Jan. 17, 2017
ASRT members applying for scholarships often wonder how they can make their applications stand out during the selection process. As the incoming chairman of the ASRT Foundation Scholarship Review Committee, and one of the volunteers who has reviewed hundreds of applications, there are a few suggestions I can offer to help your scholarship application get attention.
One of the easiest ways to stand out is to make sure to share your short-term and long-term professional goals with the committee. Foundation scholarships are competitive, and the committee looks for applicants who are highly involved in the profession and have clear goals for their careers. Also include how you plan to achieve your goals. This shows the committee that you have put some real thought into them and are dedicated to reaching them.
Provide specific examples to questions that ask about your demonstrated leadership skills, service in the community or other areas of involvement. If you provide the committee with specific examples of how you are involved in the profession or times when you were able to be a leader, it will show the review committee the impact you may have on the profession if you are awarded a scholarship.
Share your passion about the radiologic technology profession. You really want to show what motivates you to succeed as an R.T. and that you are dedicated to becoming the best professional you can be. Along those same lines, you should express what motivates you or fuels your desire to provide excellent patient care. Committee members need to feel confident that you have the drive to stay in the profession and be an asset to the health care team.
In addition, be sure to answer each question completely. If a question has more than one part, take care to address all components of the question in your response. An incomplete response to a question might make the reviewers question your attention to detail.
My last piece of advice is to showcase your best writing skills. We don’t expect you to be a novelist or grammar teacher, but it is not difficult to sort out the applications that were written at the last minute or rushed. Rushed applications usually contain errors that would have been caught by the applicants had they taken time to review what they’d written. Make sure to start the application process early to allow plenty of time for proofreading so that your best writing shines through.
The future of our profession depends on advancing educational opportunities for outstanding individuals like you. If you or someone you know could benefit from a Foundation scholarship, take advantage of or share this scholarship opportunity and the advice I have shared with you.
Learn more about Foundation scholarships, including eligibility and how to apply.