Prepare to Apply

Nearly every nationally competitive award will ask you to discuss your previous academic, research, or leadership experience and how that experience relates to your future career aspirations. It’s important that you have a strong understanding of both “where you’ve been” and “where you’re going.” Faculty mentors and CASA advisors are invaluable people with whom to discuss your interests, experiences, and future aspirations and can help you get connected to relevant opportunities.

Being a leader doesn’t necessarily mean having a formal leadership title like being president of a club. Leadership means being an active player and contributer. Think about how you can demonstrate leadership qualities like  innovation and creativity by making things happen. Start your own organization if you see an unfilled need. 

Making strong faculty mentor connections can help you to accumulate research experience, get connected with work and internship opportunities, and develop your skills and interests. When the time comes, these mentors can serve as great writers for recommendation letters, a key component of most nationally competitive awards. 

Spend time researching a scholarship of interest’s mission, goals, scholar profile, selection criteria, and application components. Talk with a previous scholar if you can. The best candidates are those whose values, skills, and goals align with those of the scholarship foundation. 

Many national awards require you to start applying a year, or even a year and a half, in advance of when you plan to begin the grant. Beginning the application process with plenty of time to spare will help you to create a stronger application, avoid unnecessary stress, and help you to derive the most value and impact from the application process. 

Start assessing and reflecting upon your experiences, skills, and goals. What topic or theme keeps showing up? What problem do you want to solve in the world? This will help you clarify your direction in life and reveal what steps you might take to get there. 

When you have decided to apply to an award, or even if you are needing help identifying which award might be right for you, it’s time to reach out to the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships! No one applies to a nationally competitive award alone, and we are here to support you along the way – from award identification, to understanding the application, to reviewing drafts, to helping you prepare for an interview, to institutional nomination when appropriate, to celebrating your submitted application!