Perspectives

Scholarship Success: Who are you?

Editor’s Note: In this special bi-weekly column for "Milwaukee Community Journal" readers, Kim Steazala, a consultant to education and nonprofit organizations, will share the inside scoop on how to approach the scholarship process like a professional. Future installments of this column will run on our Youth/Education page.

Money. Parents always ask me about money first. Their sons and daughters look bewildered as we discuss grants, loans and scholarships to pay for college.

Early in the conversation I will turn to the students and ask what kind of grades they earned on their last report cards.

You see, I can’t share scholarship advice if I don’t know who is standing in front of me and what they have accomplished.

If you have at least a 2.5 grade point average, and are involved in the community, you will qualify for some scholarships. Scholarship committees, however, want specifics.

What did you do beyond academics? Did you volunteer at your church? Join a youth program?

Lead a student organization? Work part-time? It all matters to a scholarship committee.

We want to know who you are and how well you match our dreams and hopes for a scholarship winner.

To win scholarships you must focus on building your profile. Depending on your grade level, you might be scrambling to put together a solid profile or you may have enough time to fill in any gaps.

Maybe you’ve done your job and you are ready to present your spectacular self.

What kind of profile am I talking about? Your profile is a document that answers one overall question: "Who are you?"

Your answer needs to be clear and consistent. If you write down specific information you will have a tool that you can use while applying for scholarships.

You won’t struggle to remember activities, grades, memberships, etc. and you can pull information from this document to use on your scholarship applications or essays.

Write down "Who am I?" on a piece of paper or in a computer document. Make three sections and label them "past," "present" and "future."

In the "past" section list everything about your family that makes you unique. Write down your race and ethnicity, where you grew up, where your parents worked, your awards, memberships or special achievements.

For example, if your mother has worked at the post office for ten years, write that down.

Were you a member of the Boys and Girls Club? Write that down. All of those experiences or affiliations can possibly connect you to a scholarship.

In the "present" section write down what you are doing now to make yourself appealing to a scholarship committee. Include academic and non-academic characteristics. Write down your proudest moment this year. Write down your biggest struggle and how you handled it. What is happening in your life now?

Did you take the ACT or SAT tests? If so, what was your score?

These scores are often considered on applications. Are you on the prom committee, National Honor Society or chess club?

Are you involved in local groups such as YMCA or Urban Underground?

Do you work a part-time job? How you spend your extra time is important to scholarship committees.

I am not suggesting that you load up on activities to look good--I am suggesting you join a few meaningful activities and excel at them.

If you don’t have much to write in this section, that is a signal you are not likely to have information for a scholarship application. You should look for new opportunities to join groups that interest you or create your own.

What do you want for your future? In the "future" section of your paper, write down what you told other people you wanted to do with your life.

Now write down your secret dreams for yourself. Write down the steps you need to take to achieve them--dreams don’t happen without a plan.

If you don’t know the steps to go to college, visit the website www.knowhow2go.org.

Go back and look at your past and present and see if you have built a profile that will contribute to your future.

You cannot control your distant past, but you can control your present and your future. If I am reading a scholarship application and I see that someone, despite difficult circumstances, has invested in their education, their family, their neighborhood, I am impressed. As a scholarship judge, I want to invest in them since they are likely to succeed.

Once you have completed your list of the past, present and future, it will be easier to look for scholarships because you have all of the information in one place.

To begin your scholarship search, visit the local website www.compassguide.org where you can find scholarships based on your grades, ethnicity, interests and more.

Keep your profile with you as you apply for scholarships because it will save you time and remind you of your past, present and future.

Kim Stezala is a consultant to education and nonprofit organizations. She is writing a book on how to win scholarship money. If you would like to receive free bi-weekly scholarship tips via email, send a message to kim@hardcoverhopes.com. Put "scholarship tips" in the subject line.