Use this essay to provide information requested by each individual scholarship, personal financial need information, college and career plans, and any other information you feel would help in the selection process.  Things like medical problems, divorce, and special family situations are all considered when awarding scholarships.  Many scholarships will be chosen solely on the information contained in this essay.  So be specific and state your need clearly.  Honors, awards, clubs, volunteer time, leadership roles and extra curricular activities may be included in your essay; however, do not send certificates, resumes or other documents as they are discarded and not considered.
You are advised to type the essay into a Word document first, to spell check and to check character count not to exceed 7,000 characters (including spaces).  This will be approximately two pages using one inch margins and a 12pt font, single spaced.