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Overcoming Obstacles Scholarship

O'Connor Family Law is a divorce and family law firm based in Westborough, Massachusetts with a South Shore office as well. As a family law attorney and divorcee, Heather O'Connor understands the challenges that one faces after a serious life-changing event, like divorce, and is committed to helping her clients feel supported both legally and emotionally through such a trying time. Following this mission, the team at O'Connor Family Law are pleased to announce the Overcoming Obstacles Scholarship. We understand that obstacles can often get in the way of pursuing one's dreams, which is why we would like to give back to an individual who has been able to overcome a serious obstacle in his or her life and used it as an opportunity to learn and grow. This can be any obstacle that greatly impacted your life. For example, going through a messy divorce or witnessing one as a child, struggling financially, or being in a serious accident, etc. Whatever the obstacle may have been, we are proud of you for overcoming such a challenge. We would like to recognize an individual for their strength and perseverance with a $1,000.00 scholarship to put towards pursuing their educational goals. The scholarship will award $1,000.00 to a student who best describes a significant event or challenge they have faced, explains how they overcame that challenge, the impact it had on them, and how they have or will use what they learned throughout the process to help others. Eligibility The Overcoming Obstacles Scholarship is open to any current high school senior, college student or graduate student enrolled in an accredited community college, undergraduate, or graduate program within the United States. Candidates for this scholarship should have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher and be in good overall academic standing. Application Requirements A) The candidate must submit a 1,000 -2,000-word essay response to the prompt: Describe a major challenge you faced and what you did to overcome it. Explain the impact that this had on you and how it shaped who you are today and how you will use this experience to help others. B) The candidate must submit a professional resumé that lists their professional and academic experience and updated contact information. C) The candidate must submit a transcript from their current school. First-year college students, graduate students, or individuals who have recently transferred schools may submit an unofficial transcript from their current school, as well as the most recent official transcript from their prior school. High school students must also submit proof of acceptance to their college or university. The recipient of the Overcoming Obstacles Scholarship will be chosen during the month following the scholarship deadline.

Sallie Mae "No Essay" Scholarship

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Scholarships for Overcoming Hardship

• competition 4.0
• effort level 1.0

• Character Trait: Show |Overcome Hardship| Show |Overcome Hardship|
• School (K-12): |Portage Central High School, Portage, MI| |Portage Central High School, Portage, MI|
• Age / Grade Level: |High school senior| |High school senior|

• School (K-12): |Vicksburg High School, Vicksburg, MI,| |Vicksburg High School, Vicksburg, MI,|
• Career: |Skilled Trades (Industry)| |Skilled Trades (Industry)|

• Character Trait: Show |Overcome Hardship|Potential to Succeed|Management Skills| Show |Overcome Hardship|Potential to Succeed|Management Skills|
• Employer: |Asian-Owned Restaurant Employee|Asian Cuisine Restarant Employee| |Asian-Owned Restaurant Employee|Asian Cuisine Restarant Employee|
• School (College): Attend a |Four-year| Attend a |Four-year|
• competition 1.5
• effort level 5.0

• School (K-12): Attend a school in |Charlotte, FL|Collier, FL|Glades, FL|Hendry, FL| Attend a school in |Charlotte, FL|Collier, FL|Glades, FL|Hendry, FL|
• Residence: Live in |Lee, FL| Live in |Lee, FL|
• competition 1.0
• effort level 4.5
• Residence: Live in |Hawaii| Live in |Hawaii|
• School (College): |US Accredited Institution|Two-year|Four-year|Not-for-profit| |US Accredited Institution|Two-year|Four-year|Not-for-profit|
• competition 3.0
• effort level 4.0

• Residence: Live in |New York| Live in |New York|
• School (College): |Accredited College| |Accredited College|
• competition 2.5
• Character Trait: Show |Leadership|Overcome Hardship|Intelligence| Show |Leadership|Overcome Hardship|Intelligence|
• School (K-12): |Bay City Central High School, Bay City, MI|John Glenn High School, Bay City, MI| |Bay City Central High School, Bay City, MI|John Glenn High School, Bay City, MI|
• Residence: Live in |Bay, MI| Live in |Bay, MI|
• competition 2.0
• Residence: Live in |Sonoma, CA| Live in |Sonoma, CA|
• Major: Study |Education|Teaching| Study |Education|Teaching|
• School (K-12): |Bay-Arenac Community High School (MI)| |Bay-Arenac Community High School (MI)|
• Residence: Live in |Bay County| Live in |Bay County|
• Character Trait: Show |Leadership|Overcome Hardship|Academic Achievement| Show |Leadership|Overcome Hardship|Academic Achievement|
• Military: |Child of Veteran| |Child of Veteran|
• School (College): |US Accredited College or University|Accredited Vocational| |US Accredited College or University|Accredited Vocational|
• effort level 2.0
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8 Overcoming Challenges College Essay Examples

The purpose of the Overcoming Challenges essay is for schools to see how you might handle the difficulties of college. They want to know how you grow, evolve, and learn when you face adversity. For this topic, there are many clichés , such as getting a bad grade or losing a sports game, so be sure to steer clear of those and focus on a topic that’s unique to you. (See our full guide on the Overcoming Challenges Essay for more tips).

These overcoming challenges essay examples were all written by real students. Read through them to get a sense of what makes a strong essay. At the end, we’ll present the revision process for the first essay and share some resources for improving your essay.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Essay 1: Becoming a Coach

“Advanced females ages 13 to 14 please proceed to staging with your coaches at this time.” Skittering around the room, eyes wide and pleading, I frantically explained my situation to nearby coaches. The seconds ticked away in my head; every polite refusal increased my desperation.

Despair weighed me down. I sank to my knees as a stream of competitors, coaches, and officials flowed around me. My dojang had no coach, and the tournament rules prohibited me from competing without one.

Although I wanted to remain strong, doubts began to cloud my mind. I could not help wondering: what was the point of perfecting my skills if I would never even compete? The other members of my team, who had found coaches minutes earlier, attempted to comfort me, but I barely heard their words. They couldn’t understand my despair at being left on the outside, and I never wanted them to understand.

Since my first lesson 12 years ago, the members of my dojang have become family. I have watched them grow up, finding my own happiness in theirs. Together, we have honed our kicks, blocks, and strikes. We have pushed one another to aim higher and become better martial artists. Although my dojang had searched for a reliable coach for years, we had not found one. When we attended competitions in the past, my teammates and I had always gotten lucky and found a sympathetic coach. Now, I knew this practice was unsustainable. It would devastate me to see the other members of my dojang in my situation, unable to compete and losing hope as a result. My dojang needed a coach, and I decided it was up to me to find one.

I first approached the adults in the dojang – both instructors and members’ parents. However, these attempts only reacquainted me with polite refusals. Everyone I asked told me they couldn’t devote multiple weekends per year to competitions. I soon realized that I would have become the coach myself.

At first, the inner workings of tournaments were a mystery to me. To prepare myself for success as a coach, I spent the next year as an official and took coaching classes on the side. I learned everything from motivational strategies to technical, behind-the-scenes components of Taekwondo competitions. Though I emerged with new knowledge and confidence in my capabilities, others did not share this faith.

Parents threw me disbelieving looks when they learned that their children’s coach was only a child herself. My self-confidence was my armor, deflecting their surly glances. Every armor is penetrable, however, and as the relentless barrage of doubts pounded my resilience, it began to wear down. I grew unsure of my own abilities.

Despite the attack, I refused to give up. When I saw the shining eyes of the youngest students preparing for their first competition, I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was. The knowledge that I could solve my dojang’s longtime problem motivated me to overcome my apprehension.

Now that my dojang flourishes at competitions, the attacks on me have weakened, but not ended. I may never win the approval of every parent; at times, I am still tormented by doubts, but I find solace in the fact that members of my dojang now only worry about competing to the best of their abilities.

Now, as I arrive at a tournament with my students, I close my eyes and remember the past. I visualize the frantic search for a coach and the chaos amongst my teammates as we competed with one another to find coaches before the staging calls for our respective divisions. I open my eyes to the exact opposite scene. Lacking a coach hurt my ability to compete, but I am proud to know that no member of my dojang will have to face that problem again.

This essay begins with an in-the-moment narrative that really illustrates the chaos of looking for a coach last-minute. We feel the writer’s emotions, particularly their dejectedness, at not being able to compete.

Through this essay, we can see how gutsy and determined the student is in deciding to become a coach themselves. The writer shows us these characteristics through their actions, rather than explicitly telling us: To prepare myself for success as a coach, I spent the next year as an official and took coaching classes on the side.

One area of improvement of this essay would be the “attack” wording. The author likely uses this word as a metaphor for martial arts, but it feels too strong to describe the adults’ doubt of the student’s abilities as a coach, and can even be confusing at first.

Still, we see the student’s resilience as they are able to move past the disbelieving looks to help their team. The essay is kept real and vulnerable, however, as the writer admits having doubts: Every armor is penetrable, however, and as the relentless barrage of doubts pounded my resilience, it began to wear down. I grew unsure of my own abilities.

The essay comes full circle as the author recalls the frantic situations in seeking out a coach, but this is no longer a concern for them and their team. Overall, this essay is extremely effective in painting this student as mature, bold, and compassionate.

Essay 2: Starting a Fire

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the garb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family. 

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt. 

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him. 

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses. 

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

This essay is an excellent example because the writer turns an everyday challenge—starting a fire—into an exploration of her identity. The writer was once “a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes,” but has since traded her love of the outdoors for a love of music, writing, and reading. 

The story begins in media res , or in the middle of the action, allowing readers to feel as if we’re there with the writer. One of the essay’s biggest strengths is its use of imagery. We can easily visualize the writer’s childhood and the present day. For instance, she states that she “rubbed and rubbed [the twigs] until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers.”

The writing has an extremely literary quality, particularly with its wordplay. The writer reappropriates words and meanings, and even appeals to the senses: “My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame.” She later uses a parallelism to cleverly juxtapose her changed interests: “instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano.”

One of the essay’s main areas of improvement is its overemphasis on the “story” and lack of emphasis on the reflection. The second to last paragraph about changing perspective is crucial to the essay, as it ties the anecdote to larger lessons in the writer’s life. She states that she hasn’t changed, but has only shifted perspective. Yet, we don’t get a good sense of where this realization comes from and how it impacts her life going forward. 

The end of the essay offers a satisfying return to the fire imagery, and highlights the writer’s passion—the one thing that has remained constant in her life.

Essay 3: Last-Minute Switch

The morning of the Model United Nation conference, I walked into Committee feeling confident about my research. We were simulating the Nuremberg Trials – a series of post-World War II proceedings for war crimes – and my portfolio was of the Soviet Judge Major General Iona Nikitchenko. Until that day, the infamous Nazi regime had only been a chapter in my history textbook; however, the conference’s unveiling of each defendant’s crimes brought those horrors to life. The previous night, I had organized my research, proofread my position paper and gone over Judge Nikitchenko’s pertinent statements. I aimed to find the perfect balance between his stance and my own.

As I walked into committee anticipating a battle of wits, my director abruptly called out to me. “I’m afraid we’ve received a late confirmation from another delegate who will be representing Judge Nikitchenko. You, on the other hand, are now the defense attorney, Otto Stahmer.” Everyone around me buzzed around the room in excitement, coordinating with their allies and developing strategies against their enemies, oblivious to the bomb that had just dropped on me. I felt frozen in my tracks, and it seemed that only rage against the careless delegate who had confirmed her presence so late could pull me out of my trance. After having spent a month painstakingly crafting my verdicts and gathering evidence against the Nazis, I now needed to reverse my stance only three hours before the first session.

Gradually, anger gave way to utter panic. My research was fundamental to my performance, and without it, I knew I could add little to the Trials. But confident in my ability, my director optimistically recommended constructing an impromptu defense. Nervously, I began my research anew. Despite feeling hopeless, as I read through the prosecution’s arguments, I uncovered substantial loopholes. I noticed a lack of conclusive evidence against the defendants and certain inconsistencies in testimonies. My discovery energized me, inspiring me to revisit the historical overview in my conference “Background Guide” and to search the web for other relevant articles. Some Nazi prisoners had been treated as “guilty” before their court dates. While I had brushed this information under the carpet while developing my position as a judge, i t now became the focus of my defense. I began scratching out a new argument, centered on the premise that the allied countries had violated the fundamental rule that, a defendant was “not guilty” until proven otherwise.

At the end of the three hours, I felt better prepared. The first session began, and with bravado, I raised my placard to speak. Microphone in hand, I turned to face my audience. “Greetings delegates. I, Otto Stahmer would like to…….” I suddenly blanked. Utter dread permeated my body as I tried to recall my thoughts in vain. “Defence Attorney, Stahmer we’ll come back to you,” my Committee Director broke the silence as I tottered back to my seat, flushed with embarrassment. Despite my shame, I was undeterred. I needed to vindicate my director’s faith in me. I pulled out my notes, refocused, and began outlining my arguments in a more clear and direct manner. Thereafter, I spoke articulately, confidently putting forth my points. I was overjoyed when Secretariat members congratulated me on my fine performance.

Going into the conference, I believed that preparation was the key to success. I wouldn’t say I disagree with that statement now, but I believe adaptability is equally important. My ability to problem-solve in the face of an unforeseen challenge proved advantageous in the art of diplomacy. Not only did this experience transform me into a confident and eloquent delegate at that conference, but it also helped me become a more flexible and creative thinker in a variety of other capacities. Now that I know I can adapt under pressure, I look forward to engaging in activities that will push me to be even quicker on my feet.

This essay is an excellent example because it focuses on a unique challenge and is highly engaging. The writer details their experience reversing their stance in a Model UN trial with only a few hours notice, after having researched and prepared to argue the opposite perspective for a month. 

Their essay is written in media res , or in the middle of the action, allowing readers to feel as if we’re there with the writer. The student openly shares their internal thoughts with us — we feel their anger and panic upon the reversal of roles. We empathize with their emotions of “utter dread” and embarrassment when they’re unable to speak. 

From the essay, we learn that the student believes in thorough preparation, but can also adapt to unforeseen obstacles. They’re able to rise to the challenge and put together an impromptu argument, think critically under pressure, and recover after their initial inability to speak. 

Essay 4: Music as a Coping Mechanism

CW: This essay mentions self-harm.

Sobbing uncontrollably, I parked around the corner from my best friend’s house. As I sat in the driver’s seat, I whispered the most earnest prayer I had ever offered.

Minutes before, I had driven to Colin’s house to pick up a prop for our upcoming spring musical. When I got there, his older brother, Tom, came to the door and informed me that no one else was home. “No,” I corrected, “Colin is here. He’s got a migraine.” Tom shook his head and gently told me where Colin actually was: the psychiatric unit of the local hospital. I felt a weight on my chest as I connected the dots; the terrifying picture rocked my safe little world. Tom’s words blurred as he explained Colin’s self-harm, but all I could think of was whether I could have stopped him. Those cuts on his arms had never been accidents. Colin had lied, very convincingly, many times. How could I have ignored the signs in front of me? Somehow, I managed to ask Tom whether I could see him, but he told me that visiting hours for non-family members were over for the day. I would have to move on with my afternoon.

Once my tears had subsided a little, I drove to the theater, trying to pull myself together and warm up to sing. How would I rehearse? I couldn’t sing three notes without bursting into tears. “I can’t do this,” I thought. But then I realized that the question wasn’t whether I could do it. I knew Colin would want me to push through, and something deep inside told me that music was the best way for me to process my grief. I needed to sing.

I practiced the lyrics throughout my whole drive. The first few times, I broke down in sobs. By the time I reached the theater, however, the music had calmed me. While Colin would never be far from my mind, I had to focus on the task ahead: recording vocals and then producing the video trailer that would be shown to my high school classmates. I fought to channel my worry into my recording. If my voice shook during the particularly heartfelt moments, it only added emotion and depth to my performance. I felt Colin’s absence next to me, but even before I listened to that first take, I knew it was a keeper.

With one of my hurdles behind me, I steeled myself again and prepared for the musical’s trailer. In a floor-length black cape and purple dress, I swept regally down the steps to my director, who waited outside. Under a gloomy sky that threatened to turn stormy, I boldly strode across the street, tossed a dainty yellow bouquet, and flashed confident grins at all those staring. My grief lurched inside, but I felt powerful. Despite my sadness, I could still make art.

To my own surprise, I successfully took back the day. I had felt pain, but I had not let it drown me – making music was a productive way to express my feelings than worrying. Since then, I have been learning to take better care of myself in difficult situations. That day before rehearsal, I found myself in the most troubling circumstances of my life thus far, but they did not sink me because I refused to sink. When my aunt developed cancer several months later, I knew that resolution would not come quickly, but that I could rely on music to cope with the agony, even when it would be easier to fall apart. Thankfully, Colin recovered from his injuries and was home within days. The next week, we stood together on stage at our show’s opening night. As our eyes met and our voices joined in song, I knew that music would always be our greatest mechanism for transforming pain into strength.

This essay is well-written, as we can feel the writer’s emotions through the thoughts they share, and visualize the night of the performance through their rich descriptions. Their varied sentence length also makes the essay more engaging.

That said, this essay is not a great example because of the framing of the topic. The writer can come off as insensitive since they make their friend’s struggle about themself and their emotions (and this is only worsened by the mention of their aunt’s cancer and how it was tough on them ). The essay would’ve been stronger if it focused on their guilt of not recognizing their friend’s struggles and spanned a longer period of time to demonstrate gradual relationship building and reflection. Still, this would’ve been difficult to do well.

In general, you should try to choose a challenge that is undeniably your own, and you should get at least one or two people to read your essay to give you candid feedback.

Essay 5: Dedicating a Track

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

While the writer didn’t succeed in getting the track dedicated to Coach Stark, their essay is certainly successful in showing their willingness to push themselves and take initiative.

The essay opens with a quote from Coach Stark that later comes full circle at the end of the essay. We learn about Stark’s impact and the motivation for trying to get the track dedicated to him.

One of the biggest areas of improvement in the intro, however, is how the essay tells us Stark’s impact rather than showing us: His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The writer could’ve helped us feel a stronger emotional connection to Stark if they had included examples of Stark’s qualities, rather than explicitly stating them. For example, they could’ve written something like: Stark was the kind of person who would give you gas money if you told him your parents couldn’t afford to pick you up from practice. And he actually did that—several times. At track meets, alumni regularly would come talk to him and tell him how he’d changed their lives. Before Stark, I was ambivalent about running and was on the JV team, but his encouragement motivated me to run longer and harder and eventually make varsity. Because of him, I approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The essay goes on to explain how the writer overcame their apprehension of public speaking, and likens the process of submitting an appeal to the school board to running a race. This metaphor makes the writing more engaging and allows us to feel the student’s emotions.

While the student didn’t ultimately succeed in getting the track dedicated, we learn about their resilience and initiative: I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Overall, this essay is well-done. It demonstrates growth despite failing to meet a goal, which is a unique essay structure. The running metaphor and full-circle intro/ending also elevate the writing in this essay.

Essay 6: Body Image

CW: This essay mentions eating disorders.

I press the “discover” button on my Instagram app, hoping to find enticing pictures to satisfy my boredom. Scrolling through, I see funny videos and mouth-watering pictures of food. However, one image stops me immediately. A fit teenage girl with a “perfect body” relaxes in a bikini on a beach. Beneath it, I see a slew of flattering comments. I shake with disapproval over the image’s unrealistic quality. However, part of me still wants to have a body like hers so that others will make similar comments to me.

I would like to resolve a silent issue that harms many teenagers and adults: negative self image and low self-esteem in a world where social media shapes how people view each other. When people see the façades others wear to create an “ideal” image, they can develop poor thought patterns rooted in negative self-talk. The constant comparisons to “perfect” others make people feel small. In this new digital age, it is hard to distinguish authentic from artificial representations.

When I was 11, I developed anorexia nervosa. Though I was already thin, I wanted to be skinny like the models that I saw on the magazine covers on the grocery store stands. Little did I know that those models probably also suffered from disorders, and that photoshop erased their flaws. I preferred being underweight to being healthy. No matter how little I ate or how thin I was, I always thought that I was too fat. I became obsessed with the number on the scale and would try to eat the least that I could without my parents urging me to take more. Fortunately, I stopped engaging in anorexic behaviors before middle school. However, my underlying mental habits did not change. The images that had provoked my disorder in the first place were still a constant presence in my life.

By age 15, I was in recovery from anorexia, but suffered from depression. While I used to only compare myself to models, the growth of social media meant I also compared myself to my friends and acquaintances. I felt left out when I saw my friends’ excitement about lake trips they had taken without me. As I scrolled past endless photos of my flawless, thin classmates with hundreds of likes and affirming comments, I felt my jealousy spiral. I wanted to be admired and loved by other people too. However, I felt that I could never be enough. I began to hate the way that I looked, and felt nothing in my life was good enough. I wanted to be called “perfect” and “body goals,” so I tried to only post at certain times of day to maximize my “likes.” When that didn’t work, I started to feel too anxious to post anything at all.  

Body image insecurities and social media comparisons affect thousands of people – men, women, children, and adults – every day. I am lucky – after a few months of my destructive social media habits, I came across a video that pointed out the illusory nature of social media; many Instagram posts only show off good things while people hide their flaws. I began going to therapy, and recovered from my depression. To address the problem of self-image and social media, we can all focus on what matters on the inside and not what is on the surface. As an effort to become healthy internally, I started a club at my school to promote clean eating and radiating beauty from within. It has helped me grow in my confidence, and today I’m not afraid to show others my struggles by sharing my experience with eating disorders. Someday, I hope to make this club a national organization to help teenagers and adults across the country. I support the idea of body positivity and embracing difference, not “perfection.” After all, how can we be ourselves if we all look the same?

This essay covers the difficult topics of eating disorders and mental health. If you’re thinking about covering similar topics in your essay, we recommend reading our post Should You Talk About Mental Health in College Essays?

The short answer is that, yes, you can talk about mental health, but it can be risky. If you do go that route, it’s important to focus on what you learned from the experience.

We can see that the writer of this essay has been through a lot, and a strength of their essay is their vulnerability, in excerpts such as this: I wanted to be admired and loved by other people too. However, I felt that I could never be enough. I began to hate the way that I looked, and felt nothing in my life was good enough. I wanted to be called “perfect” and “body goals,” so I tried to only post at certain times of day to maximize my “likes.”

The student goes on to share how they recovered from their depression through an eye-opening video and therapy sessions, and they’re now helping others find their self-worth as well. It’s great that this essay looks towards the future and shares the writer’s goals of making their club a national organization; we can see their ambition and compassion.

The main weakness of this essay is that it doesn’t focus enough on their recovery process, which is arguably the most important part. They could’ve told us more about the video they watched or the process of starting their club and the interactions they’ve had with other members.

Still, this essay shows us that this student is honest, self-aware, and caring, which are all qualities admissions officer are looking for.

Essay 7: Health Crisis

Tears streamed down my face and my mind was paralyzed with fear. Sirens blared, but the silent panic in my own head was deafening. I was muted by shock. A few hours earlier, I had anticipated a vacation in Washington, D.C., but unexpectedly, I was rushing to the hospital behind an ambulance carrying my mother. As a fourteen-year-old from a single mother household, without a driver’s license, and seven hours from home, I was distraught over the prospect of losing the only parent I had. My fear turned into action as I made some of the bravest decisions of my life. 

Three blood transfusions later, my mother’s condition was stable, but we were still states away from home, so I coordinated with my mother’s doctors in North Carolina to schedule the emergency operation that would save her life. Throughout her surgery, I anxiously awaited any word from her surgeon, but each time I asked, I was told that there had been another complication or delay. Relying on my faith and positive attitude, I remained optimistic that my mother would survive and that I could embrace new responsibilities.

My mother had been a source of strength for me, and now I would be strong for her through her long recovery ahead. As I started high school, everyone thought the crisis was over, but it had really just started to impact my life. My mother was often fatigued, so I assumed more responsibility, juggling family duties, school, athletics, and work. I made countless trips to the neighborhood pharmacy, cooked dinner, biked to the grocery store, supported my concerned sister, and provided the loving care my mother needed to recover. I didn’t know I was capable of such maturity and resourcefulness until it was called upon. Each day was a stage in my gradual transformation from dependence to relative independence.

Throughout my mother’s health crisis, I matured by learning to put others’ needs before my own. As I worried about my mother’s health, I took nothing for granted, cherished what I had, and used my daily activities as motivation to move forward. I now take ownership over small decisions such as scheduling daily appointments and managing my time but also over major decisions involving my future, including the college admissions process. Although I have become more independent, my mother and I are inseparably close, and the realization that I almost lost her affects me daily. Each morning, I wake up ten minutes early simply to eat breakfast with my mother and spend time with her before our busy days begin. I am aware of how quickly life can change. My mother remains a guiding force in my life, but the feeling of empowerment I discovered within myself is the ultimate form of my independence. Though I thought the summer before my freshman year would be a transition from middle school to high school, it was a transformation from childhood to adulthood.

This essay feels real and tells readers a lot about the writer. To start at the beginning, the intro is 10/10. It has drama, it has emotions, and it has the reader wanting more.

And, when you keep going, you get to learn a lot about a very resilient and mature student. Through sentences like “I made countless trips to the neighborhood pharmacy, cooked dinner, biked to the grocery store, supported my concerned sister, and provided the loving care my mother needed to recover” and “Relying on my faith and positive attitude, I remained optimistic that my mother would survive and that I could embrace new responsibilities,” the reader shows us that they are aware of their resilience and maturity, but are not arrogant about it. It is simply a fact that they have proven through their actions!

This essay makes us want to cheer for the writer, and they certainly seem like someone who would thrive in a more independent college environment.

Essay 8: Turned Tables

“You ruined my life!” After months of quiet anger, my brother finally confronted me. To my shame, I had been appallingly ignorant of his pain.

Despite being twins, Max and I are profoundly different. Having intellectual interests from a young age that, well, interested very few of my peers, I often felt out of step in comparison with my highly-social brother. Everything appeared to come effortlessly for Max and, while we share an extremely tight bond, his frequent time away with friends left me feeling more and more alone as we grew older.

When my parents learned about The Green Academy, we hoped it would be an opportunity for me to find not only an academically challenging environment, but also – perhaps more importantly – a community. This meant transferring the family from Drumfield to Kingston. And while there was concern about Max, we all believed that given his sociable nature, moving would be far less impactful on him than staying put might be on me.

As it turned out, Green Academy was everything I’d hoped for. I was ecstatic to discover a group of students with whom I shared interests and could truly engage. Preoccupied with new friends and a rigorous course load, I failed to notice that the tables had turned. Max, lost in the fray and grappling with how to make connections in his enormous new high school, had become withdrawn and lonely. It took me until Christmas time – and a massive argument – to recognize how difficult the transition had been for my brother, let alone that he blamed me for it.

Through my own journey of searching for academic peers, in addition to coming out as gay when I was 12, I had developed deep empathy for those who had trouble fitting in. It was a pain I knew well and could easily relate to. Yet after Max’s outburst, my first response was to protest that our parents – not I – had chosen to move us here. In my heart, though, I knew that regardless of who had made the decision, we ended up in Kingston for my benefit. I was ashamed that, while I saw myself as genuinely compassionate, I had been oblivious to the heartache of the person closest to me. I could no longer ignore it – and I didn’t want to.

We stayed up half the night talking, and the conversation took an unexpected turn. Max opened up and shared that it wasn’t just about the move. He told me how challenging school had always been for him, due to his dyslexia, and that the ever-present comparison to me had only deepened his pain.

We had been in parallel battles the whole time and, yet, I only saw that Max was in distress once he experienced problems with which I directly identified. I’d long thought Max had it so easy – all because he had friends. The truth was, he didn’t need to experience my personal brand of sorrow in order for me to relate – he had felt plenty of his own.

My failure to recognize Max’s suffering brought home for me the profound universality and diversity of personal struggle; everyone has insecurities, everyone has woes, and everyone – most certainly – has pain. I am acutely grateful for the conversations he and I shared around all of this, because I believe our relationship has been fundamentally strengthened by a deeper understanding of one another. Further, this experience has reinforced the value of constantly striving for deeper sensitivity to the hidden struggles of those around me. I won’t make the mistake again of assuming that the surface of someone’s life reflects their underlying story.

Here you can find a prime example that you don’t have to have fabulous imagery or flowery prose to write a successful essay. You just have to be clear and say something that matters. This essay is simple and beautiful. It almost feels like having a conversation with a friend and learning that they are an even better person than you already thought they were.

Through this narrative, readers learn a lot about the writer—where they’re from, what their family life is like, what their challenges were as a kid, and even their sexuality. We also learn a lot about their values—notably, the value they place on awareness, improvement, and consideration of others. Though they never explicitly state it (which is great because it is still crystal clear!), this student’s ending of “I won’t make the mistake again of assuming that the surface of someone’s life reflects their underlying story” shows that they are constantly striving for improvement and finding lessons anywhere they can get them in life.

Where to Get Your Overcoming Challenges Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Overcoming Challenges essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Alex Austin's Overcoming Adversity Scholarship

Scholarship details

Alex Austin, Long Beach native, ex-defensive back for the Oregon State University Beavers, and current cornerback for the Houston Texans is no stranger to overcoming adversity.

"This scholarship is important to me because I know that everyone battles with adversity at some point in their life. I myself had to overcome adversity to get me to where I am today. This is why I want to give back to students who have shown resilience in overcoming their own challenges."

Once again, Alex is partnering with Access Scholarships to do exactly that! 5 scholarships (each worth $1,000) will be awarded to students who have overcome hardship throughout their lives.

High school and undergraduate students of all years are encouraged to apply. Special consideration will be given to minority students, as well as students who are or will be the first in their family to attend college. 

Scholarship overview

Total amount:  $5,000

Number of awards:  5

Breakdown of awards : (5) $1,000

Deadline:  April 15, 2024 

Winners announced:  by May 15, 2024

Open to:  High school & undergraduate students

• Name * First Last
• Email * Enter Email Confirm Email
• Phone Number * *Only to be used to contact you if we cannot get in touch via email
• Current year in school * High School Freshman High School Sophomore High School Junior High School Senior College Freshman College Sophomore College Junior College Senior
• Address * Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
• I am/will be a first-generation college student.
• I identify as part of a minority group.
• I do not identify as a first-generation college student or as part of a minority group.
• Written Submission Upload * Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 256 MB. Please submit a PDF file with the document name "First name_Last name Scholarship Submission". If you do not submit the written portion of the application in this format, your application will not be considered.
• Consent * Yes, I have read and agreed to the terms of use and scholarship rules and I am 13 years of age or older. I understand that Access Scholarships may contact me about new scholarships, virtual events, resources, & more.

Essay question

Please read and respond to the following prompt:.

Overcoming adversity and hardships of all shapes and sizes are often what help us to build resiliency. In 500 words or less , tell us about a time that you encountered an obstacle or challenge. How did you navigate this situation, and what lessons did you learn from it? 

Frequently asked questions AND important notes about this scholarship

The Overcoming Adversity Scholarship is open to high school and undergraduate students of all years  who are 13 years of age and older who have at least a 2.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). 

Students of all majors/areas of study are welcome to apply. 

The deadline to apply is April 15, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. Applications that are not submitted by this date will not be considered .

To apply, you must upload:

• A written submission (as a PDF file)

Note : If you are selected as a finalist for the scholarship, you will be required to send in a copy of your transcript to verify that you meet the 2.5 minimum GPA requirement.

This scholarship is open to US citizens/permanent residents, as well as DACA recipients and international students currently studying in the US. International students outside of the US are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Five awards in the amount of $1,000 each

Winners will be chosen primarily based on the written submission. 

If you are selected as a winner, you will be contacted by Access Scholarships via email to coordinate mailing the scholarship check  directly to you.

First, please make sure you have read this scholarship page in its entirety! If you have read everything through and still have questions, please reach out to [email protected] .

2022 Scholarship Winners

$500 Winner

High School Senior from Illinois

"It is an honor to receive this scholarship. As college is becoming increasingly expensive, many students, including myself, have to rely on scholarships to afford it, so I am extremely grateful to Access Scholarships, Alex Austin, and Hirect for this opportunity. I will put it towards a degree in computer science, which I will use to help others while working for the government or a nonprofit."

$1,000 Winner

College Senior from California

"I am thrilled to be awarded Alex Austin’s Overcoming Adversity Scholarship! This award is a wonderful way for me to celebrate the hurdles I have overcome throughout my college career. Because I am graduating soon, I will be putting this scholarship towards my student loans. I want to thank Alex Austin for creating this opportunity for myself and the other scholarship winners. Students face a wide range of adversities throughout their college years, and I am grateful that this scholarship was inclusive of my individual experiences."

College Sophomore from New Jersey

"As a first-generation student, I have a tendency to place a lot of emphasis on my academics. A scholarship like this helps me realize that life is about more than just studying and getting excellent grades, that I am a person with a narrative, and that my character is constantly evolving. With the help of this scholarship, I intend to launch my own small business. And your scholarship serves to remind me that prosperity has no limits, despite the challenges we encounter in life. Thank you!"

About the sponsors

Access Scholarships

Access Scholarships is a free scholarship search engine and college resource platform for students.

Alex Austin

Alex Austin is an Oregon State alum and current cornerback for the Houston Texans.

Photo credits: Hirect, OSU Athletics, Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

Interested in creating giving back to the community through scholarships?

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Scholarships for Overcoming Adversity

For many high school and college students, what happens in the classroom is the least stressful thing in their lives. The challenges that so many face outside of the classroom, be it personal tragedy, family issues or other unfortunate circumstances.

Many organizations have recognized that academics can often take a backseat to dealing with personal challenges. They have created a number of scholarship programs for students who have overcome adversity and plan to attend college and pursue a degree.

Some scholarship programs deal with specific issues.

The Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund was created to help children of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks pay for college.

Other organizations ask students to describe what their lives have been like, and how events and obstacles have shaped the people they are, and how they have affected their chosen course of study. One such organization, The Horatio Alger Association , has granted more than $125 million in need-based scholarships since 1984. Students are encouraged to pursue degrees that will help them serve others in the community.

Horatio Alger is one of the largest college scholarship programs in the country, but small community and state organizations also offer college aid to students who have overcome obstacles. These organizations generally look to local high schools and colleges to nominate deserving students for scholarships and awards.

Please use the links to find out more about scholarships for students who have overcoming adversity.

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2021 Overcoming Obstacles Scholarship

• Deadline: 07/15/2024
• Renewable: Unknown
• Number of Awards: 1
• Award Amount: $1,000
• Website: https://cassiancarterlaw.com/
• Phone: 815-714-8228
• Fax: Not Available
• Email: [email protected] 
• Address: 3077 W. Jefferson Street, Suite 207

Cassian and Carter LLC is a Joliet, Illinois law firm specializing in Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice.

Full Description

As an injury attorney and someone who lost his father at 13 due to negligence, William Cassian understands the challenges a person faces after a life-altering event.

He has made it his life’s mission to support his clients legally and emotionally while going through a difficult time.

Following this mission, Cassian and Carter LLC is pleased to announce the Overcoming Obstacles Scholarship.

We understand how obstacles can get in the way of someone pursuing their dreams; this is why we want to give back to the local community and support someone who had to overcome an obstacle in their life and use it to learn and grow.

The scholarship will award $1000 to a student that best describes a significant event or challenge they faced, explains how they overcame that challenge, the impact on their lives, and how they have, or will use what they have learned to impact others’ lives.

Who's eligible?

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must be enrolled in college, graduate school, or be a GED holder who is about to attend college; they also must show good academic standing by holding a 3.0 or higher GPA.

The recipient of this scholarship will have demonstrated that although they have encountered hardship, they have persevered and committed to becoming successful in all of their individual endeavors.

How to Apply

To apply for this scholarship, please submit your application via email and include:

• a current resume,
• an unofficial transcript,
• a 500-1,000 word essay that describes how you overcame adversity, outlining a specific roadblock through which you fought and emerged victoriously.

Related Scholarships

• CCD Law Spokane Community Scholarship for Graduating Seniors in Washington and Idaho
• BigFuture Scholarships
• Organization of Latino Actuaries Scholarship

Accepting the Challenge of Excellence Scholarship

About the scholarship.

Accepting the Challenge of Excellence Scholarship recognizes and rewards, with college scholarships, outstanding high school seniors who have overcome obstacles.

• Essay Required : Yes
• Need-Based : No
• Merit-Based : No
• This program is open to high school students who have made a dramatic change in their attitude and performance sometime during their high school years and are now eligible for high school graduation.
• Candidates should have overcome great physical, emotional, or social obstacles, including physical difficulties, language difficulties, child abuse, delinquency, or substance abuse.
• They must first be selected by their local Exchange Club, and the club's award chair must submit a 500word description of the candidate's problem and how it was overcome.
• The students must also submit 2 essays of 250 words each: 1) the event or events in their life that they are most proud of; and 2) their plans for the future to make their community and the world a better place to live.
• Other selection criteria include community service activities and volunteer service hours.
• District winners are selected from among the local club nominees, and the national winner is chosen from among the district winners.
• Country : US

Janean D. Watkins Overcoming Adversity Scholarship

Education is the cornerstone of personal and societal growth, fostering innovation and progress. By supporting students with scholarships, we enable the realization of their academic potential, regardless of financial constraints. Such initiatives cultivate a generation equipped to tackle global challenges, fostering a more equitable and prosperous future.

The Janean D. Watkins Overcoming Adversity Scholarship aims to support high school seniors or current undergraduate students who have overcome adversity on their path to pursue higher education.

Any high school senior or current undergraduate who has overcome adversity may apply for this scholarship.

To apply, tell us about yourself and your goals and how you have overcome adversity.

Please tell me about yourself and your goals. How have you overcome adversity in your past and how has this adversity contributed towards your goals and dreams? 

Explore All Kinds of Scholarships for All Kinds of Students

The application deadline is Apr 15, 2024. Winners will be announced on May 15, 2024.

Your privacy is a top priority on the Bold.org platform, and you can find our privacy policy in full here . You may opt out of communications from Bold.org at any time, and unless we’ve first notified you and gotten your consent, you’ll never receive communication from any third parties related to personal information you give us.

Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.

The winner will be publicly announced on May 15, 2024. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.

Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.

Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.

If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.

Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here .

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Overcoming Obstacles: How to Convey Resilience in Your Scholarship Essay

Introduction:

Scholarship essays offer students a unique opportunity to showcase their abilities, experiences, and aspirations in a concise and compelling manner. However, one aspect that sets apart exceptional scholarship essays from the rest is the ability to convey resilience effectively. Scholarship providers are often looking for applicants who have demonstrated the ability to overcome challenges and persevere in the face of adversity. In this article, we will explore some valuable tips and strategies on how to convey resilience in your scholarship essay, thereby increasing your chances of securing financial assistance for your academic pursuits.

Understanding the Scholarship Provider:

Before delving into the specifics of conveying resilience in your essay, it is crucial to understand the perspective of the scholarship provider. Scholarship providers can vary widely, ranging from government agencies and non-profit organizations to universities and private individuals. Each provider has its own unique mission and values that guide their selection process.

For instance, a scholarship funded by a private donor may focus on supporting students who have undergone significant personal hardships to achieve their educational goals. On the other hand, a government-funded scholarship might prioritize candidates who aspire to make a positive impact on society through their chosen field of study.

By researching and understanding the background and objectives of the scholarship provider, you can tailor your essay accordingly and demonstrate alignment with their values – including resilience as a key characteristic they seek in applicants.

Eligible Applicants, Host Country, Scholarship Worth: When applying for scholarships, it is important to check if you are eligible. Some scholarships are only available for certain nationalities or students studying specific disciplines. Additionally, consider whether you meet any academic or financial requirements specified by the scholarship provider.

Moreover, take into account the host country where you will pursue your studies if awarded the scholarship. Different countries offer various opportunities for academic growth and cultural experiences that can enhance your future prospects.

The monetary worth of scholarships can also differ significantly. Some scholarships may provide full tuition coverage, while others offer partial funding. Understanding the scholarship worth will help you assess if it aligns with your financial needs and expectations.

Level and Field of Study: Scholarships are typically available for students at different academic levels, including undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate studies. It is essential to identify the level of study for which the scholarship is intended and ensure that it matches your educational goals.

Furthermore, many scholarships are specific to certain fields of study. For example, there may be scholarships dedicated to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), arts, humanities, or social sciences. By choosing a scholarship that aligns with your desired field of study, you increase your chances of success.

How to Apply for the Scholarship:

Once you have identified a suitable scholarship opportunity that fits your aspirations and requirements, the next step is to familiarize yourself with the application process. Pay careful attention to any deadlines mentioned by the scholarship provider as missing these can lead to disqualification.

To apply for most scholarships, you will typically be required to submit an essay detailing your qualifications, achievements, goals, and how you have demonstrated resilience in overcoming obstacles. This essay serves as an excellent platform to showcase your unique story and convince the scholarship provider that you deserve their support.

Countries That Can Apply:

The eligibility criteria for scholarships can vary greatly depending on factors such as citizenship, residency status, or home country. Some scholarships may be open only to domestic students or citizens of specific countries. Others might be available internationally or specifically targeted towards students from developing nations.

Therefore, it is crucial to carefully review the eligibility criteria outlined by each scholarship provider before investing time in preparing an application. By doing so, you can ensure that you meet all necessary requirements and avoid wasting effort on applications where you are ineligible.

Eligibility Criteria for “Overcoming Obstacles: How to Convey Resilience in Your Scholarship Essay”:

The “Overcoming Obstacles: How to Convey Resilience in Your Scholarship Essay” scholarship is open to all current high school seniors and college students pursuing any field of study. The scholarship aims to recognize individuals who have triumphed over significant challenges and can effectively communicate their resilience through a well-crafted essay.

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited college or university. They must also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

The Actual Scholarship Deadline:

The deadline for submission of the scholarship application, including the essay, is June 30th, 2022. It is crucial to adhere to this deadline and submit your materials well in advance to ensure they are received on time.

Q: Can I mention multiple obstacles I have overcome in my scholarship essay? A: Yes, highlighting multiple obstacles can demonstrate your resilience from different perspectives. However, make sure you provide sufficient details and focus on the most impactful obstacles.

Q: Should I use specific examples or keep my essay more general? A: Using specific examples is highly recommended as it adds credibility and allows readers to understand the depth of your experiences more effectively. However, ensure that you strike a balance between providing specific examples and maintaining a broader narrative.

Q: What tone should I adopt in my scholarship essay? A: The tone of your essay should be authentic and reflective of your personal voice. While it is essential to convey determination and resilience, avoid sounding overly dramatic or sensationalized.

Q: How can I structure my scholarship essay effectively? A: Start with a captivating introduction that hooks the reader’s attention. Then, organize your essay into paragraphs that discuss specific obstacles faced, the actions taken to overcome them, and the lessons learned from these challenges. Finally, conclude with a strong closing paragraph that summarizes your key points and emphasizes the impact these experiences have had on your personal growth.

Q: Is it necessary to include supporting documents with my scholarship essay? A: Some scholarships may require additional documents such as transcripts, recommendation letters, or financial statements. Always review the scholarship guidelines and follow the instructions provided by the scholarship provider.

In conclusion, conveying resilience in your scholarship essay is crucial to impressing the scholarship provider and increasing your chances of securing financial assistance. By understanding the perspective of the provider, following the application guidelines, and sharing specific examples of overcoming obstacles in a well-structured essay, you can effectively convey your strength and determination. Remember to showcase your authenticity and align your narrative with the values of the scholarship provider. With these strategies in mind, you can create a compelling scholarship essay that showcases your ability to overcome adversity and pursue your educational dreams.

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• 15 Best Ph.D. Scholarships for Banking and Finance Students in 2024
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Congratulations to our 2023 Overcoming Adversity scholarship recipient. Find out more about our previous winners here !

Kopfler & Hermann , a personal injury law firm based in Houma, Louisiana, is excited to bring back to announce our annual scholarship for 2024. This $ 1,000 award will be given to a student who has overcome adversity and emerged stronger. With over 40 years of legal experience, Kopfler & Hermann law firm has served the Gulf Coast since 1992. As personal injury attorneys, we are committed to serving justice and ensuring injured workers and accident victims receive full compensation for their injuries and damages. Following this mission, attorneys Kopfler & Hermann established the Overcoming Adversity Scholarship and offered it for the sixth year!

Eligibility

• Applicants must be enrolled in college or graduate school or be GED holders about to attend college.
• Applicants must show good academic standing by holding a GPA of 3.0 or higher. 
• The recipient of this scholarship will have demonstrated that although they have encountered hardship, they have persevered and committed themselves to becoming successful in all of their endeavors.

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• An updated resume
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• Please note that all essays will be checked for AI writing. If AI writing is deemed present in the essay, the application will be denied.

The 2024 Overcoming Adversity Scholarship recipient will be chosen during the month following the scholarship deadline.

Application Deadline and Instructions:

The deadline to apply for this scholarship is November 30th, 2024. To qualify for this scholarship, candidates must complete the form below with all necessary information (including a resume, transcript, and essay) by the deadline to be considered. 

Please send any scholarship questions to [email protected] with the subject line “[ 2024 Overcoming Adversity Scholarship] ” Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Overcoming Adversity Scholarship.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, writing a compelling overcoming adversity essay.

I need to write an essay about overcoming adversity for one of my college applications, and I'm still brainstorming ideas for it. What are some tips for writing this type of essay? How do I make a genuine and compelling story? Please share your tips and experiences!

To write a compelling overcoming adversity essay, it's essential to focus on crafting an authentic and engaging narrative. Here are some tips to help you create a genuine and powerful story:

1. Reflect on your personal experiences: Begin by reflecting on moments when you faced significant challenges in your life. These can be personal, family-related, academic, social, or even related to your extracurricular activities. The key is to choose an event or situation that has had a profound impact on you and has shaped your personal growth.

2. Be specific and descriptive: Share detailed information about the adversity or obstacle you faced, explaining what made it particularly challenging for you. Provide context by describing the circumstances and any relevant factors that contributed to the adversity.

3. Emphasize your journey: Focus on how you dealt with the adversity, including the steps you took to overcome it, the resources you used, and the support you received from others. Write in-depth about your growth and the lessons you learned during this process.

4. Show, don't tell: Use vivid descriptions and specific examples to illustrate your story. Instead of saying you learned resilience, demonstrate it through your actions and experiences. This will make your essay more engaging and memorable.

5. Be introspective: Take the opportunity to analyze your thoughts and emotions during your journey and how they have evolved since then. This self-reflection will demonstrate your personal growth, self-awareness, and maturity.

6. Avoid clichés and platitudes: Stay away from overused phrases or ideas that could make your essay predictable or generic. Be authentic and true to your own voice, presenting a unique perspective on your experience.

7. Focus on a positive takeaway: Highlight the positive outcomes that resulted from overcoming adversity. These can include personal development, new skills, or a renewed sense of purpose. Admissions officers appreciate students who have turned challenging situations into opportunities for growth.

8. Revise and edit: Once you have written a draft of your essay, take some time to read through and refine it. Work on clarity, flow, and the overall structure of your story. Eliminate any unnecessary or redundant information and ensure your essay holds the reader's attention throughout.

Also, check out CollegeVine's guide to writing the 'Overcoming Challenges' essay: https://blog.collegevine.com/overcoming-challenges-essay

By following these tips and allowing yourself the time to write thoughtfully and authentically, you will craft a compelling overcoming adversity essay that showcases your resilience, determination, and personal growth. Good luck!

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2024 Against All Odds Scholarship

Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Against All Odds Scholarship. The deadline for this scholarship was January 31, 2024. Any applications sent after the January 31st deadline will not be considered.

Adams & Bischoff , a criminal defense law firm in Charleston, SC, proudly represents people who haven’t been given a fair shake in life. As a result, our attorneys have dedicated their lives to providing their clients with a fair shot in court. Another area that we are passionate about assisting in is higher education. One of the many challenges people in our society face is obtaining access to higher education. With the rise in tuition costs across the country, many students struggle to pay for their education. We want to do our part to change that.

Our goal is to extend a scholarship to a student who also has had to overcome obstacles to be where they are today. Applicants are asked to submit a well-written, 750-word essay on the challenges they have faced, and how they have overcome them. The person with the most thoughtful and well-articulated essay will be awarded $1,000 to help finance their education.

Scholarship Eligibility:

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must be currently enrolled in college, graduate school, or GED holders about to attend a college within the United States. Applicants must show good academic standing by holding a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The recipient of this scholarship will have an eloquently written essay and will meet application requirements.

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Crafting a standout scholarship essay: a guide for success.

• December 24, 2023
• by Opportunities Circle1

Crafting a Scholarship Essay plays the most important role in securing a scholarship. However, as important as it is, a Standout Scholarship Essay can also be equally overwhelming and an anxiety-ridden process. Applying to universities is a lot of effort and a time-consuming process itself along with being very expensive. Hence, securing scholarships is a pivotal skill for a plethora of students around the world. Many must support their educational endeavors and get closer to their dreams. 

The scholarship selection process comes down to one component of your application: your best scholarship essay. Now let’s be honest, it’s an obvious thing that many students apply for the same scholarship as you, some who may also have exceptional grades and skills. So, what do you think makes you stand out from a pool of applications that are so similar to you? It’s your successful scholarship essay that makes you unique and is the deciding point of the application. Now that we have established that your scholarship essay is the most important part of your application, let’s discuss how to write a scholarship essay!

What is a Scholarship Essay?

A scholarship essay is not just any piece of academic writing. It goes beyond that. It is a gateway to showcase your educational journey along with your motivations, character, and aspirations. It illustrates who you are, what you’ve done, and what you plan to do. Not only do you have to just have to explain it but instead you need to write it in such a compelling manner that the scholarship committee views you as a successful candidate who deserves their scholarship. 

In simpler terms, if you are already not familiar with what a successful scholarship essay is, it is an essay you write to convince the scholarship committee to grant you the scholarship. Scholarship essays are usually required when applying for exchange program , leadership fellowships , international summits and even postgraduate scholarships . Now what is a scholarship one may ask? A scholarship is a financial aid that allows you to study for free or for a lesser amount of money which you do not have to pay back later on. 

Scholarship Application Essay Outline

• Introductory Sentence : Start with your name and introduction, who are you and how did you get to the position where you’re at in present.
• Educational Objectives and Career Goals: Identify your majors and also state the reason why you chose the field of study. After narrating your academic objectives write about your future goals i.e. career goals. You must also include the reason for your interest in the career path. Example: I have always enjoyed the company of animals, during my research and time spent with animals, I realized the limited veterinary services available in my city. I will pursue my higher education in veterinary science and later I want to specialize in internal medicine and work for the welfare of animals who are often neglected.
• Share your Other Interests: Tell about your extra-curricular interests, volunteer work, and hobbies – things that make you stand out or are unusual. Then mention your academic accomplishments. For example, you can write: During my free time, I volunteer at the animal shelter home. I spend more time with animals who were rejected by society due to stigma, to set an example example that every animal is loveable and requires care. In this part of the successful scholarship essay, you can also mention your part-term work experience, internship experience, and other professional experiences you gained.
• Explain How Will a Scholarship Make a Difference: Explain why you need a scholarship and how it will make a difference in your life and how you will pay back in the form of services for the betterment of your community. 

How to Make Your Scholarship Essay Stand Out?

Since we now know that it is the successful scholarship essay that makes your application stand out and increases the chances of you winning the scholarship, let’s see what steps you can take to make your essay for scholarship stand out.

First and foremost, a successful essay possesses a combination of authenticity, clarity, and compelling storytelling. It goes beyond just enlisting your achievements and instead also dives deep into your motivations, aspirations, and goals. A successful scholarship essay provides a glimpse into your character, values, and experiences. These are crucial to add originality to your winning scholarship essay and make it unique. 

Along with these elements, one should also keep in mind to write their scholarship essay in a compelling way where there is a balance between humility and confidence, showcasing resilience as you demonstrate a deep understanding of the scholarship’s missions and requirements.  All in all, to write a scholarship essay that will leave a lasting impression on your evaluators, there needs to be a fusion of individuality and alignment with the scholarship’s purpose that is presented in a well-crafted essay. 

Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Successful Scholarship Essay

There are various things that one can keep in mind when writing a successful scholarship essay.  First, let’s talk about the things you should do:

• Understand the purpose of your writing and have a clear idea of what the scholarship committee expects from you and is seeking. This not only brings clarity to your essay but also gives the scholarship committee the impression that you are well aware of what they are looking for. 
• Be honest and genuinely share your aspirations, personal experiences, and challenges. Authenticity not only adds a personal touch to your scholarship essay but also helps connect with your readers and leave them with a memorable connection.
• Start your essay strong by writing an engaging introduction. This keeps the reader interested in what you have to say from the very start.

Now, let’s talk about what you should not be doing while writing your scholarship essays:

• Avoid writing generic statements . Do not add anything cliché or that is very general. Instead, focus on your unique and personal characteristics that may make you stand out.
• Even while adding your personal experiences, make sure you do not exaggerate or fabricate your achievements or experiences. Doing so may harm your credibility and that is the last thing you would want. 
• Do not go overboard . Stay within the specified word limit given by the scholarship committee. 
• Avoid using jargon or very complex language . Although it is your goal to impress the committee, it is always advisable to steer clear of jargon and use layman’s language instead to make your essay accessible and understandable to a broad audience. 

Showcasing your Achievements: Highlighting Success in your Essay

When trying to showcase achievements, it is essential to not just enlist them. Instead, only add the achievements that are relevant to the values and requirements of the scholarship you are applying for. No matter what achievement you add, always link it with the purpose of your essay: the scholarship.  Provide specific examples that illustrate your skills, determination, and impact. Quantify your successes whenever possible, offering concrete evidence of your abilities. 

Moreover, use these achievements as a means to convey personal growth and the lessons learned. Share not only what you’ve achieved but also how these experiences have shaped your aspirations and commitment to your educational and career goals . By weaving a narrative that connects your achievements to your character and plans, you create a compelling and memorable case for why you are a deserving candidate for the scholarship.

Strategic Storytelling in Scholarship Essay

A crucial component of a successful scholarship essay is its introduction. The introduction of your essay is what sets the tone for the rest of the piece of writing. It determines how successful and interesting the rest of your essay will be. In other words, it determines whether the scholarship committee will read your essay to the end or not. A way to make your introduction engaging is to use an anecdote or a hook to start your essay. Once you’ve written your introduction, you need to have a strategic storytelling approach to keep the reader hooked till the end. 

As you write your winning scholarship essay, maintain a clear and logical structure, ensuring a smooth transition between different parts of your story. Be mindful of the scholarship essay prompt, using your storytelling to address the key elements the scholarship committee is looking for. Balance vivid details with concise language, allowing the reader to visualize your experiences without becoming overwhelmed. 

Ultimately, strategic storytelling not only captivates the reader but also serves as a powerful tool to convey your unique qualities, experiences, and aspirations in a way that resonates long after the essay is read.

Best Tips for Writing a Scholarship Essay

To leave a lasting impact, you can incorporate the following advanced techniques in your scholarship essay to make it successful. 

• If you’re unsure how to start your winning scholarship essay, use a strong statement or a quote relevant to your major/course and later link it to the main body of your essay.
•  Establish a central theme that threads through your entire essay. This theme should not only tie together your achievements and experiences but also align with the values and goals of the scholarship, reinforcing your candidacy cohesively.
• Integrate personal anecdotes with your academic and career goals. Show how your unique experiences have shaped your academic path and how your education aligns with your personal development.
• Craft a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression. Summarize key points, reiterate your passion for your field of study, and leave the reader with a thought-provoking or inspiring statement that reinforces your candidacy.
• Do not write the scholarship essay the traditional way, instead engage with the reader directly. Pose thoughtful questions, share reflections, or create a dialogue within your essay, fostering a sense of connection between you and the evaluator.
• Use the keywords from the questions in your essay responses to show the scholarship selection committee that you understand what they are looking for.
• Make your scholarship essay unique and engaging.
• Fonts should be the same and aligned throughout the essay.
• Keep your scholarship essay clear, concise and short.
• Make sure to get some proofread before submission to omit any grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.

Proofreading and Revision of Scholarship Essay

Revision and proofreading are crucial in the scholarship essay writing process, and essential for transforming a good essay into an outstanding one. During revision, check the clarity and coherence of your ideas, ensuring a flow and relevance from one paragraph to the next. Remove unnecessary details and embrace concise language to enhance readability. Consider the overall structure, making certain each section contributes meaningfully.

Engage in proofreading to remove any grammatical errors and enhance the precision of your expression. Experiment with varied sentence structures and employ sophisticated vocabulary to add depth to your prose. Additionally, seek feedback from peers or mentors to gain valuable insights and perspectives, helping you refine your essay to its fullest potential. Remember, it’s the commitment to continuous improvement that sets a scholarship essay apart, making it a compelling testament to your qualifications and aspirations.

Overcome Obstacles in Scholarship Essay Writing 

Navigating common challenges is essential to overcoming obstacles in the essay writing process, especially when aiming for a standout scholarship essay. One frequent challenge is avoiding clichés – strive for originality to ensure your narrative stands out. Additionally, steering clear of overly complex language is essential; clarity should never be sacrificed for complexity.

Lastly, meeting word limits while still presenting a comprehensive narrative can be tough. Prioritize essential information, omitting the unnecessary while maintaining the essay’s overall impact. Navigating these challenges showcases your adaptability and resilience, ultimately contributing to the success of your scholarship essay.

Strategies for Standout Scholarship Essays

Strategies for crafting standout scholarship essays are instrumental in securing success, especially when pursuing international scholarships. Begin by thoroughly understanding the essay prompt, ensuring your response is directly aligned with the criteria. Develop a compelling narrative hook to captivate the reader’s attention from the outset, setting the tone for an engaging essay.

Strive for authenticity by weaving personal anecdotes that highlight your unique experiences and perspectives. Tailor your essay to the specific scholarship, emphasizing aspects of your background that resonate with the values of the awarding institution. Employ vivid language and imagery to make your narrative memorable, fostering a connection between your story and the reader.

Establish a clear structure that guides the reader seamlessly through your essay, and be mindful of word limits to maintain focus. Finally, seek feedback from peers or mentors to refine your essay further. Employing these strategies ensures your essay not only stands out but also effectively communicates your qualifications, aspirations, and individuality to the scholarship committee.

Scholarship Essay, personal statement, motivation letter , and reference letters hold great importance in a scholarship application. Therefore, applicants must give ample time to ensure success in achieving scholarships. We hope this guide to craft a winning Scholarship Essay will help you write a winning scholarship essay and make your application stand out. 

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