Prospective students considering the field of nursing will find the career rewarding. Financial support for students in the nursing field is also abundant, if the student does the proper research.

Although, there is a shortage of nurses; competition still exists.

Therefore, the applicant for a scholarship or a nursing program must prepare an application that the reviewer will remember and recognize. The essay portion of any application is a perfect opportunity to communicate the student’s skill level, excellence and individuality.

Essay writing preparation involves a number of steps

Determine the Audience of the Essay

The applicant must first identify his or her reviewing audience. Once the student determines the audience, decide what would motivate a reviewer in this field to award a scholarship to an individual. Gather facts related to the particular organization awarding the scholarship, the field the student is pursuing, and the essay topic. Brainstorm to identify any relevant facts that could persuade an individual to accept the student to a program or award the student a scholarship.

Develop an Outline for the Essay

Prepare an outline using the facts gathered in the first stage of the essay development. Incorporate the student’s ability to meet the requirements set forth in the application guidelines. Think of examples of how the student’s lifestyle and academic performance is in congruence with the agenda of the awarding organization. The student should incorporate as much information as possible to convince the reviewer, while still addressing the essay topic. If the organization has a set of guidelines or principles in print, obtain a copy and incorporate the principles, if within the scope of the topic.

The essay should follow a logical progression of information presented. The essay should include an Introduction, a Body, and a Conclusion. The reader needs to know if the writer possesses adequate writing skills and thought processes.

The Introduction

The introduction needs to immediately catch the reader’s attention. The introduction should introduce the main points to be discussed in the body of the essay. For instance, if the essay asks the applicant to describe why the student would like to be a nurse, then the introduction should include two to three main points addressing this topic. Each point introduced will be expounded upon later in the body of the essay.

Sentences should be clear and succinct, yet informative. The reader must understand the writer’s topic within the first few sentences. The student may focus the essay around a relevant quote from a book related to the essay topic or an idea or concept that may be compelling to the reader.

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation should be perfect. This is the first step in any writing process. The essay is akin to meeting the applicant for the first time. The applicant wants to leave a positive impression. Poor grammar and spelling will leave the reader a negative impression of applicant.

The Body

The body should provide the details of the main points given in the introduction. The applicant should use these paragraphs to convince the reader why he or she should be chosen for the program or the scholarship. This is the applicant’s moment to persuade the reader. Use these two to three paragraphs to convince the reader to select the student. Cite examples to give the reader a clearer picture of the student’s credentials.

The applicant should use the body of the essay to demonstrate examples of the applicant’s character, goals, and inspirations, such as role models, parents, grandparents, etc. The essay should also indicate the student’s interest in the field of nursing.

The Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize the points made within the body of the essay. The conclusion should demonstrate how each of the main points assisted in developing the applicant into the candidate of choice. Tell the reader why the applying student should be selected over other students based upon the information presented. This is the final opportunity to convince the essay reader. Therefore, the student should make the argument compelling.

Review and Revise the Essay

After the student finishes the rough draft of the essay, begin the revision process. Read and reread the essay to determine if the essay communicates what the student intended. Once the student has revised the essay, then the student should allow three to four other individuals to read the essay. Allow those individuals to read the essay for content, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Make certain your readers are qualified to judge for grammar, content, punctuation, and spelling. Consider each person’s constructive criticism. Incorporate the reader’s comments, if they are congruent with the student’s essay goals.

If the student accurately anticipates the essay reader’s expectations, the essay reader will enjoy reading the essay and remember the applicant. While determining the views of the essay reader is a valid strategy, the student should also develop an essay that is unique. A unique essay will be remembered by the essay reviewer. The reader will be more likely to select the applicant as a finalist in the essay review process.

If the student follows the guidelines set forth in the article, he or she should prepare a well constructed essay and argument. This will convince the reader to select the applicant for the nursing scholarship or program.

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