Scholarship Application Tip Sheet
The application begins with several simple questions and then leads into the essay section.
Personal statement
This is your opportunity to show the review committees that you can think critically, write coherently, and clearly depict your personal mission or perspective. Washington State University welcomes and recognizes students with diverse cultural backgrounds, personal perspectives, and areas of interest. All applicants should complete the questions that require six short responses of about 100 words each.
Note: you can use the same responses you used for your personal statement in your admission application.
The online application will time out after eight hours, so we strongly suggest that you complete your text in a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word, and then paste it into the appropriate area of the application. This can prevent you from having to recreate the essay should a system error occur, as you will have a saved copy.
Remember:
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Exhibit your best work.
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Number each response.
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Use plain text only (no bold or underline, etc.)
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Please do not identify yourself within the body of the essays.
Personal statement questions
Using about 100 words or less for each question, please address your experience in each of the following categories, keeping in mind how you can contribute to the future community of excellence at Washington State University.
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Leadership/group contributions: Describe examples of your leadership experience and share how you have significantly influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time. Consider responsibilities you have taken for initiatives taken in or out of school.
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Knowledge or creativity in a field: Describe any of your special interests and how you have developed knowledge in these areas. Give examples of your creativity: the ability to see alternatives; take diverse perspectives; come up with many, varied, or original ideas; or willingness to try new things.
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Dealing with adversity: Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to address this challenge. Include whether you turned to anyone in facing that challenge, the role that person played, and what you learned about yourself.
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Community service: Explain what you have done to make your community a better place to live. Give examples of specific projects in which you have been involved over time.
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Handling systemic challenges: Describe your experiences facing or witnessing discrimination. Tell us how you responded, what you learned from those experiences, and how they have prepared you to contribute to the WSU community.
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Goals/task commitment: Articulate the goals you have established for yourself and your efforts to accomplish these. Give at least one specific example that demonstrates your work ethic/diligence.
Student Profile
Part 1
This area contains 21 yes/no questions, which ask about your interests, involvement in various organizations, and life experiences.
Part 2
You will be asked two specific questions about your intended major, then you will be asked to briefly state your career interests and aspirations. Limit your response to 100 words or less.
Part 3
In Part 3 you will be asked to prioritize your top six experiences in the areas of leadership, responsibility, contribution to community and family, and co-curricular involvement over the last three years. You should be prepared to list dates of service, job titles, and names of supervisors. If you maintain a portfolio of these experiences or if you have a resume, it may help to have it nearby.
Part 4
Participation in research and creative projects is important for undergraduate and graduate students at Washington State University. In this section, you will be asked to list your participation in research or creative projects, laboratories, hospitals, and clinics. Please do not include class-assigned research papers in this section. Note: Many students will leave this section blank.
Acceptance Confirmation
Once you have completed the application, click on “Submit Application.”
Please wait for confirmation that your application has been received.