Being asked to participate in a scholarship interview is outstanding news. Typically, it means your child is a finalist for a substantial award from a prestigious organization, which is certainly worth celebrating. But the idea of facing scholarship interview questions can be very anxiety-inducing for your student, especially when there is a lot of money on the line.
If you and your child would like to learn more about applying for scholarships using our 6-step method that has helped other families secure nearly $1million so far, sign up for our free college scholarship webinar today! It’s a great way to learn about the process and see how scholarships can help your student graduate from college debt-free!
S01E03 – 2021 Evans Scholarship Recipients
Can You Provide an Example of a Time You Overcame Adversity?
Committees ask scholarship interview questions like this to assess how your child handles challenges. They want to know that your student has persevered during a difficult time, and the response doesn’t necessarily need to relate to their studies.
One thing your child should avoid is using their grades as an example, except under extenuating circumstances. Saying that they raised a “C” to an “A” isn’t necessarily very impactful, and is actually a common experience without a particularly dramatic catalyst, like a severe long-term injury or illness that kept them out of the classroom.
Instead, your student should answer scholarship interview questions like this one with an example of a time when they were in an incredibly uncomfortable situation.
Confronting a bully or battling against discrimination could be powerful instances of overcoming adversity, as well as sudden financial or family changes that resulted in true hardship.
Almost anything is more interesting than discussing grades without some serious context, so have your child dig deep and think of a more intriguing example for these sorts of scholarship interview questions.
Here are a few more articles to make sure your child is submitting their most competitive scholarship application possible:
Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
No, this or similar scholarship interview questions aren’t asking your child to predict the future. Instead, it’s the committee’s way of determining if your student has a plan or is just going with the flow in life.
Typically, creating an answer involves your child considering where they want to be or what they want to have achieved in that time. For example, your student may have the goal of getting a Bachelor’s degree and then finding a particular kind of job or finishing their four-year degree and pursuing one at the graduate level.
Whatever their plan, your student needs to take the committee on a journey with their response. Instead of simply saying, “I expect to have my degree and get a job in this field,” your child should include some of the details.
Do they plan on finding an internship to gain experience while in school? Are they joining a club that will give them valuable skills?
Scholarship interview questions, such as this one, require a thorough response that touches on each step between point A and point B, so adding details is the key to a well-crafted answer.
In The Scholarship System course, we always stress the importance of showing students are a good ‘investment’ and that they will make the most of the money for college. This question is a great opportunity to show that.
Frequently Asked Scholarship Interview Questions
While this is really more of a prompt than a question, it is an incredibly important moment in the interview process.
Typically, the scholarship committee uses this as an icebreaker, giving your student a chance to describe themselves and set themselves apart from other candidates.
While this isn’t one of the scholarship interview questions with an inherent right or wrong answer, that doesn’t mean your child shouldn’t prepare their response. Generally, the best approach is to go over key points in their resume or transcripts that speak directly to what the scholarship is all about.
For example, if the award is limited to students pursuing degrees in the sciences, then your child should discuss their background in the subject and why they are enthusiastic about the field. But, they shouldn’t stop there. Ideally, your student needs to include details about how their interest in the subject led them to do something unique, like how an interest in chemistry led them to explore molecular gastronomy and create an Instagram feed devoted to the topic.
This approach provides the committee with important information in a standout way while staying largely dedicated to the topics that would interest them most.
FAQ
How hard is it to get the Evans Scholarship?
Is Evans Scholarship need based?
How do you apply for Evans Scholarship?
The Evans Scholarship is a full tuition and housing college scholarship for high-achieving caddies with limited financial means. To qualify, caddies must meet the requirements of having a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.
