by: Dale Clifton
evaluation of thousands of scholarship applications has definitely left an impression in me. I still remember some of them, because students who submitted them managed to get in my head in a personal way.
Many books and articles will tell you that "personalization" is good, but they do not tell you how to accomplish that. I saw a photo attached to an app showing the senior student shaking hands with President of the United States. Others included an audio tape that revealed his talent to play the violin in a band in the country. A girl had her photograph taken with a well-known professional golfer after she had won a state tournament. A boy included a picture of his trophies were discussing. Others had won a fishing tournament two days and had held the trophy in a picture to prove it. Others had built his own computer. However, others had patented his own invention, a device for counting inventory units. In each case the articles were part of the requirements for granting the scholarship, not just thrown in for effect. These are great examples of "personalizing" a use of the grant, but need not be that sensitive.
There were also attempts to have received either no personalization, a picture of a girl in a very tiny bikini. The belt of the word comes to mind. Other films honored included with a request to return when the sentence above. We had to send back at our own expense! Another application had a homework assignment of algebra in, oops. We sent that back, too. His brothers probably blamed for its demise. One application had a Santa Claus hat inside. Came from Alaska. I'm still trying to figure that one out.
Why is personalization so important? Imagine you are on the committee, gathering around a table with 247 forms of scholarship. Is the committee? s job to pick a winner. All apps appear identical. Do all things being equal, one will be chosen? Does he? s impossible to say. But, let? s is one customized to your request and made you stand out positively from the rest. Now someone has taken the time to be bold, inventive and creative. Have allowed for the scholarship committee to know more about who they are. They are more than just a piece of paper with a name on it. They have revealed intimate sides to their personalities. Who will win now? The choice is obvious. Customize
not dramatize. Use good sense and common sense when personalizing. Trying to figure out who is composing the committee people. So send in your request knowing that, out of all who sent in their forms, are the one who wins. You're the person who deserves the money.
Planning produces positive outcomes when the scholarship effort is truly a family affair.
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