Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is…There are many ways to write college essay hooks. Here are just a few tips:
So what are college essay hooks? Generally, they're narratives, descriptions, illustrations, or dialogue that grab the reader’s attention. They should be catchy. But they also needs to be specific. Essentially, the hook will let your essay POP. It separates your essay from other boring essays, the essays that start in a really predictable way. So how do you write college essay hooks? My first suggestion is to focus on your topic. Choose something kind of off-the-beaten path. Make sure it’s appropriate, though. Something your teachers and principal would think is acceptable. As an example, let’s say you're writing about volunteering at the local food bank. This could be a unique hook: "I dunked the ladle into chowder. John extended his bowl with his wrinkled, worn hands. He looked me in the eye and said, ‘You’re doing the right thing.’" It’s a simple idea – serving soup at a food bank is nothing out of the ordinary. But the focus of my hook is John, and what he said to me. This could be a jumping off point for an essay about the importance of staying in school and contributing to society, something John praised me for doing, and something that he wished he had done himself. And so, the essay now becomes about your quest to be successful so you can contribute back to society, and back to people who wish they had the means to do more for others. Or you could start out with the a quote: "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.“ – Steve Jobs College admissions counselors are working people like any other, so often times they wrestle with the idea of loving what they do. Firstly, this quote will hook them in from that angle. I'm sure not many applicants make them think introspectively about their lives. Secondly, if you can sincerely express why you love what you do, and why you want to go to college for it, then you will have piqued the admissions counselor’s interest even more. Now you've got a hook. Ultimately, the key to writing college essay hooks is to be unique, engaging, catchy, and appropriate. You’re probably already thinking of a possible hook that you can use as you read this. Put it to paper. Just see where it goes. 1) Youth Volunteer Scholarship Award - $500 – 1 Award (Deadline: November 29, 2015) To be eligible for the Youth Volunteer Scholarship you must: A) Over the past 2 years a student must have completed a minimum of 50 hours of volunteer work. B) Over the past 2 years a student must have maintained a GPA of 3.5 or greater. C) A student must be under the age of 21 years of age on the day of the deadline. D) A student must submit an essay on the topic prior to the deadline. Applications can be found by going to:http://www.studentscholarships.org/scholarship/10422/youth_volunteer_scholarship_award_scholarship.php
2) Good360 Sustainability Scholarship - $1,000 – 1 Award (Deadline: November 30, 2015) To be eligible for the Good360 Sustainability Scholarship: If you’re a high school senior applying to college, or you’re currently a college student, and you have an interest in sustainability and the environment, then we’d love to hear your thoughts on what sustainability means to you. Thus, we’re sponsoring a college scholarship with an award of $1,000 to go towards tuition. Applications can be found by going to:http://www.studentscholarships.org/scholarship/12558/good360_sustainability_scholarship_scholarship.php 3) Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarships - $5,000 – 20 Awards (Deadline: December 5, 2015) To be eligible for the Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarships: A) Applications for Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarships are accepted from October 5 through December 5, 2015. B) Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarships are open to student’s enrolled in an accredited educational institution in the United States. Applicants must meet the age requirement by October 5, 2015. Applications can be found by going to:http://studentscholarships.org/scholarship/8850/stephen_j_brady_stop_hunger_scholarships_scholarship.php 4) 2015 Scholarship Points Awards - $10,000 – 10 Awards (Deadline: December 8, 2015) To be eligible for the 2015 Scholarship Points Awards a student must: A) Be at least 13 years old and enrolled or will enroll in a college or university in the US. B) Be a legal resident of the U.S. or Puerto Rico. Edvisors has given away more than $650,000 to students through this scholarship program. Applications can be found by going to:http://www.studentscholarships.org/scholarship/10959/2015_scholarship_points_awards_scholarship.php 5) Flosum Scholarship - $750 – 1 Award (Deadline: December 15, 2015) To be eligible for the Flosum Scholarship: A) The applicants must be enrolled in an accredited 4-year university or college located in United States; B) Graduating high school seniors with a GPA of 3.5 or above are also eligible to apply for the scholarship; C) Applicants must be pursuing or intending to pursue their bachelor’s degree which can be in the fields of computer engineering, computer science or in another technical discipline such as electrical engineering, physics or mathematics with an interest in the field of computer science. Applications can be found by going to:http://www.studentscholarships.org/scholarship/11964/flosum_scholarship_scholarship.php 6) Solution Reach Scholarship - $2,000 – 2 Awards (Deadline: December 18, 2015) To be eligible for the Solution Reach Scholarship: A) High school graduates with a GPA of 3.2 or higher and already accepted at an accredited college/university may apply. B) There are no requirements for major or graduation date. C) Any undergraduate student currently enrolled in an accredited US college or university with a minimum of 9 credits and a GPA of 3.0 may apply. Applications can be found by going to:http://www.studentscholarships.org/scholarship/11179/solution_reach_scholarship_scholarship.php 7) CrossLites Scholarship - $4,000 – 33 Awards (Deadline: December 31, 2015) To be eligible for the CrossLites Scholarship: A) The CrossLites Scholarship is open to High School, College, and Graduate School students. As an applicant you will write a reflective essay (400-600 words). B) Applicants will be competing against students of their level. You may enter only one essay per application a year. Applications can be found by going to: http://www.studentscholarships.org/scholarship/12561/crosslites_scholarship_scholarship.php 8) 10 Words or Less Scholarship - $500 – 1 Award (Deadline: January 29, 2016) To be eligible for the 10 Words or Less Scholarship a student must: A) Be between the ages of 14 and 25 on January 29, 2016 B) The 10 Words or Less Scholarship is available to High School and College Students. Applications can be found by going to:http://www.studentscholarships.org/scholarship/10258/10_words_or_less_scholarship_scholarship.php 9) You Deserve it Scholarship - $1,000 – 1 Award (Deadline: February 15, 2016) To be eligible for the You Deserve it Scholarship: A) You must be a resident of any of the 50 United States, District of Columbia or US Territories B) You must be 16 years of age or older C) You must either be enrolled now, or will be enrolled iin a qualified high school, college or university within the United States. Applications can be found by going to: http://www.studentscholarships.org/available.php
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AuthorAmy Smith CategoriesArchives
September 2021
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