How to End a Scholarship Essay in Five Steps
Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a Scholarships360 writer who focuses on scholarships and financial aid. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency. Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.The end of a scholarship essay is one of the most important sections. It’s the part of the essay that leaves an impression on the reader, and it gives you the best chance of standing out from the other applications. It’s a great opportunity to make new connections between your points and drive your case home. This guide will show you how to end a scholarship essay in five steps allowing you to close in the most effective and succinct way!
Further reading: How to write a winning scholarship essay
1. Recall your introduction
You can view your conclusion as a companion to your introduction. While an introduction provides a quick survey of the main points you’ll go over in your body paragraphs, a conclusion takes all of these points to the next level, without being bogged down in the details.
See also: How to start a scholarship essay
2. Build on past points, don’t repeat them
In your conclusion, you should focus on elevating the points you have made throughout the essay rather than restating them. At this point in the essay, you can assume that your reader already knows the basis of your case as a candidate. Use this opportunity to reference your past points, reflect on them, and take them to the next level. Your conclusion should tie your anecdotes together and emphasize any common themes.
EXAMPLE: A physics student may have told a story about being fascinated by Isaac Newton in elementary school and another story about an experiment they performed at a science program in high school. They could use their conclusion to emphasize a life-long fascination with physics, and what has motivated them to stick with it.
Also read: How to write a scholarship cover letter
3. Discuss your plans for the future
Make sure that your reader knows you have plans for your future career, and that you will continue to pursue your passions even after college. Emphasize how this scholarship would help you to achieve those plans, so they realize that by granting you this scholarship, they will help create a success story.
EXAMPLE: The physics student from the previous example could tie in their past stories towards their goals for the future. This could name a specific field of study they hope to pursue within physics, a graduate school they hope to attend, or a scientist they’d like to work for. The more succinct and specific, the better.
4. Thank your reader for their time
At the end of a scholarship essay, it’s a good idea to leave a gracious impression upon your reader. Make sure that your reader knows that you appreciate the time they spent reading your essay, and the opportunity being presented to you.
Also read: How to write an essay about yourself
5. Remember to proofread!
As you finish writing that last sentence, you might think that you are done with your essay, but there is one more very important step. Make sure to proofread your work to correct for any typos and to ensure that your ideas flow logically and smoothly into one another.
During this step, it’s a great idea to consult someone to read your essay over. After working on an essay for a while, it becomes difficult to see any opportunities for improvement. A fresh set of eyes can point out mistakes that you have begun to take for granted as you read through your essay over and over.
You could try asking a friend, family member, teacher, or advisor for help. It may help to take a break from your essay for a few days, and look back at it yourself. Once you’ve implemented these edits, you should be ready to submit. By now, you know how to end a scholarship essay in five steps. Best of luck!
