Office of Student External and Competitive Scholarship Advisement
Student Fellowship guide
LOCAL INDEX
Welcome To the Majors
Getting Started
The Interview Process
The Bottom Line
Welcome to the Majors!
The purpose of this booklet is to assist Rollins students who may be considering applying for major fellowships and scholarships. Every year hundreds of outstanding students from all over the country vie for these scholarships and the competition is intense. Prospective applicants need to understand that these programs are highly selective. Scholarship boards and foundations stress that applications should be encouraged from students who have a good chance of advancing in the competition. To do otherwise is to risk false hope and disappointment for the applicant, and embarrassment for our school. However, each year, students at institutions with no previous scholarship winners win a Scholarship, proving that victory favors those who persevere.
The challenge of competing for these scholarships is enormous. Whether or not you eventually win, students who seriously undertake the process of preparing and applying for a major scholarship are in for an amazing experience. During the application process you will discover that the “journey” itself is as valuable as the “destination”. Because you will be competing against the very best college students from across the nation, the "odds" may appear to be against you. But, if you accept the magnitude of the challenge before you, if you’re serious about undertaking that life-changing experience, and if you have the "right stuff," the odds can be beaten. There are other benefits too. Applying for a fellowship or scholarship may seem like a major endeavor. However, if you are applying to graduate school, applying for fellowships is a directly related activity. In graduate and fellowship applications, you must write an essay that outlines your professional goals and objectives for graduate study. Both require letters of recommendation. In contrast to the mid-winter deadline dates for graduate school application, fellowships usually have fall application deadlines. Those applying for fellowships "get a head start" on the graduate school application process. There is help available to you through the Office of Student External and Competitive Scholarship Advising. If you really want to make a strong case, the preparation must begin very early, even as early as your freshman year. To get an idea of what is expected of you in that regard, read the last section of this guide: “The Bottom-line”.
We use the term "major" to describe scholarships and fellowships administered and funded by national and international foundations. Thus, they are to be distinguished from the Rollins scholarships and financial aid programs. Except for the Goldwater Scholarship, these programs are for post-baccalaureate studies, including in some cases a second undergraduate degree. All require candidates to be nominated or endorsed by their undergraduate institutions. Please be aware that the preparation for the application process of these awards must begin at least one year before the due date, if not earlier. In the following pages we will list various things you need to do to get yourself ready for the application process.
ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
While these programs share a common goal of recognizing excellence, they differ in terms of eligibility requirements, application procedures, and expectations for successful candidates. For example, the Goldwater, Mellon and National Science Foundation scholarships are restricted to applicants majoring in particular fields of study, while others, such as the Rhodes, Jack Kent Cooke, and Marshall, seek applications from outstanding candidates without regard to academic discipline or career goals. Some require an essay or "personal statement" to accompany the standard application form. Others require evidence of proficiency in a foreign language, or a detailed plan of study in your major. Therefore, the approach one might take in applying for one fellowship may not be appropriate for another. One thing you don’t want to do is prepare a generic application with the intention of tailoring it to suit the requirements and expectations of a particular program.
HAVING THE "RIGHT STUFF"
There are a couple of schools of thought about what it takes to be competitive for these awards. One notion is that successful applicants are born, not made -- either you have it, or you don’t. From this it could be assumed that there is little institutions can or should do to help students prepare for major scholarship competition. An alternative view is that institutions should "groom" candidates by having them take the right courses, read "great" books, participate in service activities, and attend various cultural events.
Reality, as well as our approach, is somewhere in between. On the one hand, our college can ill-afford to be passive and merely wait for potential Rhodes or Truman scholars to show up and say, "Here I am." Even students who seem to "have it all" -- brains, character, leadership -- need to be identified early so that their abilities can be refined and their qualifications further developed. On the other hand, for students who lack these native talents or for whom the learned life has little appeal, no quick fix of culture, no short-term stint of community service, no crash reading program, is going to be of much help.
While scholarship of the highest order is of first and foremost importance, most of these scholarship programs emphasize all-around ability. They are looking for the "whole package" -- personal character and integrity, leadership and service, and a cosmopolitan outlook -- in addition to a strong academic record. This is especially true of the three most selective programs: Rhodes, Marshall and Truman. Review committees for these scholarships tend to be unimpressed with "bookworms" or with students who spend most of their time in front of a computer screen. They want to see: 1) "lateral thinkers" capable of discerning connections among diverse strands of knowledge; 2) "risk-takers" who enjoy learning about subjects beyond their comfort zones; and 3) "world citizens" with a broad understanding of national and international events, a sensitivity to cultural differences, and a genuine commitment to making a difference in their communities and in the world.
So, before you start filling out applications, you need to study the information bulletins for the scholarship programs you are interested in, paying close attention to eligibility requirements, selection criteria, application procedures, and all the "fine print." Then, you need to take a long look in the mirror and ask of yourself two questions. First, "Am I qualified?, and second, "Am I suitable?" In other words, you need to give yourself....
A REALITY CHECK
Given the major emphasis these scholarships put on academic achievement, the first thing you need to determine is whether your scholastic credentials are of the highest caliber. To some this translates into a question of "How good are my grades?" Many prospective applicants have the same attitude about grades that the late Vince Lombardi had about winning football games: grades aren’t everything; they’re the only things. It’s important for scholarship applicants to understand that while exceptional scholastic performance is indeed a necessary condition for serious consideration, by itself a high GPA is not a sufficient condition. To a selection committee there are many factors just as important as your academic record.
Even so, when it comes to the GPA it’s reasonable for students to want to know "How high is ‘high’?" As a general rule successful applicants have GPAs of 3.8 and higher, and ordinarily anything below a 3.6 will put you out of the running. However, a student with a "low" GPA (say, 3.7) who can converse comfortably across a broad range of topics should be able to compete with a 4.0 student who knows a great deal in his or her field but little else. Also, a perfect GPA can serve as an invitation to closer inspection especially when intensive in-person interviews are part of the review process. Selection committees sometimes approach 4.0 candidates with a bit of caution. They want to know what’s behind and beyond the transcript. Is the 4.0 real? Or is it the result of taking light course loads and otherwise playing it safe?
To qualify for the Truman Scholarship you must have a strong record of community involvement and exhibit a genuine, selfless commitment to serving others. The Truman Foundation reports that resumes packed with extra-curricular activities, memberships in clubs and honorary organizations, and student government offices are a dime a dozen. Candidates who look great on paper, but fail to advance in the competition, usually have limited leadership experience or exhibit a narrow, self-centered view of public service. As the Truman Foundation states in its information bulletin, successful applicants are "people for whom the ‘bottom line’ is to make a difference, not a dollar." Or as Executive Secretary Louis Blair puts it, "When we interview finalists, we can tell which ones are in it for themselves. The ones selected are those with that ‘fire-in-the-belly’ determination to make the world a better place."
Overseas grants (e.g., Fulbright) require language proficiency; a deep, sensitive understanding of the host country’s culture; and evidence of adaptability to a foreign setting.
Once you have decided that you meet the qualifications for a particular scholarship, you also need to give yourself....
AN ATTITUDE CHECK
Understand that all of these prestigious scholarships are awards -- investments in excellence from which much is expected of the recipient. If you think of them as rewards for past achievements, as financial aid packages, or as a way to dress up a resume, you would be doing yourself a favor by not applying. Self-serving attitudes almost always find their way into the application, and selection committees are very adept at spotting them.
Above all, make sure that you are serious about applying and are determined to follow through. These programs are not for the whimsical. Nor are they for those who are merely testing the waters or keeping their options open. Some students, not understanding this, take the "dartboard" approach. They apply for everything, including scholarships for which they are not well qualified, in the vague hope that one of their darts will hit the target. We strongly discourage this for two reasons. First, the process involves much more than simply filling out application forms. Second, it suggests an attitude that the only thing you stand to lose by applying is a 33-cent stamp. If that’s your attitude, what you’re really saying is that it’s worth only 33 cents.
To help you decide if you should compete for a major scholarship, try wrestling with the following questions. Although they are not intended as an exact "test" of your fitness, your answers to them may reveal whether you have the kind of attitude most of these scholarships are looking for. Our guess is that competitive candidates would probably be able to answer most questions with an honest "yes."
- Do you give at least as much thought to synthesis as to analysis?
- Do you value intuition and imagination as much as logic and information?
- Do you think the main purpose of going to college is to learn, not to get ahead?
- Do you question your own views as vigorously as you criticize those of others?
- Do you believe that truth must be discovered, rather than received, inherited or borrowed?
- Do you think an education is something to cultivate, rather than confiscate?
- Is your thinking guided more by "both/and" than "either/or"?
- Can you make decisions without all the "evidence" being in?
- Do you think it’s more important to be a person of honor than a person of principle?
- Do you place more value on being happy than on being successful?
(Some of these thoughts are from C. Grey Austin, "Your Mind Is Not Your Friend," National Honors Report, (summer 1994);.)
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Getting Started
START EARLY
There is a lot more to the process than filling out forms. But more to the point, if you are a senior and you are just now thinking about applying -- two or three weeks before the deadline – you are probably a year too late for most scholarships, two years too late for some. Institutions that traditionally fare well in these competitions emphasize that their successful candidates began the application process as early as the freshman year by formulating a competitive strategy.
GETTING TO KNOW YOURSELF
To some students formulating a competitive scholarship strategy means sitting down with an academic advisor and charting a four- or five-year plan of study, including subjects considered to be good "skull practice" for the scholarship competition. An effective scholarship strategy involves more than deciding which courses to take and when. Rather, it is a plan for personal, as well as intellectual, development. An excellent foundation for such a plan is to write and regularly revise a personal statement which many scholarship programs, particularly the Rhodes, require as part of the application itself.
Whereas your transcript and resume provide information about your achievements and experiences, a personal statement is an essay, usually of about 500-1,000 words, that offers understanding of the kind of person you are and the life you live. It should be the product of deep reflection on who you are, how you got to be the way you are, and where you think you’re heading -- not just in college or in your chosen career field, but in life itself.
One way to approach your personal statement is to think about how you would answer questions such as these:
- What fascinates you, and why?
- To whom do you feel obliged, and why?
- In facing moral choices, where do you draw the line?
- What do you like and dislike about yourself?
- When was the last time you cried about something that really mattered?
- What individual people, books, experiences have shaped your life?
- What did you do for people not as fortunate or as talented as you are?
There is no prescribed format or preferred style to follow in writing a personal statement. Nor should you approach the endeavor as a series of fill-in-the-blank responses to stock questions. The essay should bear the imprint of your individuality. Be imaginative, expressive and honest. Most of all is be you.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
The various scholarship boards advise students to apply only if they are willing to spend the time and effort necessary to prepare an outstanding application. It is very essential to contact a faculty member who will work with you as your mentor, critic and guide during this difficult but very rewarding process. (Truman officials report that successful applicants typically spend 50 hours preparing and revising their written applications, and then spend as much time preparing for the interview.) Once you reach the point that you’re satisfied with the content of your application, edit it and proofread it until you’re sure it’s letter perfect. Ask specialists from the writing center to offer their thoughts and criticism of your essay. Tolerate no typos, misspellings or poor grammar. Always type, never hand write, your application. Bear in mind that a sloppy application may signal an uncaring attitude. If you don’t take your candidacy seriously, why should anyone else, particularly a selection committee?
WATCH THE CLOCK
It’s easy to underestimate the total amount of time involved in applying for a major scholarship. Whatever amount of time you have calculated for typing and photocopying forms, increase it by 50 percent. Give writers of letters of recommendation plenty of advance notice (at least a month). Pay close attention to all deadlines. Some professors may allow you to turn in your term paper a day or two late without penalty. This is different. If you miss a receipt deadline by just one day, or a postmark deadline by just one hour, you might as well have missed by a month. Your application will not be considered.
YOU’RE NOT ALONE
No matter how bright and talented you are, you cannot win a major scholarship on the basis of your efforts alone. Schools with the best track records in major scholarship competition know this, and they report that their successful candidates had a great deal of help along the way. Early in your college career you should develop close relationships with people who can suggest a reading program, review and critique your personal statement, monitor your academic progress, sharpen your writing and speaking skills, give you tips on interviewing and resume writing, and generally serve as a source of encouragement. Naturally, you will want to seek out professors in your major. It’s also important to cultivate faculty in other disciplines, student development staff, and business and community leaders.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Ask for letters from people who know you well. It may be natural to seek recommendations from professors in whose courses you made your best grades, but the writers should be able to comment on more than what’s in the grade book. You may be better off with letters from faculty who gave you B’s if they can speak more knowledgeably and favorably about your work habits and personal qualities.
Some applicants, apparently believing that what counts is not what you know but who you know, think it’s crucial to get references from public officeholders, celebrities, high campus officials, and the like. Unless the letters you get from such VIP’s give specific examples of your abilities and accomplishments, scholarship screening and selection committees are likely mentally, if not physically, to trash them. Keep in mind that most application forms contain an item that asks the recommender: "How long have you known the applicant?" Think about how your recommender would respond. If he or she is likely to say "about 30 minutes," you are application probably is in deep trouble.
Make sure your references understand what it is you are applying for. With increasing numbers of students competing for major national scholarships, letters of recommendation are extremely important and factor very heavily in the selection process. Therefore, your letters should reflect the high standards of the programs themselves. Generic, two-paragraph letters laden with vague superlatives are of little value. Letters that read as if they came right off the word processor, have that fill-in-the-name appearance, or simply rehash items in your resume can be fatal. On the other hand, letters that supply concrete evidence of your talents and back up superlatives with specifics can provide the key to a successful application.
Selection committees tend to be suspicious of letters overflowing with extravagant but unsubstantiated praise. Even the most gifted applicants have shortcomings and imperfections. Your references should not hesitate to speak of them. If letters of recommendation portray you as flawless, needing no improvement whatsoever, you will come across as too good to be true.
A helpful letter of recommendation reveals qualities that don’t show up on transcripts or resumes. Be sure to provide them with your transcripts and a note about how you performed in their class. To give references further insight into your intellectual and personal character, you might want to provide them with written responses to the following questions:
- Why do you want to ....? (study at Oxford, win a Fulbright Grant, etc.)
- What in your background prepares and qualifies you for ....?
- What are your goals beyond..?
- What experiences have you had that reveal your leadership, creativity, motivation, etc.
- What do you like to do in your spare time?
Finally, give the people who write for you plenty of advance notice, if necessary give them timely reminders, and thank them!
READY SET GO!
We hope this booklet has given you a realistic and informed perspective on the challenges of applying for a major scholarship. In most instances the preparation needs to begin at-least one year in advance. Actual deadlines and other details may vary from year to year, so be sure to check with Dr. Shivamoggi for the most up-to-date information.
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The Interview Process
THINKING ON YOUR FEET
In addition to the written application, in-person interviews are required for most scholarships that require campus nomination of candidates. If the applicant is chosen to advance to the next level of competition (state, regional or national), further interviews with semifinalists and finalists may be held. Be sure to check specific scholarship materials for details about interviews.
Anything you put in your written application is fair game for the interview, so it's important to be honest and avoid stretching the truth. For example, if you claim to know a foreign language, expect to be quizzed in it. Also, be aware that some interviewers like to concentrate on apparent inconsistencies in your personal statement, study proposal or other parts of your written application.
Interviews for major scholarships tend to be quite different from job interviews. For one thing, the "rules" of conduct and appearance are more relaxed. Instead of being a tool for assessing job skills, the interview for a major scholarship takes on the tone of an intellectual exchange. You can prevent a lot of stress and nervousness if you approach the situation as a conversation rather than an interrogation.
A conservative, dark-colored suit -- standard attire for a job interview -- is acceptable for scholarship interviews as well. The rule of thumb is to wear clean, presentable business attire (coat and tie for men, dresses and skirts of appropriate length or pantsuits for women). The grunge look, gym shoes baseball hats and other casual fashion statements should be avoided.
While interviews are not intended to be threatening or hostile, you should expect to be challenged about your knowledge, your views and your values. Keep up with current affairs. Know something about the person after whom the scholarship was named. The interview may last only 20-30 minutes this is not an opportunity for you to give a speech. It's quite likely that you will be interrupted and that you will not be able to say everything you want to say.
Seemingly off-the-wall questions may be thrown at you to see how well you can think on your feet. Don't lose your cool! If you find the questions (or the manner in which they are asked) discomforting, it's because the interviewers are "squinting with their ears" to discover what makes you tick. You will be expected to make some concluding remarks. End your interview with a positive note. It may not be a bad idea to reflect upon your experience of putting this application together and what it meant to you.
In July 1999 a workshop on Truman and Marshall scholarships was held at Fayetteville Arkansas. One of the sessions of the workshop was devoted to preparing applicants for the interview segment of the application process. As part of this session, Truman and Marshall Selection Committee members held simulated interviews. Below is a list of possible questions inspired by that session: This list is by no means comprehensive, and is not necessarily the same list of questions you might face in the mock interview. This list is designed to give you the nature of questions that are asked.
- Can you name three recent novels you read?
- Which newspapers do you read on a regular basis?
- Why are you applying for the Rhodes scholarship? Or, what makes you a good candidate for this scholarship?
- Can you recount the most embarrassing moment of your life?
- What do you know about Cecil Rhodes?
One final tidbit about the Rhodes’ Scholarship: Rhodes scholarships were awarded only to men until the mid-seventies. Today, Rhodes foundation takes great pains to ensure that women and students from minority groups are also given equal chances to win these scholarships.
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The Bottom Line
Just read this section if you are a freshman or a sophomore and this entire booklet may seem a little too overwhelming.
A Time-Line for Prestigious Scholarship Applications
Things you need to do during your freshman and sophomore years (and later on too!).
- Get to know yourself. Now is the time for self-introspection and growth. Identify issues that interest you. All those extra-curricular activities on campus or in the community will be enjoyable only if you are passionate about them.
- Get to know your campus. Get involved in as many campus activities as you can. Friends you make within these activities can introduce you to many more exciting opportunities that you would miss otherwise. Seek leadership roles within these activities.
- Get to know your community. Participate in as many community service activities as you can work into your schedule.
- Maintain a high GPA (Anything below 3.6 might put you out of contention).
- (For Goldwater scholars, that is Science or Engineering majors) Get involved with a research group as early as you can. First term in your freshman year is not too early! The application process takes place during your sophomore or junior year. If you have not published your research by then, your chances are very slim.
- (Especially for Rhodes scholars) Get involved in intramural or varsity athletics.
- Above all, have fun. How do you define having fun? If you are not enjoying any of your activities you are involved in, then you are not having fun. It is time to pause, reflect, and regroup. Do not enroll in a dozen activities to make your resume look good. A meaningful contribution in a couple of areas is much better on your resume than membership in a dozen organizations with little or no activity. The scholarship committees are very good at recognizing that.
OK, you survived those years, and the dreams of doing big things are still alive and strong. As a junior these are the things you need to do:
- Academic goals: As most of these scholarships are offered for students going to graduate school, this is the right time to start thinking of graduate school. Many of these scholarships like to see focused applicants. It is never too early to start preparing for grad school. Your junior year is certainly a good time to do that.
a. Start thinking about taking the GRE, the Graduate Records Examination. The GRE is to grad school what SAT is to undergraduate school. So prepare well and get it done early.
b. Determine subject areas within your major that interest you and think about possible areas for graduate research. (Note: graduate research is not a requirement for some of these awards. You may read for a bachelor’s degree with a Marshall or Rhodes scholarship. Applications are regarded more favorably if the applicant can identify an academic interest and describe why this field of study excites him or her.)
c. (ESpecially for Fulbright applicants) Make sure you have fulfilled the foreign language requirements. If not, now is a good time to take those classes.
2. Destination: Determine the university, department, and professor you wish to study under and be able to justify why this is the right place for you. (Note: You may find it useful to correspond in writing with professors/universities that offer programs that interest you. As a result, you can justify your selection of a university and academic program in your application).
3. Career goals : Set goals priorities and milestones for yourself. Remember that some scholarships like Truman require specific career plans.
4. Scholarship applications:
a. Apply for Truman or Goldwater scholarships if you qualify. The application process tends to be long and tedious, but very introspective and rewarding. Applicants have always enjoyed the process of applying for the scholarship, regardless of the outcome. You will need a mentor to work closely with you. Many Truman applicants sign up for a reading course with their mentor in order to prepare a good application.
b. Most of the scholarships you would apply for in your senior year have deadlines in early October. They all require serious thought and contemplation, and will take up a significant amount of your time. So, preparation for these scholarships must start during the latter part of your junior year.
Moving on to your senior year. This is where the action is! These are the things you need to do at the beginning of the senior year.
1.
a. Complete the application. (If you started the preparation in your junior year, as you should have, this is the easy part). Double check to make sure you have filled every single column as comprehensively as you can.
b. Select your references and contact them early in your senior year. Provide them with all relevant information to write an affective letter on your behalf.
c. Obtain a copy of your transcript and make additional copies if necessary.
d. Keep in constant contact with the DR. SHIVAMOGGI Director regarding deadlines.
2. The exhilarating moment arrives when you find out that you are a finalist and invited for an interview. These are a few tips for a successful interview.
a. Develop oral communication/articulation skills. This can be done in various ways.
i. Take a speech communications course
ii. Read good books to improve your vocabulary. Reading also helps you with ideas for a good conversation.
iii. Participate in current events’ discussions/debates. If you don’t find such a group, create one.
iv. Arrange for mock interviews. Your friends, your mentor, and the DR. SHIVAMOGGI Director can help you out here.
b. Cultivate your knowledge of current world affairs as well as your knowledge of federal, state, and local affairs. Here are a few thoughts on this one:
i. Read a daily national newspaper. If you are not already doing so, start right away. Newspapers are available
ii. Participate in current events discussions/debates
iii. Fit in a Contemporary history course in your GEP.
If all the things above interest you, Please contact Dr. Shivamoggi
Dr. Jayashree Shivamoggi
Office of External and Competitive Scholarship Advisement
Bush 117
Telephone: (407) 646-2346
FAX: (407) 646-2479
Address:
Department of Physics
1000 Holt Avenue- Campus Box 2743
Winter Park Florida 32789-4499
Largely based on a similar booklet by Stephen H. Wainscott and Judith L. Wilkinson of Clemson University
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Updated last on
February 21, 2006
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