The application is your lifeline to college scholarships. Without a well written and structured scholarship application, the chance of you getting any college scholarships is virtually zero. Scholarships are very important in this day and age, with the economic pressures pushing down harder than ever.

There are many college scholarships available so you have the chance to apply for more than one.

The key to your chances of receiving a scholarship will be your application. There will be thousands of candidates for the scholarship you have applied for and your scholarship application will determine whether you are a worthy candidate or just one of the many hopefuls.

Here are 7 killer tips to help you apply for college scholarships.

1.    Get the Applications in Advance:

Most of the colleges send their application packets to you at home and you have to request for them to send it. It is better that you ask for one as soon as the commencement date comes so that you have the application in your hands well before the deadline date and before many others will even request for it.

2.    Read the Application Carefully

There is a chance that you will be applying for more than one college scholarships. Most of the students go for this option. The problem is that the requirements differ from college to college, so it is vital that you read each application carefully so that you can understand what they require from you.

3.    Type

It is better to type than handwrite because the error detection becomes easier. It is crucial that your application for college scholarships looks as neat and tidy as possible and if you have an illegible scrawl, don’t even think of writing on the application.

4.    Recommendation Letters

Besides your personal statement, the letters of recommendation have the most bearing on your cause. It is better to get as many letters of recommendation as you can but make sure that they are all from relevant people whose assessment and acknowledgment of your academic aptitude will be impartial. It is necessary to avoid generic stuff and that the letters are posted on time.

5.    Extracurricular Activities

Not only will your academic achievements add credibility to your application, you should mention all the extracurricular activities you have been a part of. There are college scholarships for athletes and if you have any achievements in sports, make sure you highlight them prominently. You just might sneak in with a sports scholarship.

6.    Personal Statement

Your personal statement should be well written and about you only. This means that you write it yourself and include as much about yourself as possible without indulging in self praise. The personal statement is the deciding factor and make sure you write it as well as you can.

7.    Deadlines

The most important thing is that you make sure that your application is mailed or posted at least one week before the deadline date.

Doing it before that will give you an even better chance of getting college scholarships since your application will be amongst the first ones to be assessed.