Scholarship Essay Samples

Read these scholarship essay samples to get inspired to write your best college scholarship essay.

Most students dread writing those all important essays for scholarships and college admissions. Even students who can write great essays in their English class, or write great articles for the student newspaper can get stumped when asked to write a scholarship essay.

Last updated on July 26, 2024 by College Financial Aid Advice.

Sample Essay Scholarships

Here are some scholarship essay tips, but more importantly, check out the scholarship essay samples below.

Basic Tips for Scholarship Essays

1. Focus on the theme.

2. Show passion.

4. Be specific.

5. No sob stories.

6. Proofread and edit.


Scholarship Essay Samples

One of the best ways to get inspired to write your essay, is to see some examples of college essays. Just click on the link to read the full scholarship essay sample.

My Nursing Dream

I was 13 years old when I first realized I wanted to become a nurse. I attended “bring your daughter to work day” and was sitting at the nurse’s station looking at nurses care for newborns. My heart was instantly filled with love and excitement and at that very moment I knew ...

My Mom Influenced My Life

Family is an extraordinarily important aspect of my life. My mother, above everyone else in my life, has had a significant influence on me. My mom has said that if the whole world turns their back on you, your family will always be there for you. She has always…

The Virtue of Hard Work

When I was only thirteen years old, I was nominated to be a student ambassador to France, Italy, and Malta. The tuition for said trip would put me back $6,000; an amount of money that scarcely any thirteen year old has seen, much less could produce. Upon my nomination, my parents informed me…

Someone Who had Significant Influence on Me

As I nervously sat in a dark corner of the emergency room awaiting the doctor’s decision, I heard my heart pounding uncontrollably. Fear began to take over my originally optimistic disposition, and I became despondent. The thought of losing…

Time

If you want to know the value of a hundredth of a second, ask an Olympic Silver Medalist. If you want to know the value of a second, ask a person who just avoided an automobile accident. If you want to know the value of a minute, ask…

Kindness Is a Choice

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau - This simple thought guides me each day: why be mean, when you can choose kindness? The virtue of kindness is often overlooked by my generation. Kindness might be as simple as…

Young and Free

What would you do if you were a genius? That was the essay prompt given to my eighth grade class just one month before we hit high school. World domination, write with the greats, and cure cancer. Those were the answers Ashley gave, and – just four short days later – she…

My Experience of Growing Up With CMT

My name is Derek. I am a first year student at St. Petersburg College in Florida. Currently I am seeking an Associate Degree in Information Technology Security. I will then transfer to…

A Chance at LIFE!

“What did you do this past summer vacation?” The typical first-day-of-school-question in almost every English class. It never fails! Most responses lack significance simply because many students fail to realize that in school, every question becomes…

Rising Out of the Depths

My journey through the quagmire of financial aid was quite an ordeal. I became homeless when I was 18 and went on to be homeless until age 22. Throughout this period I had struggled to continue going to a community college in an effort to…

One Year Later

Someone told me that where your mind wanders is where you heart truly lies. And I hope that's true. When my mind wanders, which it does frequently, I think of them. Of their laughter. Of their faces. Of their …

My Story Is Important

I am a fighter because I never give up no matter what, I know that in life there are obstacles, I have faced a few myself, but it was not about the obstacle, but more about overcoming it. Every since I was a little child I always wondered…

My Future Journey – College Essay

As I face my last few weeks of high school and my future journey to college, I look back on the events that have taken me to this point. I have always been Elizabeth, home schooled student…

The Story of My Life

My story starts when I was twelve. On November 12, 2014 I underwent a craniotomy to remove the golf-ball sized brain tumor squashing my…

Social Networking in Today’s Society

Each day more users join in search of new friends and experiences. Seventy-three percent of all teens in America have profiles on at least one social media site. Websites like Facebook and…

The Quiet Cheerleader - Personal Growth Essay

Public speaking has never been my thing. I have always been on the quiet side when in class or around people I do not know and talking in front of a crowd terrified me. However, I have also loved to...

The Best Job in the World – What Inspires You in Life Essay

It started one day in fourth grade when my class had moved our chairs into a circle and were reading aloud from The Cricket in Times Square. It was my turn to read so I focused my eyes on the page and opened my mouth to start speaking, but my voice came out as a siren. Dismayed and slightly worried…

The First of Many

As a vocalist and an individual who generally loves music, I must say that the weekend in March 2023, was my quintessential vision of heaven on earth. I took a ride to…

Frustration with Final Exams

During my sophomore year, I was part of a disappointing incident that put a small blemish on my overall high school career. But, I would later become extremely grateful for the incident…


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