Parents would love to do everything to help their kids succeed in life. However, the vital question is when it comes to children’s scholarship application, how much should you get involved? Yes, there is a line that you can end up crossing, and that will hurt your kid’s chances. If you face this dilemma of how much is too much when trying to get involved in your kid’s scholarship application, read on.
In the following post, we have carefully selected the vital pointers for parents when looking at a scholarship like the Josh Gibson MD Scholarship for their kids.
Don’t handle the essay yourself
You might be thinking that the best way to help your kid is by completing the application and the essays yourself. However, this is a strict no. Keep in mind that the scholarship committee will, in all probability, have experts who will figure it out pretty soon. Never assume that you can slip the application past them however hard you try.
Help with the scholarship searches – Josh Gibson MD Scholarship
The first challenge is identifying the right scholarship for your kid. This is where you can help the most as you can search alongside them. You have better experience dealing with the internet, and even in your quiet time, you can ask around and within your network. You can attend free webinars to know more about the best scholarships out there.
Assist with the organization
Every scholarship will have a deadline, application requirements, letters of recommendation, and various other aspects that might become cumbersome for your child to deal with. You can help your kid by keeping track of the events and the schedule so that the deadline and other details aren’t missed.
Motivate and inspire your kid
Achieving a scholarship is not easy work. It will require hard work and time. Your kid will need to research topics and articles to write the essay, and it is easy to get frustrated while performing such challenging tasks. You can help to push your kid by inspiring and motivating them with real-life examples and gifts. There are several ways to boost your kid, and for the best results, you can try to think outside the box. Here are a few great options to motivate your child.
- Cash
- Wardrobe update
- Time off during the weekends
- Trips to their favorite restaurant
- Match the scholarship dollar as a gift
From gifts to pets, anything works as a reward as long as your kid is excited about it.
Work with a proof-reader
Keep in mind that there is nothing more important than the application essay for securing the scholarship. That is where you need to understand that for getting selected, you need to get the article checked by a professional proof-reader. Several professionals specialize in proof-reading, and it is a great idea to leverage the opinion.
You might get tempted to do the proof-reading by yourself, but according to our experts, you should avoid doing it. Since you are devoted to your kid’s success, you will get tempted to make changes according to your expertise. However, a professional proof-reader won’t alter the draft beyond the mechanical corrections.
Additionally, the amount of grammatical and sentence construction errors a professional reader can catch is more than what you can. This is why you need to find someone with experience in English, proof-reading, or a content editor.
Maintain accountability
Whether you are providing rewards or not, you need to help your child actively. It would be best if you were accountable as well as teach it to your kid. You need to check in on the progress from time to time and make sure that applications and the details are being sent within the deadline.
Scholarships usually have a very short application window, and you should keep track of all the dates regarding the scholarship and the deadlines. However, here is a tip – instead of hovering around your kid’s room at all hours, make sure you are checking in on the progress once every alternate day. Instead of micromanaging your kid’s application process, make sure you are doing your bit just right.
Identify the topics for the essay
While you shouldn’t write the essay for your kid, you need to help your child choose the right topic for the essay. Keep in mind that some questions can be a bit overwhelming for a young mind, and therefore you can help them interpret a topic or question better. You can also help your kid brainstorm so that it will help alleviate the pressure. Keep in mind that you will know more information regarding student life and experiences to help design essay topics.
If they have a couple of topics in mind, you can be the sounding board. Ask them relevant questions regarding both topics so that the thought process can keep moving forward. You can always make a recommendation if your kid is stuck.
Act as their cheerleader
Gifts and rewards are all about recognition, but you should still make it a point to be their biggest cheerleader. Keep in mind that every kid requires encouragement, and therefore you will do a great job if you express your pride in them. Positive words and attitude go a long way – it only takes a few minutes of your time.
Always ask for help when required
Many parents are too involved in their kid’s life. Keep in mind this might lead to extra stress from the added responsibility. Being involved helps, but it is vital to understand that there are several experts in higher education and scholarships. So, there is always help if you look for it. With scholarships, you need to remember that there is no need to do guesswork since your kid’s career is in question.
We have figured out the process for you and your child. Keep in mind this step-by-step plan and follow it carefully when pursuing a scholarship. All the best!
