No matter what you do, do not make it a sob story!
Now more than ever, scholarships are asking students to write about their current personal challenges. It might be tempting to talk about how the coronavirus pandemic has been challenging academically, emotionally, and socially… However, chances are there are countless other students writing that as well.
When you are applying to scholarships, you want to stand out. Imagine you are part of the committee reading all these essays. Wouldn’t you get bored of reading similar papers over and over? Unless the scholarship is specifically asking for your challenges during COVID-19, try to write about something else.
Regardless, when writing about hardships, you do not want to spend too much time discussing the negatives. Scholarship committees want to hear how you are taking steps to overcome these obstacles in your life. How are you showing determination through these trying times? Are you still able to maintain your academics and find ways to serve your community? Talk about the silver linings and what you have learned so far through your experiences.
