The Resolve to Evolve Scholarship

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The Resolve to Evolve Scholarship is about more than just making resolutions — it’s about creating change and furthering our evolution as individuals and a society. We must resolve to proactively and progressively confront challenges, however daunting. The "R2E" essay scholarship is an opportunity to move beyond finger-pointing and offer constructive criticism and workable solutions for problems facing an administration or an organization.

Part I

Entry must be a response of no more than 5,000 characters to one of the following two-part questions:

Question #1

Last year’s college graduates obtained degrees in a variety of fields...and also left school with an average of about $25,000 in debt each. Many new grads juggle significantly more than that sum and reports indicate that those with large amounts of debt tend to subsequently delay other life cycles like buying a car and getting married, not to mention saving for retirement and eventually financing their own children’s educations. How problematic is this delay? How do you think students can prevent or minimize college debt?

Question #2

After years of having their classes selected for them, college students revel in the fact that they can choose their own courses; with that newfound freedom, however, they pick classes they’ll enjoy like “South Park and Contemporary Issues” or “Zombies in Popular Media” rather than more practical offerings like “Introduction to Professional Writing.” Employers warn that many college classes are not adequately preparing students for the workforce and life after college in general so do you think colleges and universities are pandering to students wants verses needs? What classes should colleges be offering – or, better yet, requiring – to ensure greater student success after graduation?

Only original, unpublished essays will be accepted. Any writing found to be anything other than an original work of the applicant will be disqualified.

Part II

Please submit a response of no more than 1,200 characters that addresses why attending college is important and outlines the applicant’s academic and career goals. Please also include an answer to the following question:

What do you feel will be your biggest obstacle in attending college and how do you think obtaining a college degree will help you reach your goals?

Part III (for finalists only)

If selected as a finalist, applicant must provide proof of enrollment (i.e., official/unofficial transcripts, printouts of courses or certificate of enrollment/admittance from high school) as well as a letter of reference that specifically addresses the applicant’s potential and provides support for receipt of scholarship assistance. This letter cannot be from a relative (ask a teacher, employer, supervisor or coach) and we recommend securing all documents as soon as possible; this will expedite the award process if applicant is selected as a finalist.

Eligibility

The Resolve to Evolve Essay Scholarship is open to all United States citizens who are registered users of Scholarships.com, will be enrolled in high school during the 2012-2013 academic year and will be between the ages 13 and 19 at the time the scholarship is awarded.

Entries will be accepted only within the application dates and are limited to one per person. Entries do not carry over to subsequent contests but applicants are welcome to submit future entries if their essay is not chosen. Once an applicant has won, they are no longer eligible for future Scholarships.com-sponsored scholarships. All submissions from past winners will be automatically disqualified and discarded. Once submitted, all entries become the property of the Scholarships.com.

Awards

The applicant who submits the best overall essay will receive a $2,000 scholarship. One (1) winner will also be selected from each grade level (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) and will receive a $1,000 scholarship each.

Applicants may begin submitting their materials on August 1, 2012. The deadline for entries is September 30, 2012. Entries submitted before August 1st or after September 30th will be disqualified. Finalists will be notified by November 6, 2012 for additional materials. Winners will be notified in late November, announced in early December and awarded by December 14, 2012.

Submission Method

All essays must be entered online through the submission form on Scholarships.com. Copy the text of essay from its original document and paste it into the designated boxes of the online submission form. Part One must consist of no more than 5,000 characters (including spaces and punctuation) and Part Two should be no more than 1,200 characters (including spaces and punctuation). Spelling and grammar do count; please provide the necessary checks prior to submission.

View past winners of the Scholarships.com Resolve to Evolve Essay Scholarship.

For official rules, please click here.