Rewarding Character

In today’s competitive landscape, high school seniors applying to colleges and for coveted scholarships may find it difficult to stand out from the crowd.

Perhaps it is the result of a couple of decades of power parenting, in which an entire generation has been raised to believe they must perform or perish, but the pressure on students today to resume-build is enormous. The outcome: applications that are quantitatively impressive, but lack character.

Ah, character, that forgotten trait; so lost in our accomplished world that it rarely comes up on college or scholarship applications. Questions like: “What accomplishment are you most proud of?” have nudged out any consideration of moral fiber. And yet, when scholarship committees are asked why certain applicants are chosen for awards, the typical answer seems to focus on it.

“It’s not about the numbers,” said John Schwietz, Director of Development for Minnesota Masonic Charities (MMC) and a member of the organization’s Scholarships Selection Committee. “We represent the charitable interests of Minnesota Masonry, and Masonry is all about building a strong character. So it’s not necessarily about your GPA or the length of your list of achievements, it’s about your values.”

Indeed, MMC’s so bent on the concept, its singular essay question on many of its scholarship applications simply asks, “What are your values and how do you apply them?”

“We find that the essays are more genuine and thoughtful,” said Schwietz. “They tend to reflect who the student really is and give us an idea of their potential. People who facilitate change in the world aren’t always the straight-A students or the captains of the football team. It’s the kid that helps an elderly person across the street. It’s the person who does good deeds without anyone looking.”

Schwietz also points to letters of recommendation when searching for applicants of strong character.

“The letters that express a stand-out quality about the student, those are the ones that make an impact,” said Schwietz. “I’ve already got the student’s class schedule. I don’t need to know they took Calculus with you. What I want to know is, will you remember that student? Why?”

Minnesota Masonic Charities is one of the largest providers of scholarships for high school seniors and undergraduates in the state. In 2014, the organization plans to distribute over $700,000 in awards – all of them renewable and substantive. For example, MMC’s Signature Scholarships provide $5,000 annually for up to four years to recipients. The MMC Scholarships Program runs from November 1, 2013 to February 15, 2014. Interested applicants may find forms and additional information online at www.MnMasonicCharities.org.

                  Only quality characters need apply.

Tips for the Over-extended Undergrad

To attend their colleges of choice, today’s high school students must cobble together a number of funding options to foot the bill – financial aid, loans, work-study programs and scholarships. Of these, scholarships is the wild card opportunity that often makes forward planning difficult -- some scholarships pay a little, some pay a lot, some pay for one year, some are renewable – and that’s if you’re competitive enough to be awarded one at all.

     Once nestled into their freshman cribs, undergraduate students may make the mistake of slacking on administering to their funding streams, only to find that some have dried up when its time to pay for sophomore year.  Some fail to meet the criteria of their scholarships. Others forget to apply for renewal awards. And others simply don’t want to bother with the tedious application process that accompanies piecing together their meal ticket.

     “It can be a full-time job just to keep track of funding sources and to research what else is available,” said Eric J. Neetenbeek, President and CEO of Minnesota Masonic Charities. “The good news is, there are some excellent opportunities for those looking for scholarships at the undergraduate level.”

     Neetenbeek knows of what he speaks: Minnesota Masonic Charities has provided generous and renewable scholarships to high school seniors for many years in an effort to continue Minnesota Masonry’s commitment to higher education. This year, the MMC Scholarships Program added scholarship awards for undergraduates. In all, ten college students will receive $2,000 undergraduate awards from Minnesota Masonic Charities in 2014, which are annually renewable. The program will collectively offer 85 scholarships totaling over $700,000 this year.  Neetenbeek would like to see the MMC Scholarships Program expand to $1 million in award offerings by 2018.

     “Once in college, it has become financially difficult for a lot of students to stay in,” said Neetenbeek. “We follow our scholars. We believe in them. And we wanted our scholarships to enable students to complete their educations, not just start them.”

     Here, Neetenbeek offers some scholarly advice for undergrads:

Keep track

     Create a spreadsheet that outlines each school year, the funding source, all contact information and the amount of aid you can reasonably expect from each source.

Read the fine print

     Make sure you understand the parameters of your loans, work-study expectations and all scholarship program criteria. Many scholarship awards require some kind of status reporting from recipients. For example, Minnesota Masonic Charities asks Masonic Scholars to submit annual renewal forms and current transcripts.

Keep up your grades

     You might have earned good grades freshman year, but if your GPA takes a dive thereafter, so might your award funding. Be clear about what grade point average you need to maintain, and be sure you do so.

Know your deadlines

     Add another column to your spreadsheet that lists renewal application deadlines, loan payment dates and other requirements.

Find alternatives

     Consider other funding opportunities. Stay up-to-date on available scholarship offerings and grants. If one of your sources falls apart, you’ll have a better chance of supplementing your funds and avoiding gaps in your education.

Prepping for the Scholarship Application

As the many scholarships programs kick off, it is a good time to consider how to make the most of your  application.

Although most scholarship applications require similar components -- application form, essay(s), letters of recommendation and test scores – how an applicant addresses these components can mean the difference between a solid submission and one that is overlooked. Some things you should know:

The Application Form

Think of the Application Form as your resume; it is your introduction to the grant-making organization and so, should reflect who you are and what you’ve accomplished.

That said, the Application Form is not the place to try out your new, multi-colored gel pens or artistic skills. Minnesota Masonic Charities (MMC) often receives scholarship applications that look as if they should be framed, not read. It is never a surprise that what these applications make up for in aesthetic appeal, they lack in substance.

Fill out your application online, if possible, or legibly by hand, if necessary. Use black ink. Answer questions fully and simply. Remember: an incomplete application is a disqualified application. Check to make sure you’ve answered every question. Then check again.

Include all relevant information, but don’t overstate your case. If you served food at a soup kitchen, say so; “managed culinary distribution at a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the gastronomy of those in need” just makes scholarship committees wonder what else you’re exaggerating. Keep it simple.

The Numbers

If applications require that you send test scores and/or high school transcripts, make those requests before you submit your application. A scholarship committee likes to see this kind of proactive approach and appreciates that all application components have been submitted on time.

A note about test score or GPA requirements:  Yes, it stinks that a mere number can dictate who is worthy of scholarship consideration and who is not. You may be the best thing since butter met bread, and your ACT score may only be slightly lower than the required score to apply, but no, MMC cannot accommodate special cases, and neither will most grant makers. Truth is, the pool of wonderful candidates is a vast one; without at least one qualifying marker, the selection process would be next to impossible. So do yourself and the selection committee a favor: if you don’t make the cut, don’t apply.

Recommendations

Scholarship candidates may view this qualification as an afterthought, but selection committees do not. Often, letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors and community leaders can make or break an otherwise-vanilla application. And while scholarship applicants have no control over what their references communicate about them, they have absolute authority over who does the communicating. First rule of thumb: choose your references wisely.

Most scholarship candidates know those teachers they’d feel most comfortable approaching for this task. Consider not only your relationship with the teacher, but also what they can share about you, your accomplishments and abilities. If the application calls for letters of recommendation from other sources – extra-curricular or community leaders – find those that can speak to projects in which you’ve played leadership roles or circumstances that demonstrate what sets you apart from the pack. 

Teachers and counselors are usually inundated with requests for recommendations, so make their jobs as easy as possible. Supply them with addressed and stamped envelopes, a resume, and clearly articulate procedures and deadlines. Ask for recommendations early in the game so that yours are first among the many letters your references must write.

The Essay

Scores of books have been written espousing the tricks to writing winning essays (see our Resources section for some good essay guides). There’s good reason for all of the fuss: the essay can be a deciding factor between competing applications.

What makes the essay so important is also one of the key reasons why many essays fail: it is the only real insight a selection committee has into who you are and what you value. Given its significance, the essay can take on a life of its own, compelling applicants to submit excessive or overwritten dissertations that lack personality and authenticity. Even an essay that is well-written but largely antiseptic can be passed over for one that may be less grammatically finessed, but more genuine. A good guideline: be yourself.

When approaching the essay question, first think about your authentic response. If the question is Why do you believe you should receive this scholarship?, your truthful answer may be Because I need the money. Delve into your answer further: Do you need funding because of extenuating circumstances? Have you overcome those circumstances in any meaningful way? Consider how the true you would respond to the question, not the person you believe the selection committee is looking for.

Putting your authentic foot forward doesn’t mean forgoing formalities. A good essay should communicate who you are and how seriously you take the process. Edit and proofread your work and be sure to have a friend or family member look it over as well. Nothing says “pass” to a selection committee more readily than a typo that could have been avoided with spellcheck.