SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY TIPS

The 2026 application is OPEN and will CLOSE FEBRUARY 24 at 11:59 pm

The essay is part of your composite score. The composite score often serves as a “tie-breaker” when there are many students that meet a donor’s criteria. Other elements of the composite score are academics and activities. While you can’t go back in time to change your 9th grade GPA - you can write a great essay TODAY! This will improve your composite score and improve your chances at getting a scholarship!

Before you get started by choosing an essay below… your essay must be written by you (not AI, not a parent, etc.). Review our full AI statement at the bottom of this page if you want any questions. Now - pick a topic and let us know all about you!

• Discuss something you have done that made a difference in your community.

• Discuss a special attribute or accomplishment that sets you apart.

• Pick an experience from your own life and explain how it has influenced you.

• What ideas do you have to improve racial equity or address social justice issues within the Eagan community or within your school?

What do we look for?  

o   Write on one of the topics provided (don’t just submit a random essay) and write the topic at the head of your essay (one page singled spaced or two pages double spaced)

o   Mechanics and Grammar – good sentence structure, punctuation, spelling/typos

o   Overall Flow/Organization (well thought-out, has a beginning, middle, and end)

o   Quality/quantity of the response:

• our reviewers look for a substantive response (one full page single spaced or two pages double spaced) and

• dynamic response (multiple supporting points, great details, insightful observations

Other Tips

o   Keep it interesting - Consider writing about something unique to you! Many students write about their driver’s test for example but that is a broadly shared experience. Is there anything more unique to your experiences that you can share?

o   Be creative! Try to have a unique opening, employ metaphors, and use vivid details

*AI Statement Your essay must be written by you (not AI, not a parent, etc.) and must reflect your own experiences, thinking, and creativity. We know you have many writing tools at your disposal. Our goal isn’t a generic “perfect" essay - our goal is to understand YOU. Write your own essay, do multiple drafts, proofread it, but know that we want your unique voice to shine through. We value authenticity over polish.