Advice for Freshman + Sophomores
National scholarships are competitive awards that provide opportunities and support for many different experiences, including study abroad, graduate study (and sometimes undergraduate study), federal employment, teaching, research, and public service. You may have heard of some national scholarships – the Rhodes and Fulbright awards are among the best known – but most college students aren’t aware that there is a wide variety of prestigious national scholarship programs for undergraduates. There are scholarships for students interested in public service, international relations, language study, teaching, scientific research, engineering, journalism, and other fields.
National scholarships are looking for students who are developing strong interests and goals – academic and extracurricular – and who seek constructive opportunities to help them achieve their goals. All national scholarships are merit based, but a few also consider financial need. Each national scholarship offers a different kind of opportunity and each looks for a different range of strengths and interests in its applicants. You do not need to have a 4.0 GPA or be president of Student Government to be a great scholarship candidate. If you develop a strong academic record (3.0 or higher is important), are thoughtful about your academic choices, and devote yourself to activities you care about, you may well find one or more scholarships opportunities of interest to you.
The best applicants for national scholarships are those who took charge of their educational opportunities, in the classroom and beyond, early in their college careers. Learning about the different opportunities national scholarships offer and about the kinds of students they are looking for can be a helpful way to begin identifying and developing your own longer-range plans and goals.
Freshman: Try to view your choices at Maryland as part of a long-range process of intellectual exploration and fulfillment. As you consider what courses to take next semester, or what community or campus activities to join, or when you think about internships, or start exploring study abroad options, ask yourself how your choices are building on each other and leading you to a better understanding of your long-term interests and goals. Consider with special care whether continuing to study a foreign language, or starting to study a new language, could be an important part of your future plans.
Sophomores: With your studies and extracurricular activities moving along, consider the many ways you can deepen your engagement with your educational experiences and opportunities, both in and beyond the classroom. Talk to your professors about engaging in undergraduate research; consider the 'honors' track in your major; deepen your involvement in extracurricular and community engagement opportunities that align with your goals and interests. Remember that nationally competitive scholarships seek students who genuinely pursue their own passions and interests, and not those who seek simply to accumulate “credentials.”
All students who have taken their choices seriously, used their time wisely, and worked hard to develop their intellectual, public service, and extracurricular passions make great scholarship candidates. Below we note some particularly important choices and steps you should consider carefully.
Academics and Campus Resources
As you begin to pursue studies in your major, seek ways to acquire meaningful breadth as well. Look for minors, certificates, or courses in other departments that complement your major. Talk to your advisors and professors about university programs that may supplement your coursework, internships, and extra-curricular activities.
Get to know your teachers
Know them as well as possible and let them get to know you. This is especially important for faculty in your major, as these will often be your future research or honors thesis advisors or recommenders. Meet teachers during office hours and seek their advice. Stay in touch with instructors and other mentors who have made a difference in your education. When you decide to apply to graduate school or for a national scholarship, you will need letters of recommendation from people who know you reasonably well. Staying in touch with your favorite teachers is a good way of making sure they’ll be able to write effective letters of recommendation.
Language Study
Get serious about language study! If learning a new language, or deepening your knowledge of an old one makes sense for your academic or professional goals, do it now – and don’t settle for meeting your major or college language requirement. Many scholarships reward students who have attained language proficiency (e.g., Fulbright), while others can assist students who wish to pursue language study abroad (e.g. Boren, Freeman-Asia, Gilman).
Study Abroad
Sophomore year is the ideal time to start thinking seriously about study abroad. Investigate countries and programs that will strongly complement and enhance your academic interests. Consider non-traditional destinations (those outside Western Europe or Australia) that might make sense for you. Choose a rigorous program, one that involves opportunities for research projects or internships-for-credit, or that emphasizes intensive language learning and home-stays. Your time abroad can greatly improve your language skills and propel you toward more advanced studies or internships in your fields of interest. Use your study abroad time wisely, and avoid the temptation to become an academic tourist!
Research
National scholarships are often won by students who have conducted undergraduate research, independent study or creative projects in their academic areas. Discuss your research interests with your teachers and with your major department’s undergraduate advisor. Ask them about possibilities for conducting research or independent study through honors or thesis options in your program. You can also talk with your teachers about THEIR research projects, and ask if there may be ways you can become involved in those. Consider looking for internships that include research experiences or duties.
Internships
Internships can be a great way to explore possible career paths, to deepen your involvement in causes you care about, and learn more about issues related to your academic studies. When you apply for internships, be careful to choose ones that will complement your academic and other interests.
Extracurricular Activities
Pursue extracurricular activities that are important to you - these can be on- or off-campus, service-oriented, internship-based, athletic, or related to your academic studies. Now is the time to begin taking on additional responsibilities and leadership roles - don't just be a good member, help to build, improve or expand your organization's activities. Nationally competitive scholarships are looking for promising leaders, for students who show they are willing and able to take the initiative and make a difference in their communities. They are also looking for students who show long-term commitment to the organizations or causes they care about.
Become a Citizen of the World
Read the Washington Post, the Economist, or the New York Times, online or on paper. Follow the issues you care about domestically or internationally, and attend lectures, programs and other events on campus or in Washington DC that will help you gain a deeper understanding of and engagement in our world.