It’s never too early to start applying for scholarships. At a time when many families are struggling with the financial burden of college, scholarships can be a lifeline for students who need help paying for school. And while scholarship competition can be fierce, there are ways to make yourself stand out—and win. Here are some expert tips on how you can get started:

Make Your Essay Stand Out

To be the scholarship winner, you must make your essay stand out, according to Charles Kirkland. Follow these tips to make sure your application is memorable:

  • Be creative and original. Don’t use clichés or buzzwords that everyone else uses in their essays. For example, if you’re applying for a scholarship in creative writing and everyone starts their essay with “I love to write,” then don’t do it! Find another way to express yourself and make an impression on the judges that will help them remember who wrote what (and how).
  • Write from the heart. Show passion for what you want to do by sharing stories about past experiences or successes that were related to this field of study; these can include volunteer work at the local animal shelter or tutoring younger children after school hours when they need extra help learning math facts like adding two numbers together (or whatever else).

The Right Mindset And Planning

If you want to win a scholarship, then it’s important that you have the right mindset and plan, says Charles Kirkland. With this in mind, here are five tips for landing a scholarship:

  • Be willing to learn and apply yourself. The best way to achieve success is by working hard at what interests you and learning all that there is about your field of study. You should never stop learning or growing as an individual because this will help prepare yourself for any opportunity that comes along later down the road.
  • Be willing to take risks! Sometimes taking risks means going outside of your comfort zone but this can also lead directly towards achieving success if done correctly–and even better when combined with other skills listed above!

Make The Most Of Opportunities To Learn

  • Take advantage of your school’s resources. Get to know your teachers and counselors. You may be surprised by how much they can help you find scholarships, but it’s important that you make yourself available to them as well. You’ll want to do some research and be prepared with an outline or list of questions before meeting with them so that their time isn’t wasted on a general conversation about college plans that doesn’t yield any immediate results for either party involved in the meeting (you or them).
  • Start early! Don’t wait until senior year before starting the process of applying for scholarships; if possible, begin researching scholarship opportunities in ninth grade or earlier so that by junior year when most students start thinking about where they want to attend college and what kind of financial aid package might be available from each school option–you’ve already got plenty of information under your belt!