Plenty of scholarships ask for more than just a simple application when you apply. This could include essays, letters of recommendation or even a portfolio of your work.
If you are interested in scholarships that reward your writing skills, you may need to submit a writing portfolio with your application. It’s important that your portfolio is in top-notch shape when you submit it. Here are tips for creating a great writing portfolio.
Most of these sites are user-friendly and don’t require you to be a web expert to set up your online portfolio. Most also allow you to customize your pages to your own style and preferences, but be sure to keep your portfolio clean and professional.
[Learn how to use your talents to earn scholarships for college.]
— Choose a web platform: First, select a website to host your portfolio. There’s no right choice here — it will come down to personal preferences. However, be sure to choose a site that gives you a clean design and is easy to navigate.
The good news is that you do not have to pay to create an online portfolio. Many websites will host your portfolio at no charge, such as Clippings.me, Slideshare and Contently, although some also offer premium services for a fee.
— Post your biography: Once you’ve selected a platform for your portfolio, write your biography to add to the site. Some platforms may have a designated “About Me” section, while others may require you to create a separate biography page.
Use this section to discuss your accomplishments and plans for the future. Talk about any awards you may have received and your college plans, including your intended major.
And remember, although you are talking about your accomplishments, don’t come off as arrogant — make sure you are humble and approachable.
[Pen your application to scholarships for aspiring poets and writers.]
— Connect to social media: Use your biography to link to your social media channels. Use this time to also clean up each of your social media profiles before including them in your biography. Delete any inappropriate photos or posts with foul language.
This is also a great opportunity to sign up for LinkedIn, if you haven’t already. LinkedIn allows you to show off your achievements and market yourself professionally. It can also provide the opportunity for you to connect with companies offering scholarships.
— Fill your portfolio: Now that you’ve customized your portfolio, select the writing pieces you wish to spotlight. You should aim to include a minimum of five to 10 pieces in your portfolio. These should be the pieces you are most proud of, such as papers you received an A on or articles featured in the school newspaper.
Try to select pieces you’ve written in different styles and that are focused on different subjects. It’s important to demonstrate for scholarship providers that you are versatile.
— Apply for scholarships: With your portfolio in hand, your final step is to apply for scholarships. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, for example, offer college-bound high school seniors with an art or writing portfolio a variety of scholarships to apply to.
There are two levels of awards — the high-dollar Gold Medal Portfolio and the Silver Medal with Distinction Portfolio.
The $10,000 Gold Medal Portfolio awards are given to 16 students, half of which are writers. Recipients are those whose work best exemplifies the Scholastic Awards’ core criteria, which are technical skill, originality and the emergence of a personal vision or voice. Applicants must submit eight pieces, which may fall into 10 different categories, including humor, journalism and poetry.
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The Silver Medal with Distinction Portfolio awards are presented to 30 students every year, and applicants should submit entries in the same categories as the Gold Medal Portfolio. Silver medal scholarship winners receive $1,000.
If one of your portfolio pieces is a short story or even a novel, consider applying for the Unpublished Writer Award, which Go On Girl! Book Club awards to aspiring novelists. Applicants must submit an unpublished short story or excerpt of a novel up to 2,000 words, double spaced.
Winners receive $1,000 and an invitation to attend the awards ceremony. They will also have their work published in the Magajournal and quarterly newsletter.
Other scholarships are available that allow you to demonstrate your writing skills on specific topics. For example, the Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest provides the opportunity to win one of five $1,000 scholarships by writing an essay on a predetermined Signet Classics novel.
The contest is open to high school juniors and seniors attending school in the U.S. and to home-school students who are U.S. residents. An English teacher must verify the essay and submit it on the applicant’s behalf.
Submitting a writing portfolio with a scholarship application gives scholarship providers more insight into who you are as both a person and a writer. And be sure to keep your portfolio updated — it could even help you land an internship or a job in the future.
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Create a Portfolio for College Writing Scholarships originally appeared on usnews.com
