How "okay" applications get separated from "great" ones

Education & Empowerment
Written By Carol Doane

Last week, we revealed how scholarship judges conduct the initial 15-30 second scan that determines whether your application gets a closer look or immediate rejection. If you survived that first critical review—meeting eligibility requirements, submitting complete materials, presenting professionally, and following directions—congratulations! You're now among a smaller pool of contenders.

This is where judges start reading more carefully, and where the quality of your responses becomes paramount. This is the real competition.

Stage 2: The deep dive (the real competition begins)

During this phase, judges are specifically evaluating three key areas that separate memorable applications from forgettable ones.

Thoroughness and thoughtfulness

Applications that advance have responses that are complete, detailed, and genuinely answer the question asked. Generic, surface-level answers don't cut it here. Judges want to see that you've actually thought about the question and provided responses that say something meaningful about who you are.

Example of a surface-level response: "Education has opened doors for me and will help me achieve my goals."

Example of a thoughtful response: "When I took my first biology class at Clark College, I discovered a passion for healthcare that led me to volunteer at the PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center emergency department. Watching nurses provide compassionate care to patients during their most vulnerable moments showed me I wanted to become a nurse practitioner serving underserved communities in Southwest Washington."

See the difference? The second response provides specific details, shows personal growth, and connects education to concrete action and future goals.

What judges are asking themselves:

  • Does this response actually answer the question?

  • Can I visualize this person's experience?

  • Do I understand their motivation and goals?

  • Have they shown how this scholarship fits into their larger journey?

Part 3 of a 7-part series on winning scholarships

Did you proof your application? Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust.

Survival Tip:

“Never rely solely on spell-check. It won’t catch “valid word” errors like “principle” vs. “principal” or “effect” vs. “affect.” Read your essay backward, sentence by sentence, to catch typos your brain automatically corrects when reading forward.”
— info@womanofwonder.org

Grammar, spelling, and polish

Here's where many strong candidates stumble. Even minor errors—missing punctuation, "their" instead of "there," or inconsistent verb tense—can signal carelessness to judges comparing dozens of qualified candidates.

One Woman of Wonder scholarship committee member noted: "Typos aren't merely mistakes—to me, they telegraph the application wasn't important enough to proofread. When I’m looking at two equally qualified candidates, that’s part of the deciding factor."

That might sound harsh, but remember: scholarship committees are investing in your future. They want confidence that you'll represent their organization well, complete your education successfully, and use your degree to make a difference. Attention to detail in your application suggests you'll bring that same care to your studies, and beyond that to your career.

The 24-hour rule

Here's an insider secret: walk away from your application for at least 24 hours before submitting. Your brain automatically fills in missing words and overlooks errors when you've just written something. Fresh eyes—yours or someone else's—catch mistakes you miss in the moment.

Pro tip: Print out your essay and read it aloud, or use Microsoft Word's "Read Aloud" feature under the Review tab to listen to it. Awkward phrasing that looks fine on screen, but often becomes glaringly obvious when you hear it spoken.

Content that shows real understanding

Judges can instantly tell the difference between someone who researched their organization and someone who's recycling a generic essay.

Red flags that scream "generic application":

  • Calling the organization by the wrong name (Example: "Women of Wonder" plural instead of "Woman of Wonder" singular—yes, this happens, and yes, it's disappointing)

  • No mention of the organization's specific mission or values

  • Essays that could work for any scholarship with a simple find-and-replace

  • Zero connection between your goals and what the organization supports

What impresses judges:

  • References to the scholarship's specific mission

  • Clear understanding of the organization's values

  • Genuine explanation of why THIS scholarship matters to you specifically

  • Natural alignment between your story and their purpose

When you demonstrate real understanding, you're showing judges that this isn't just about the money—you see yourself becoming part of their legacy. You understand that winning a Woman of Wonder scholarship means joining a community of women supporting women in Southwest Washington.

Common mistakes that keep "okay" applications from becoming "great"

Mistake 1: Listing instead of storytelling

Okay approach: "I volunteer at the food bank, work part-time at Target, and maintain a 3.5 GPA while raising my daughter."

Great approach: "Every Saturday morning, I bring my six-year-old daughter to volunteer with me at the Clark County Food Bank. While we sort donations together, I explain why helping our community matters. Working the closing shift at Target means I study after she's asleep, but showing her that education is worth fighting for keeps me motivated through the exhaustion."

The second version includes the same accomplishments but creates an emotional connection and reveals your values and priorities.

Mistake 2: Being vague about goals

Okay approach: "I want to get my degree so I can have a better life and help people."

Great approach: "I'm pursuing my nursing degree at Lower Columbia College so I can eventually work in rural healthcare. Growing up in Longview, I watched my single mom drive an hour each way to specialists because our community lacked healthcare providers. I want to be part of the solution—providing quality care to families who can't easily access it."

Specific goals with concrete plans demonstrate maturity, direction, and genuine commitment to your field and community.

Mistake 3: Ignoring the organization's mission

Woman of Wonder exists specifically to support women who are single moms, were raised by single parents, or are funding college independently. If your application doesn't acknowledge how you fit these criteria and why this support matters to your specific situation, you're missing a crucial connection.

How to naturally incorporate mission alignment:

"As a single mom returning to school at 32, I represent exactly the kind of student Woman of Wonder was created to support. The scholarship would allow me to reduce my work hours and focus on my studies at WSU Vancouver, meaning more time with my kids and better grades—both of which matter deeply to me."

Your action steps for this week

Action step 1: Audit your current draft

Go through every response and ask:

  • Did I actually answer the question asked?

  • Is this specific to me, or could anyone say this?

  • Does this show or tell? (Showing is always better)

  • Have I connected my story to this organization's mission?

Action step 2: Add specific details

Replace every general statement with concrete examples:

  • Change "I work hard" to "I work closing shifts at Safeway and study from 11 PM to 1 AM"

  • Change "I care about my community" to "I volunteer weekly at Battle Ground Community Table"

  • Change "Education matters to me" to "Being the first in my family to attend college means everything."

Action step 3: Use the 24-hour rule

Finish your application, walk away for at least 24 hours, then review with completely fresh eyes. You'll catch errors and unclear phrasing you were blind to before.

Action step 4: Get feedback from someone who doesn't know you well

Ask a teacher, counselor, or mentor to read your application and tell you what they learned about you. If they can't accurately describe your goals, circumstances, and motivations after reading your essay, you haven't been specific enough.

Next week: The last judgement

You've survived the initial scan. You've crafted thoughtful, polished, specific responses. Now what? Next week, we're revealing what happens in Stage 3—when judges examine the final handful of highly qualified candidates and make their selections. This is where intangible qualities such as authenticity, resilience, and alignment with organizational values become the deciding factors.

Next Sunday: The final examination (under the microscope)

About Woman of Wonder

Applications open January 1 for scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $2,200. No GPA requirement. No age limit. Just grit, determination, and a story worth telling. Learn more.

Carol Doane
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