How to Write Scholarship and Grant Essays

So, you are a young aspiring filmmaker and you want to go to film school. Or, you have an idea for a film and you need money for a grant to make it happen. Either way, you will have to write an essay as part of an application. If writing does not fill you with confidence, don't be discouraged. In both cases, you will either be writing about yourself or your labor of love which should inspire you. Moreover, this article will provide some pointers.

Let's discuss scholarship essays first. In writing a scholarship essay, remember to understand the aim of the piece and what is driving the applicator. This way, you can fit your essay to the needs of the institution. Research the institution if necessary by calling and asking to speak to a financial aid person. Determine from them or from their catalog, how they award their monies. Then, tailor your writing to their guidelines. You may want to compare your personal characteristics to the individual who sponsors the scholarship. Use present tense and be positive. Use "active" verbs rather than passive ones, i.e., those that derive from the "to be" verb such as "is".

Don't worry about bad grades. Compensate by describing some other type of achievement or success, perhaps overcoming a dysfunctional family to achieve success in filmmaking.

Build upon your essay's intentions to cultivate a theme. If one does not immediately come to mind, re-examine its goals (i.e. to demonstrate how you overcame a dysfunctional family to create a film) keeping in mind the institution's mission. The theme in this case, may be a new found appreciation for art.

The next step in the writing process is outlining your response. This procedure organizes your ideas and lays out what you want to say in a logical order. The outline enables you to move around your ideas in order to achieve dramatic results.