4 answers
Lainey
Student
Dallas, Georgia
1
Question
Updated
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How to get a scholarship for writing?
what is the best major in college to take? Which classes should I take in high school to get a good scholarship for a writing school and why? How would I go from applying?
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4 answers
Houcine Lakhchach
Career Development Specialist | U.S Department exchange Alumnus | EFL/ESL trainer | Program manager
139
Answers
Kenitra, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Morocco
Updated
Houcine’s Answer
Hi Lainey,
To embark on a path toward securing a writing scholarship, focus on building a strong foundation in high school. Enroll in advanced English and literature classes to enhance your writing skills, and actively engage in extracurricular activities such as writing clubs or competitions to showcase your passion. Develop a diverse writing portfolio that demonstrates your versatility and creativity. Consider participating in literary magazines or contributing to local publications to gain exposure. As you approach college, choose a major aligned with your writing goals, such as English, Creative Writing, or Journalism. Look for universities with reputable writing programs, and explore scholarship opportunities specific to your chosen major. When applying, emphasize your unique voice and experiences in your personal statement, and submit a compelling portfolio that highlights your best work. Don't hesitate to seek guidance from teachers or mentors, and remember, your distinctive perspective can be a powerful asset in securing a writing scholarship. Good luck!
To embark on a path toward securing a writing scholarship, focus on building a strong foundation in high school. Enroll in advanced English and literature classes to enhance your writing skills, and actively engage in extracurricular activities such as writing clubs or competitions to showcase your passion. Develop a diverse writing portfolio that demonstrates your versatility and creativity. Consider participating in literary magazines or contributing to local publications to gain exposure. As you approach college, choose a major aligned with your writing goals, such as English, Creative Writing, or Journalism. Look for universities with reputable writing programs, and explore scholarship opportunities specific to your chosen major. When applying, emphasize your unique voice and experiences in your personal statement, and submit a compelling portfolio that highlights your best work. Don't hesitate to seek guidance from teachers or mentors, and remember, your distinctive perspective can be a powerful asset in securing a writing scholarship. Good luck!
Robert McAdams
Software Engineer
30
Answers
Roseville, California
Updated
Robert’s Answer
Lainey, one resource you might want to try is the San Francisco Writers Conference ( https://www.sfwriters.org ) . They grant scholarships to writers, and they have a Teen Writers Summit (coming up in February: https://www.sfwriters.org/teen-writers-summit-2024/ ) which is free to all teenage writers, and will allow them to have a sample of their work reviewed by a professional, to get advice, and to attend a small part of the conference which will allow teen writers to get a real feel for the community, and the business of writing. The conference will also be able to point you toward other scholarships you can apply for. Most applications for writing scholarships will be a form, and usually some form of a short essay.
Other than that, every school and university has a student services and/or student career center where scholarships are posted. A large number of scholarships go unclaimed every year because they are unknown, and nobody applies for them. If you haven't already, talk to your school's student services/career center to get the list of scholarships they know of. You can also do web searches for scholarships in your area. Just be careful about scholarships you find on the web, and some are scams -- so review them with an adult before sending them any information -- and never, ever, send in money (or gift cards, or money orders, or wire transferred money, or Zelle, or Venmo, etc.) to apply to a scholarship. If a "scholarship" is requiring money to apply, it is a scam.
Other than that, every school and university has a student services and/or student career center where scholarships are posted. A large number of scholarships go unclaimed every year because they are unknown, and nobody applies for them. If you haven't already, talk to your school's student services/career center to get the list of scholarships they know of. You can also do web searches for scholarships in your area. Just be careful about scholarships you find on the web, and some are scams -- so review them with an adult before sending them any information -- and never, ever, send in money (or gift cards, or money orders, or wire transferred money, or Zelle, or Venmo, etc.) to apply to a scholarship. If a "scholarship" is requiring money to apply, it is a scam.
Ashley Berberich
SEO Strategist
1
Answer
Stamford, Connecticut
Updated
Ashley’s Answer
For writing, I recommend majoring in Communications because it gives you flexibility on what type of writing classes you can take (i.e. journalism, media studies) and is a more career-oriented major that appears on job postings (vs majors like English or Literature). I would also recommend taking creative writing and English classes on the side to brush up on your writing skills and reading comprehension. Maybe even get a minor in those subjects! Those were honestly my favorite classes in college -- it helped expand the type of material I read and improved my writing immensely. I also met some of my closest friends in those classes.
I would also recommend you become involved with your university's Writing Center and school newspaper. The former is just a great job to have on campus and will help you become acquainted with the Writing department at your school. The latter is EXCELLENT for your portfolio and will give you a lot of experience that will look great on your CV and resume. It was also pretty fun writing about local happenings at the university and getting to know other departments at my school (my university was pretty large).
There are a lot of writing scholarships that typically accept essays. I found them typically on Google and scholarship websites. However, your university's academic resources like Academic Affairs will also have some recommended scholarships that a lot of students may not know about.
I would also recommend you become involved with your university's Writing Center and school newspaper. The former is just a great job to have on campus and will help you become acquainted with the Writing department at your school. The latter is EXCELLENT for your portfolio and will give you a lot of experience that will look great on your CV and resume. It was also pretty fun writing about local happenings at the university and getting to know other departments at my school (my university was pretty large).
There are a lot of writing scholarships that typically accept essays. I found them typically on Google and scholarship websites. However, your university's academic resources like Academic Affairs will also have some recommended scholarships that a lot of students may not know about.
Michael L. Mizrahi
locations department worker
5
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Michael L.’s Answer
While I may not have personal experience, here's a proactive approach you could take: Contact the colleges you're interested in and inquire about their writing scholarships. Don't hesitate to ask them about their specific criteria for these scholarships. Additionally, your guidance counselor or English teachers could be valuable resources. They may be able to provide further guidance and direction.