Lisa CoeMicrobiology Junior I’m going to bring up a topic that most of us likely don’t enjoy discussing: money. If you’re like the 59% of students at Pitt, you have taken out some form of student loan. Every single day, while you’re at Hillman fighting for the few whiteboards and scarce outlets, that ominous amount of money you owe is growing. It’s understandably discomforting: locking your future into a financial bind on top of the current stress of classes and other time commitments. While adding to your extensive to-do list may not be the most exciting thing in the world, I do believe that taking the time to apply for scholarships is a great way to reduce money-related stress. The two scholarship search engines that I use are UNIGO and Fastweb. These platforms allow you to create an account and enter information about yourself. The website then uses this information to generate a list of scholarships that fit your profile. There are plenty of other search engines, but I recommend only using two or three, otherwise you might spend more time searching for scholarships than actually applying for any. You’ll find that many of these scholarship applications involve writing an essay that describes your achievements, future goals, financial situation, and why you deserve the award. No matter how often I write about myself, I always find it awkward to do so in the best light possible while also exposing my financial hardship. If you’re like me, my advice to you is to tell a story and to be honest. You don’t need a sob story; you need a story that is true to you. The best writing comes when you’re writing for yourself, not when you’re writing for a prompt. So remember, you’re not only writing these essays for whomever is funding the award, you’re writing these essays for yourself and to improve your own financial situation.
And yes, I did mean plural “essays”, and not the singular form. Even if scholarship applications ask the same questions, write a new essay for each one. Different funding sources have different values, so you ought to frame the essay in a way that coincides with the company’s values. (I might add that this is good practice for those of you hoping to attend graduate and professional schools, as concise and deliberative essay writing is vital skill during application season.) Some applications have prompts that are specific to the funding group. For example, this scholarship offered by a physical therapy clinic asks you to write about how physical therapy can help people to develop healthy life habits post-recovery. While these kinds of essays may be more difficult to frame, there are often less applicants that apply, resulting in a less competitive scholarship and better odds that you will take home the prize! Other kinds of applications involve creative submissions, such as videos and photos. These applications are often more work, but they can be a fun way to break from the mentally draining process of essay writing. Another great source that you most definitely should utilize is Pitt Fund$ Me. Pitt Fund$ Me is located on the right side of your MyPitt page. By submitting a general application, you enter yourself into a pool of applicants that are exposed to all scholarships offered by the University of Pittsburgh. My last bit of advice is to never stop applying. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t win the first few scholarships you apply for. As the obnoxiously cheesy saying goes, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” You won’t win any scholarships if you don’t apply, so keep on writing, and keep on applying. From one broke college student to another, this is Lisa Coe signing off. For more questions about applying for scholarships (and research fellowships such as the Mentor-Mentee Summer Research Fellowship) visit Lisa in Langley A230 on Thursdays from 1:30-2:30.
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January 2022
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