Did you recently receive a scholarship at your High School Senior Awards Night?  You may consider sending the donor a thank-you note expressing your appreciation.  Though it may not be required by your college of choice (though some are beginning to mandate it as noted in today's Inside Higher Ed article), it is important to remember that the scholarships you are receiving are being donated by actual people.  Oftentimes a scholarship has been established in the name of a loved one that has passed, or someone in the community that wants to help young people attain their dream of receiving a college education.  Organizations who offer sc holarships would love to know how the money that they have donated will help you as you head off to college.

Beyond encouraging students to send letters of thanks, this article also references that some high school students are unsure what to include in a thank-you letter because they are not used to writing them.  What are your thoughts?  If you are a student, do you know what to include in one and do you take the time to send them (not only for scholarship purposes, but for other reasons as well)? 

If you are unsure what to include, I want to help you out.  Begin by talking a little bit about yourself, what you are studying and your extracurricular activities.  Then explain how receiving the scholarship has helped you.  It doesn’t have to be lengthy, but a couple of paragraphs will go a long way towards making the organization feel appreciated, and may encourage them to keep offering scholarships to other deserving students. 

While applying for scholarships can be a lengthy process, it can be rewarding and meaningful as you pay for college.  Congratulations if you have received scholarships.

Show your appreciation today,
Val