The answer to the question contained in the title is “yes, you just need to know where to look and how to apply”. There are a number of options out there for hardworking nurses who are willing to do what is required to meet the standards of the nursing scholarships. Below are some useful tips on finding scholarships and applying for them. Remember that the easiest way to find out about scholarships is to do a web search, but remember that there are scams out there that you should be careful about avoiding if possible.
Finding An LPN Scholarship
There are a number of ways in which you can conduct your hunt for LPN scholarships. You will be surprised at how easy it can be to find the right scholarships for you. However you must remember that even if you find the scholarships easily, there is a lot of competition for these scholarships. In addition there are only a limited number of scholarships given out regularly so you will have to really try your best to make sure that you qualify for the necessary scholarships when the time comes. Here are some things you can do to find LPN scholarships:
- If you are enrolled in an LPN program already then a good way to start your search is by contacting the financial aid department of that school. You will be surprised at the number of schools out there that offer scholarships and other forms of financial aid to their students in order to encourage them to stay at the school and to give them the chance they deserve to complete their education. Schools will often give preference to students already enrolled, so this is a very viable option for you to consider in terms of getting funding for your studies.
- If you are not registered at a school as yet, but have one in mind, the first step for you is to contact that school and find out from them if you are eligible to enroll there. Also find out if they have any financial aid options and whether or not you are eligible for that aid. If you are, go on to inquire about how you can apply for the LPN scholarships or aid that they offer. Do this for all of the LPN schools that you are interested in joining.
- If you have no luck at the schools, or if you would like to try other avenues while you wait, a good way to get started is by completing a FAFSA form to find out what government scholarships you are eligible for. You may find that there are in fact quite a large number of scholarships, grants, or loans that you can apply for through FAFSA, so this is a good way to start.
- Do some online searches. There are a number of websites that you can sign up with and apply at for scholarships, as well as websites that will help you to find scholarships that you are eligible based on the information that you provide them with. The internet is a great resource for you to make use of during your quest for educational betterment and financial aid. There are a number of websites out there specifically aimed at ensuring that nurses will have access to financial aid.
- A great source of information about what nursing scholarships are out there comes from the mouths of other nurses who have already completed their studies, or who are in the process of completing their studies, with the aid of LPN scholarships. If you know of any nurses in your circle of friends who have successfully achieved this, start off by asking them., if not you should go online and have a look at nursing forums. Ask generally what scholarships are out there and what experiences other nurses have has with these scholarships in the past. They will be happy to help.
Writing The LPN Scholarship Essay
When you apply for the many LPN scholarships that are available out there you will have to write essays to motivate why you are applying for the scholarship and why you think that you and no one else should receive the scholarship opportunity. Now this can be a daunting challenge for many people. Not everyone is a natural when it comes to writing essays. However if you keep a clear head and be honest you will find that in the end it is not so difficult to write these essays. Here are some tips to help you write a decent LPN scholarship essay:
The first thing that you will have to do is to double check that you do in fact meet the necessary requirements to be eligible for the scholarship. This is a very important aspect of the qualification process, and it is suggested that you take the time to make sure. If you end up writing an essay for a scholarship that you were not fully eligible for to begin with you will have wasted your time and all of the hard work it takes to write a good essay.
The Different Parts
The first part of the essay is the introduction. This is where you give a quick introduction of yourself. It is also where you say why you want to become an LPN nurse. There may be many reasons, but remember that your reasons are probably not unique. Be honest in this section. Also it is important that you be specific. If there was some life changing event that took place that made you decide that an LPN is what you wanted to be, be sure to include information about that event in clear detail so that you can give a good idea of who you are and what your motivations are.
In the next paragraph write about what kind of things you will be able to do with the scholarship. You could, for example, mention the coursework that you will be able to study of you are given that scholarship. Also mention why that coursework is meaningful and important to you and why you would like to do it. There are a number of things that a scholarship may help you to do depending on your financial situation. Make sure that you include the most important ones in your essay.
If you have had any previous experience in nursing or in fields related to nursing then the next paragraph is where you should include that information. For example if you have volunteered at a hospice you will be able to use that experience to show that you are serious about entering the health care field as an LPN and that you are willing to do the hard work that it requires to study for the qualification as well as to work as an LPN once you are qualified. This can help you a lot in getting your LPN scholarships.
In the next paragraph you should give specific information about any nursing associations that you belong to. If you are already studying towards your LPN qualification or if you are already a CNA than you may belong to some kind of organization. This will help show that you are actively involved in the industry that you need the scholarship to study further to join in a more important capacity. This again makes it apparent that you care about this line of work and that you will do whatever it take to make sure that you enter the field of nursing successfully.
The last paragraph, your conclusion, should include a call to action on the part of the scholarship board you are applying with, as well as a promise on your behalf. Basically what you want to do here is to ask, in diplomatic terms, that the board trusts you with the scholarship that you are applying for. It also involves a promise on your part to live up to their expectations and to not take the scholarship for granted or to throw the opportunity away. This needs to be worded very carefully when you write it.
The last thing that you need to do is to make sure that your essay is accurate in all regards. For example if there are spelling errors on your essay than you will not make a good impression with the reader. The best way is to get someone else to read it for you. They can check for any errors that you made. They can also check to make sure that the essay makes sense and that they can understand it easily. If there are any parts that are unclear, or if there are any errors in the essay, revise it accordingly. Then get a different people to read through it and repeat the process.