
Testimonials are an integral part of your
scholarship application, offering the review committee a unique insight into
what you are like in others’ eyes. Based on what your teachers, CCA leaders,
volunteer managers and other influential figures say about you, they gain a
picture of you as a person that you, yourself, would not be able to grant them.
It stands to reason, then, that testimonials
can be as complicated as they are important. Many applicants simply submit all
their testimonials in every application, flooding the scholarship executive’s
inbox with so many documents they cannot read them all. This results in missed
opportunities and in the worst case scenario, an application going into the
“rejected” bin.
Why does this happen? The first reason why
your testimonials, and your application itself, may not be passing the mark is
because of too much irrelevant information. Like every other part of the
application, the testimonials you submit should be tailored to the organisation
you are applying for. For example, an engineering organisation like SP Group
would be more interested in the words of your teacher-in-charge of the robotics
CCA than your various volunteer activities.
Thus, the first thing you need to do when
submitting testimonials is remove the unnecessary ones. Ideally, you should
only submit four to five testimonials at most to avoid bogging down your
application with irrelevant details. These should cover the following:
·
Your abilities in the
organisation’s core industry or focus.
·
Your personality and what you
are like to work with, including soft skills such as problem solving,
collaboration, and empathy.
·
Anything new you brought to the
table, such as projects you spearheaded or initiatives you implemented.
With these in mind, approach your
testimonial writers with a clear idea about what you want them to write about
you. If you are applying for the NParks Scholarship, for example, you may wish
to approach your biology lecturer for a testimonial regarding your achievements
in his class, and your form teacher for a statement about your personal
qualities. These individuals can then tailor their submissions to these
subjects and avoid overlaps in information.
Remember, your testimonials writers are busy
people who will probably be writing many of the same for a great number of
students. Reduce their confusion by providing a factsheet of your achievements
and what you want them to focus on when you ask them for that vital piece of
feedback.
Lastly, pick the right person for the right
testimonials. A general statement about your good personality and an
endorsement of your new, groundbreaking project are two very different
documents!
As mentioned, for general statements,
references from lecturers are appropriate. However, if you wish to highlight
your long-standing interest in a particular field, such as AI or cybersecurity,
you should approach someone aware of your achievements in that arena such as a
past employer or project manager. Finally, did you enjoy the support of an
organisation in implementing a volunteer initiative? Ask a representative for a
reference – they will know what they are talking about!
Applications need to be crafted with care
and testimonials are no different. Just like any job, it is vital to find the
right people for the right things. Now get to asking!
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