the time comes to request a letter

of recommendation for a scholarship, the

most effective applicants do not need to

squirm about whether or not they should

ask their TA or professor to write one, be-

cause they have already established rela-

tionships with TAs and professors by occa-

sionally attending office hours to ask

questions or advice (no need to stalk).

They also give their recommenders plenty

of time in advance of the deadline since

they know how busy those TAs and pro-

fessors are.

(continued on page 7)

The Seven Habits of

Highly Effective Scholarship Applicants

By Malcolm Harris

SRC Staff

ave you ever found yourself struggling with

writer‟s block while trying to compose your per-

sonal statement for a scholarship application

essay? If you‟re having trouble figuring out what

to write about, you may want to think more about how to

present yourself to the selection committee for each scholar-

ship you are applying for.

The scholarship personal statement should

not merely list your activities, interests,

and accomplishments (that‟s what your

résumé is for!). Rather, the personal state-

ment should give scholarship committees a

sense of who you are, what you‟ve done,

and what you hope to do. Because you

will not be able to discuss every activity

you‟ve ever participated in and every goal

you‟ve achieved or set for yourself, it pays

to be strategic about the activities, accom-

plishments, and goals that you do share in

your essay.

The strongest personal statements often

employ one or two themes that provide a

focus for the essay (as well as for the other

components of the scholarship applica-

tion). These themes also emphasize the

subject area(s) that determine a student‟s scholarship eligi-

bility, and demonstrate some of the personal qualities that

scholarship committees wish to see in their applicants.

Consider one of the following options when developing a

theme for your personal statement, or visit the UCLA Schol-

arship Resource Center to discuss additional essay themes

with a counselor. Keep in mind that these themes are merely

suggestions. You should feel free to combine or modify

them, or even create your own!

Sample Theme #1: The Creative Talent

Are you exceptionally skilled in a creative discipline such as

the visual arts, music, dance, drama, creative writing, or pho-

tography? Have you spent a lot of time practicing your art

and honing your skills? If so, you may wish to consider this

essay topic, as it could help you demonstrate your hard

work, focus, and determination to scholarship committee

members. Remember: Committee members also value well-

roundedness in their applicants, so you shouldn‟t appear one-

dimensional in your essay. You could consider demonstrate

ing your proficiency in several creative disciplines, or bal-

ance your creative work with other kinds of activities. You

may also want to consider explaining how the character traits

that made you successful in your creative discipline will help

you with other life or career goals.

Sample Theme #2: The Entrepreneur

Have you started your own business? Do you constantly

have great ideas for products, services, or other entrepreneu-

rial projects? Might you even have a patent pending? If so,

you might be a budding entrepreneur,

and a scholarship essay focused on this

theme could help to demonstrate your

self-initiative, creativity, versatility,

and business acumen (particularly if

you ran a successful business while you

were still a student!). Remember: You

don‟t want to come across as greedy or

as someone who is out to make a quick

profit (or that you view the acquisition

of scholarships in this light). You

should also make it clear that your

business ventures have not interfered

with your education. Ideally, you

should be able to tie your past or cur-

rent business ventures to future life or

career goals.

Sample Theme #3: The Survivor

If you have overcome significant obstacles in your life

(including, but not limited to, economic hardships, family

problems, medical conditions, or other kinds of personal is-

sues), and you feel comfortable discussing how overcoming

those obstacles has shaped the person you are today, this

essay theme might be for you. Remember: Merely describing

a difficult situation you‟ve been in isn‟t enough. Committee

members will want to know how you responded to your

situation. In addition, if the obstacles you have overcome

have influenced your life or career goals in any way, you

should make that clear in your essay, too.

Remember to attend one of the SRC‟s Winter Quarter work-

shops on How to Write Personal Statements (see schedule on

the back page of this newsletter), as well as to make an ap-

pointment for a writing consultation with an SRC counselor!

Themes in this article were adapted from Ben Kaplan’s How to

Go to College Almost for Free (Harper Collins, 2002).

CHOOSING A THEME

FOR YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT

PAGE 2 STRATEGIES WINTER 2012

By Elizabeth Raisanen

SRC Staff

PAGE 3 STRATEGIES WINTER 2012

Join our fan page on Facebook/uclasrc to get alerts

on upcoming scholarships!

Also, follow us on Twitter @UCLASRC

Myth #1: “I don’t qualify for scholarships be-

cause I’m a non-traditional student.”

Fact: Being a non-traditional student (typically age 25

or above) should not discourage you from searching for

scholarships. For one, undergraduate scholarships typi-

cally do not have age limits; and two, there are many

scholarship organizations and resources that are tailored

just for this group! Here is a short list of such scholar-

ship opportunities:

Adult Students in Scholastic Transition Scholar-

ship (ASIST)—13 scholarships ranging from $2k

to $10k

http://www.executivewomen.org/

scriptcontent/aboutus/scholarship.cfm

Kazimour Scholarship—two scholarships avail-

able at $500 annually, awarded by Association

of Nontraditional Students in Higher Education

(ANTSHE)

http://antshe.org/kazimour.htm

Jeannette Rankin Foundation—grants for women

over age 35

http://www.rankingfoundation.org

UCLA Bernard Osher Re-entry Scholarship for

students ages 25-50 $5,000 for two years

http://www.scholarshipcenter.ucla.edu/

DUE/Transfer.html

Myth #2: “I don’t apply for scholarships be-

cause doing so takes too much time and effort.”

Fact: While it is true that winning scholarship materi-

als cannot be created overnight and genuine effort is

needed on your part, the scholarship application process

is wholly manageable and less time-consuming than you

think. It‟s all about steering clear of the need to re-invent

the wheel and building instead on what you already

have. Once you invest the necessary time and energy

into submitting a strong scholarship application, you can

then recall, reuse, and revise the material from this docu-

ment for other scholarships you apply to in the future. In

short, the more you apply, the easier it gets! And here‟s a

fun statistic: If you have two completed scholarship ap-

plications, you are 60% on your way to completing ten

more!

Myth #3: “Scholarships are for those students

with a long list of extracurricular activities.”

Fact: When it comes to scholarships, quality outweighs

quantity. What scholarship committees look for is not so

much the WHAT (a laundry list of extracurricular work

or services), but the HOW (the significance that the ex-

tracurricular work has for you and what that says about

your character, interest, or passion). Do not let the lack

of extensive volunteer, leadership, or other social activi-

ties get in the way of applying for scholarships. It‟s

likely that you already have an extracurricular back-

ground or experiences that set you apart from the schol-

arship application pool and don‟t realize it. Come by the

SRC, and we can brainstorm together to mine your ex-

tracurricular gold!

By Hannah Nahm

SRC Staff

S CH OL AR SH IP M YT H BU ST ER S

Sources: Ben Kaplan‟s How to Go to College Almost for Free; www.fastweb.com/college-scholarships /articles/49-five-scholarship-myths

What is your major? What is your year in school?

History major, English and Education minors. I’m a

third-year.

What scholarship(s) did you win?

For my third year, I continue to rely on scholarships I

earned in my freshman year: the Alumni Scholars

Club Scholarship and the Americana Spirit of Ameri-

can Youth Scholarship. I’ve also reapplied annually

to the AAP Scholarship, College Honors Scholarship,

Financial Aid Office Scholarship (open for multiple

scholarships), and Hispanic Scholar-

ship Fund Scholarship.

What motivated you to apply for the

scholarship(s)?

Financial difficulty at home and there-

fore no ability to make a substantial

contribution to my academic fees.

Also, a strong desire to graduate with

minimal loans.

When did you begin to prepare for

the scholarship process?

Initially, at the same time I applied for

college in my senior year of high

school. The scholarships I earned

then continued to help me out at UCLA .Thereafter, I

learned of other scholarships through on-campus

programs I was already involved with (AAP and Hon-

ors Collegium). When I learned of the SRC in Janu-

ary of my freshman year, I quickly encompassed that

in my itinerary of doors to knock on for scholarship

leads.

How much time would you estimate that you spent

looking for scholarships?

Looking for scholarships: About less than 5 hours a

quarter. Actually working on the scholarship process:

No less than 10 hours a quarter. Essay writing and

modification were the most time-consuming.

What were the most difficult and easiest aspects of

applying for scholarships?

The most difficult aspect is the essay writing. The

easiest is hitting “send” or stapling the application

and handing it in. The overall “leg-work” of the proc-

ess (running around and getting transcripts, enroll-

ment verification, etc.) falls somewhere in the middle.

The most enjoyable part is the follow-up with the do-

nor.

How did you prepare your recommenders to write

letters on your behalf?

I went to office hours! I also participated in class. I

was no stranger to the professors or counselors I

approached for letters of recommendation. When I

asked them for letters of recommendation, they had

no qualms about saying yes and I provided them with

my résumé and a list with descriptions

of my on-going activities. I always

made an effort to give my correspon-

dents 2-3 weeks’ advance notice; how-

ever, on the off-occasion when I found

a scholarship only one week before

the deadline, they knew me well

enough to still agree to write a letter.

What role did the SRC have on you

finding out about and/or winning this

scholarship?

Walking into the SRC, the first thing

that hits anyone is the order. Binders

row the shelves providing a wealth of

information on scholarships tailored to

students. The SRC is a fantastic resource in not only

finding scholarships but also having a kind and pa-

tient staff. It was always easy to schedule an ap-

pointment and reschedule when necessary. The

SRC staff, especially Valerie Shepard and Francesca

Marx, were instrumental in reviewing and proof-

reading my essays. I have no doubt that because of

their attention my success has been possible.

What benefits do you anticipate from winning?

Scholarships aren’t just financial-aid, they’re connec-

tions. I still keep in touch with my previous donors

and those who have tipped me off to scholarship

sources in the first place. When you apply for a

scholarship, it’s not about seeing dollar signs but

seeing the people who provide the support. There

are valuable opportunities for internships, mentor-

relationships, and general networking with truly con-

siderate people.

(continued on page 5)

INTERVIEW WITH SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

ANGELA SANCHEZ

PAGE 4 STRATEGIES WINTER 2012

By Francesca Marx

SRC Staff

PAGE 5 STRATEGIES WINTER 2012

Don’t forget to file your FAFSA

by March 2nd! For information

and the online application, go to

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Angela’s Tips for Winning College Cash:

√ Apply for as many scholarships as you can.

√ Fight the self-defeating mentality of ―why try‖ because you have nothing to lose and much

to gain.

√ Stay organized! Keep a record of all the scholarships that are due by month and try to sub-

mit applications a couple of days before they are due.

√ Although there’s a myth that only the financially needy receive scholarships, the reality is

that it’s the diligent students who earn scholarships.

√ Attend office hours and participate in class.

√ Give your recommenders at least 2-3 weeks advance notice before a letter is due.

√ Consider scholarships not just as financial aid but as connections, and keep in touch with

your donors.

What advice do you have for other UCLA students who apply for scholarships?

There’s this myth that only minorities or the financially needy receive scholarships. The reality is that

the diligent earn scholarships. A great deal of personal effort goes into the scholarship process, not

just in terms of essay writing, but in personal grooming throughout the school year (i.e. meeting pro-

fessors, community service, grade maintenance). That first step to earning a scholarship, taking the

initiative to at least put one’s effort forward, is entirely in the hands of the applicant. There’s also the

self-defeating mentality of “why try?” if the student hasn’t previously won any scholarships. Why try?

What is there to lose? You don’t know until you try.

Also, it’s important to remember that applying for scholarships isn’t a singular event that mounts into

one mad scramble a year. It’s a culmination of the year’s efforts – maintaining a strong GPA, partici-

pating in community service, getting involved – that goes into one mad scramble at key times of the

year.

The SRC would like to thank Angela for sharing her story. Congratulations, Angela!

COME JOIN OUR SPECIAL EVENT SPONSORED BY ORL ON TUESDAY

JANUARY 17th, 7 PM @ NORTHWEST CAMPUS AUDITORIUM!

Double-Tasking: Time and Energy– Saving

Ways to Fit Scholarship Applications into Your Schedule

PAGE 6 STRATEGIES WINTER 2012

here's a lot to think about as a college student: you

have classes to attend, papers to write, labs and

problem sets to finish, clubs to participate in, intern-

ships or jobs to work, and sometimes you even have to

think about preparing for post-graduate study (like med

school, law school, or graduate school) while you are

still a full time undergraduate student. How are you

going to find time to apply for

scholarships in the midst of all of

that? One thing that we recommend

is “double-tasking”-- or working on

projects and activities that can help

you work toward at least two goals

at once. Here are a few ideas about

how to get started.

Revisit Your UC Application: This

tip is especially for students in their

first year at UCLA. If you are a

freshmen or a junior transfer, you

probably have a recent personal

statement at your fingertips already

because you were required to submit

one along with your UC application.

You can also make this essay work as part of your

scholarship portfolio. Take it out, dust it off, and think

about ways that you can update it now that you've been

in school for a quarter or two. Chances are that you

have a lot of work done on a very good scholarship es-

say already.

Work on Standardized Personal Statements and

Statements of Purpose: If there are any lulls in your

academic schedule (early in the quarter or just after

midterms, for instance), you might want to use these

times to work on a standard personal statement and a

statement of purpose. These are the two most common

types of essays that scholarship applications require.

While it's not always possible to use the exact same es-

say for multiple scholarship applications, if you spend

time when you can developing a few strong core sam-

ples of writing, you can quickly and easily modify your

essays and keep submitting applications even when it's

crunch time. And remember, the SRC gives helpful

workshops each quarter on writing personal statements!

Make Course Assignments Work Double-Time:

Many scholarships and awards out there are project-

based or essay-based-- and sometimes you can use as-

signments that you've completed for your UCLA

courses as the basis for your applications. Many depart-

ments on campus offer scholarships for academic work

completed in the course of the school year: the English

department, for example, offers

an award for the best essay writ-

ten by a student in the 10-series.

If you are asked to develop your

own topic or project for a class,

you might also use this as an

opportunity to add to your schol-

arship application portfolio. The

ASAE (American Society of

Agricultural Engineers,

asae.org) runs a contest with

monetary prizes every year for

the best submissions of engi-

neering projects that are related

to agriculture-- you might be

able to work on a project for an

Engineering class that would

satisfy requirements for both the course and the contest.

UCLA Campus Programs: There are lots of programs

on campus that allow you to do two things at once, so to

speak. Interested in getting involved in the community,

but don't have the time to fit extra-curricular service

into your academic schedule? Check out the Center for

Community Learning (www.ugeducation.ucla.edu/

communitylearning/), an office on campus that can help

you get academic units for internships and volunteer

work. The Undergraduate Research Centers (there's

one for Humanities and Social Sciences and another for

Life and Physical Sciences, http://

www.ugeducation.ucla.edu/ugresearch/) also offer great

opportunities. If you are accepted into one of their pro-

grams, you get the chance to work with a professor on a

project or in a lab, and you get some funding, too!

These are also great ways to make connections with

potential future letter-writers and to gain experience in a

field that you could pursue in post-graduate study or in

your post-grad professional life.

By Katherine Webster

SRC Staff

Have you won a scholarship

with the help of the SRC? If

so, we’d love to hear from

you! Send us an email at

[email protected]u or give

us a call at 310.206.2875.

PAGE 7 STRATEGIES WINTER 2012

(7 Habits continued from page 1)

Habit 5: Read Applications Carefully.

Most scholarship applications yield important insights

into the kind of student the scholarship organizations

want to award, if you read them carefully. Some will

even describe the basis on which they will evaluate

your essay(s). It is also a great idea to go beyond

the application and do some research on the people

and/or organization offering the scholarship. What

are their backgrounds and interests? What is their

mission? They are probably looking to award a stu-

dent who complements these.

Habit 6: Seek Help.

Highly effective scholarship applicants are not islands

unto themselves. They ask other people to read and

critique their scholarship essays. At UCLA, they espe-

cially take advantage of the writing support on schol-

arship essays offered by the Scholarship Resource

Center, and make appointments with staff members

to help brainstorm for their essays and review drafts.

Habit 7: Keep Tinkering.

You can always improve your application and your

profile. While it is a good idea to recycle scholarship

essays to cut down on your workload, keep looking

for improvements you can make to those old essays.

If your community service record seems too minimal

to apply for many scholarships, consider joining a

community service– oriented student group that ap-

peals to you.

Search the scholarship databases listed under the

„Scholarship Search‟ tab on our website

(www.scholarshipcenter.ucla.edu).

Counseling about scholarship strategies is available in

our office anytime we are open (M-F 11-6). Our staff of

scholarship experts is friendly and always eager to help.

Half-hour appointments are offered for one-on-one help

with planning your applications to specific scholarships

and for editing your scholarship essays.

Our website offers a list of UCLA scholarships with a

wide array of links to important resources and information

about scholarships, financial aid and internet tools.

Library resources for scholarships are just as important

as internet resources, and our office contains an updated

library of quality scholarship books.

Announcements of specific scholarships go out frequently

to every student who signs up for the SRC Group under

the „Groups‟ tab of my.ucla.edu.

Read scholarship criteria carefully so that you under-

stand the eligibility requirements and don‟t waste time

applying for scholarships for which you don‟t qualify.

Security from scholarship fraud requires careful attention

to the details of what a particular scholarship requires—if

you are ever uncertain or uncomfortable about a sketchy

scholarship offer, come see our staff for advice.

Handwritten applications look unprofessional—if you

apply for a scholarship that does not allow an online appli-

cation, make an appointment to use our typewriter.

Indices in our scholarship books organize the scholarships

into many different categories that help make your schol-

arship search far more efficient.

Proofreading services are available for the final drafts of

your scholarship applications—be sure to give our staff at

least 24 hours before the deadline!

Scholarship bulletin board listings can be found in the

hallway outside our office—listings are organized by aca-

demic division, date, and other categories.

Take advantage of these FREE

resources and more!

Wide-Ranging Library

Workshops Every Quarter

Extensive Scholarship Website

One-on-one Counseling

Writing Assistance

Even a Typewriter!

233 Covel Commons

(310) 206-2875

Open Monday to Friday

11 am—6 pm

src@college.ucla.edu

www.scholarshipcenter.ucla.edu

UCLASRC

Scholarship Resource Center

It’s all waiting for you at the

guiding UCLA students through

the scholarship process

Join our fanpage

on Facebook to get

alerts on upcoming

scholarships!

PAGE 8 STRATEGIES WINTER 2012

Scholarship Resource Center

Winter 2012 Workshop Schedule

All workshops are held in Covel 229 and include a

personalized follow-up counseling session.

Secrets to Winning College Cash

TUES Jan 10 5-5:30 PM

THUR Jan 19 5-5:30 PM

MON Jan 30 5:30-6 PM

WED Feb 15 5-5:30 PM

THUR Feb 23 5:30-6 PM

THUR March 1 5-5:30 PM

How to Win Scholarships

WED Jan 11 5-5:30 PM

FRI Feb 10 5-5:30 PM

How to Find Scholarships

THUR Jan 12 5-5:30 PM

THUR Feb 16 5:30-6 PM

How to Write Personal Statements

FRI Jan 20 5-6 PM

WED Feb 8 5-6 PM

How to Get Letters of Recommendation

FRI Jan 27 5-5:30 PM

TUES Feb 21 5-5:30 PM

SCHOLARSHIP EVENT WITH ORL

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan 17, 7:00 pm

WHERE: Northwest Campus Auditorium

WHAT: Secrets for Winning College Cash

& How to Win Scholarships

* bring your laptop!