Essay Writing Tips

While scholarship applications can seem overwhelming and time consuming, the ability to reduce your financial stress while pursuing your education makes them well worth your effort. Historically, 99% of FRCC students do not take advantage of FRCC's student-only scholarships, so take the necessary steps to help advance yourself and your dreams.  

Write For Your Audience

Most of our general scholarship essay reviewers are FRCC faculty members and staff who volunteer to read applications. Each essay is reviewed independently by three different people to get an average score. You will be graded on grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure, as well, so we recommend you have another set of eyes proofread your work.

Enlist Help With Your Essay

FRCC has free writing centers at every campus and online to help you create an essay in your best voice. Note that the FRCC Foundation office is only closed for one week during the six-week winter break, so this is an ideal time to visit us without the distractions of your other classes. If you're in high school, see your counseling office for assistance, as these staff members are experts in helping students apply to college.

Helpful articles:

• How an FRCC Writing Consultant Can Help You
• Online Writing Lab

Tell Us Who You Are

Your two-page essay should illustrate your unique story and background, why you want to pursue a secondary education and what brought you to Front Range Community College. Here are some sample questions to work into your writing.

• Who has inspired you?
• Have you had any mentors?
• Do you want to be a mentor to others and how would you want to do that?
• Where were you born?
• Where have you traveled?
• Where would you want to go when you're done with college?
• What does going to college mean to you?
• What are you interested in exploring?
• What do you want to learn about?

Plan Your Time

The scholarship application period is December 1 to March 1. Aim to get your essays and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms completed during the winter months, as spring gets busy fast, and paying for your educational dreams is too important to put off. A good writer writes in phases and steps away from their work occasionally, then revisits it with fresh eyes. Give yourself time to complete your essay in phases because returning to your writing after just one good night's sleep can help turn a good essay into a great one.  However, if all else fails, ensure you turn in your essay by the due date—even if it isn't perfect!