APPLICATION TIPS

The Weil Family Foundation Scholarship Committee has been reading applications, interviewing prospective scholars, and making scholar selections since 2005! Here are some tips to make sure your application is the best it can be, and that you are prepared to interview, should you be invited.

APPLICATION TIPS

Give yourself plenty of time to complete your application. Know your deadlines, start early and review your application several times before submitting it.
Do not skip any questions. It’s also okay to write “this question does not apply to me”. That’s preferable to a blank answer.
Be thorough, but succinct in your replies.
We consider family obligations (such as caring for younger siblings) to be work experience. If you have not been able to do paid work due to family obligations, please tell us about that.
Make sure there are no typos, incorrect punctuation, or grammatical errors. An otherwise interesting application can be sunk by these types of mistakes.
Have a counselor, teacher, friend, or family member read your essays, both for feedback and for proofreading.
Give equal attention to both of your essays. A lot of applicants use their college application essay or a piece of it, to answer one of our essay questions, and that’s fine. But make sure your other essay is just as well thought out and well written.
Embrace your story and be authentic. Don’t worry about what you think we want to hear. Tell us what you want to share with us.

INTERVIEW TIPS

Come to your interview prepared to discuss the college you have chosen to attend (or the colleges you are deciding between) and why.
Be prepared to discuss your college’s cost of attendance and your plan for covering that cost. Make sure you understand your financial aid package (grants, scholarships, loans, work study etc.) and how you hope to pay for what is not covered in it.

It may seem odd that a potential scholarship provider includes an understanding of your financial aid package in your interview, but we have discovered that if you understand your financial aid package you will feel more prepared for college, feel more confident about meeting the financial obligations of the next four years, and will be better able to advocate for yourself. These qualities often translate into being a more successful student.

The San Diego Foundation scholarship common application website and 2023 deadlines:

https://www.sdfoundation.org/students/common-scholarship-application/