Scholarship Applications: Academic & Life Preparation

1. Scholarship Applications: Academic & Life Preparation

2. Plan for Experiences Beyond Textbooks • Talk to profs, check out web resources, and use the library to garner internship info • www3.baylor.edu/Library/BeyondLib/careers.html • Pre-law, Phi Alpha Delta, Read the materials provided by the Baylor Law School on “Thinking about Going to Law School” at http://law.baylor.edu/ProspectiveStudents/PS_thinking.html And “How Do I Prepare for Law School” at http://law.baylor.edu/pdf/ProspectiveStudents/Prepare%20for%20Law%20School.pdf • Job Fair in Ferrell Centerhttp://www.baylor.edu/careerservices/index.php?id=3423 • Learn more about becoming a tutor http://www.baylor.edu/success_center/index.php?id=33643 or a supplemental instructor http://www.baylor.edu/support_programs/index.php?id=22921 • Study abroad sessions Mondays/Tues., Poage Library, 201 B, 4:00 pm • For Summer Programs: www.baylor.edu/cie/index.php?id=3216 • For Semester Programs: www.baylor.edu/cie/index.php?id=3597 • Become involved in service opportunities in the community or on campus • Contact The Academy for Leader Development http://www.baylor.edu/leadership/ • Professional Organizations that Develop Leadership Opportunities http://www.baylor.edu/arts_sciences/index.php?id=22378 • Spend your summers engaged in activities that will complement your major interests and enhance your overall research or leadership experience

3. Preparing for a Prestigious Scholarship • Take challenging classes • Honors classes and foreign language courses are very valuable for your life and for competitions • Remember the transcript records the titles of your courses and indicates which ones are advanced. • Maintain a high GPA. Most prestigious scholarship foundations seek 3.8+ gpa’s • Keep a file or resume of experiences you have had in school, work, or the community, and record in it the significance of these events • Club participation • Work and volunteer experiences related to your field • Honors or awards

4. References • Become acquainted with a professor. • Initiate contact by going to his/her office with legitimate questions or comments. Don’t stay too long. • Letters of recommendation are more effective if written by people who know you and can speak knowledgeably about your talents and abilities. http://www.baylor.edu/scholarships/index.php?id=15692 • Professors need research assistants or supplemental instructors for classes. Career and scholarship networking, mentoring relationships, and rich learning opportunities may result. See Undergraduate Research website (URSA). • Recommenders need to know enough about you to make a good statement, with personal examples. If they hesitate for any reason, thank them and ask someone else. • Additional tips: http://www.baylor.edu/scholarships/index.php?id=1993

5. Be a well rounded student • Be involved in clubs, your church, or other groups. • Take leadership roles in areas that are important to you. • Get involved in sports or other extracurricular activities. • The Rhodes scholarship asks specifically about sports involvement.

6. Practice • Apply for large and small scholarships. • Ask several faculty members to proofread your research proposal or essays. • Practice interviewing. Many scholarships require several interviews. • Mock interviews can be very helpful. http://www.baylor.edu/careerservices/index.php?id=3422 • Resume and Interviewing Workshops: http://www.baylor.edu/careerservices/index.php?id=3420

7. The Application • Start the application process early. You may be in competition with students who have been planning to apply for many months. • Give yourself enough time when writing proposals or personal statements to revise them with feedback from advisors or teachers. Twenty drafts could be necessary. • Contact your references at least three weeks ahead. Provide a packet with everything they will need and with the deadline clearly noted. See guidelines at http://www.baylor.edu/scholarships/index.php?id=15692 • Always type up the application. Presentation is important.

8. Start looking • Scholarship help from faculty and advisors on campus: • Faculty experts in the field you are pursuing • Elizabeth_Vardaman@baylor.edu (General) • David_Uber@baylor.edu (NSEP) • Ann_Rushing@baylor.edu (Goldwater) • Rena_Bonem@baylor.edu (Udall) • Elizabeth_Vardaman@baylor.edu (Fulbright) • The University National Scholarship Committee • Our Website www.baylor.edu/scholarships • Personal Statements: • Writing Personal Statements and Scholarship Application Essays, by Joe Schall, Pennsylvania State Univ., Outernet Publishing, ISBN 1-58175-653-4 • Baylor tips: http://www.baylor.edu/scholarships/index.php?id=1993

9. The Good News/Bad News • The effort is huge. Sacrifice is involved. • Many students feel the experience is worth the effort, win or lose. • The competition is intense nationwide. • Since 2001 Baylor students have been selected for 12 Fulbright, 3 Goldwater, 2 DAAD, several Rotary, 1 Rotary World Peace, 4 Truman and 2 Marshall Scholars. • With hard work, you will be able to become competitive for these and other awards, too.

10. Good News • Baylor students recover if they do not win. • Documents are ready to apply for other graduate programs. • Many fulfill some variation on this academic dream because once they have placed themselves in the way of this gift, they cannot or will not let the angel go without a blessing.