A strong application is made up of some or all of the following: essays (often including a personal statement and a statement of purpose), references, transcripts, CV/resume, and interviews. Provided here are some guidelines to help you craft your application materials. OSU has staff and faculty available to help you prepare the strongest possible application.

Preparing a competitive scholarship application takes a great deal of time and effort. However, applicants to these awards have stated time and again that the time spent thinking and writing about their future plans was well worth the effort, whether they were awarded a scholarship or not. If you plan to apply to graduate schools or interview with prospective employers, the application process for these awards can provide you with valuable written application materials and interview experience.  When you write your scholarship application essays, you will have to consider and then reconsider and define your future plans and goals.