Essays are sometimes the most daunting assignments in school (and later on in the professional world). To students, the phrase runs, “You either have it or you don’t.” Writing skills. Some people can take an hour to write a masterpiece, while others slave over a page assignment for weeks.

While they may be terrifying, they are manageable, controllable tasks that anyone can accomplish. There are just a few steps to take and you will find yourself complete with essay in hand and time in the future.

Essays come in many forms: standard Five-Paragraph essay, Compare-Contrast essay, Application essay, Research/Term paper, Essay Exam, and so on. Many teachers and professors will design a specific essay questions for you, that you will then have to answer in their designated fashion.

Regardless of the style, follow the following general steps and you will be able to write an essay of any sort. Writing is not a simple deed. However, as opposed to tests, you will not be forced to memorize data for a single hour. Rather, you can research and formulate your own thoughts, expressing your knowledge in a personal way. This latter example is a major reason many people prefer essays to other forms of factual testing.

1. Read and comprehend the essay topic/question

Reread the question several times to make sure you truly understand what it is asking. People often write an essay that has nothing to do with the topic. Discuss it with your teacher or other students.

2. Research the topic

Go to the library, internet, read some books, look over your notes. Hone in on the specific question at hand and read information pertaining to it.

3. Write an outline

As elementary as it seems sometimes, outlines are the scaffolding for all successful writing. It does not have to be a formal outline, but just sketch out the order of your essay in some method that you understand.

4. Write a thesis statement

The thesis statement is the foundation of your essay. Write that one sentence that argues the point, the debate, the crux of your essay. It will be the final sentence of your introduction and the starting point for the rest of the writing.

5. Write the paper

Just write. It does not have to be a masterpiece as you write that first draft. Just get something on paper that you can eventually mold into a final product.

6. Edit the paper for content

Edit the paper to make sure you are staying on target, following your thesis, and have enough supporting evidence to prove your thesis.

7. Edit the paper for grammar

Give your essay a quick look solely for grammatical problems (spelling, punctuation, transitions, and so on).

8. Have someone else read over the essay

Even the most accomplished writers have editors. Sometimes you can become “immune” to your own writing and are unable to see what makes sense and what does not make sense. Let someone else read over it to make sure that your argument is cohesive.

9. Print the paper

Printers can sometimes distort your paper, no matter how well written. Print it out a day or so in advance in order to take care of any last minute errors.

10. Turn it in!

How to Get a Scholarship How to Get a Scholarship

Scholarships are tricky things. Everyone wants one. Few people get them. Apparently, there are millions out there that go unused on an annual basis. Because scholarships differ from loans in that they are free money, they are coveted beautiful things. They are also brilliant resume boosters and look fantastic on any resume.

Now, there are so many types of scholarships, it helps to be abreast of the types, time ranges, amounts, and places to find them. Some high schools give away scholarships prior to attending college. Some scholarships are merit based, others need based, others interest based, other cultural based. The list goes on.

The best way to begin seeking scholarships is to do your research. Every college and university will have a dowry with various scholarships. Usually they will be listed on the school’s website; however, you can always inquire as to their prevalence. When you learn about them, you can find out how much, many, and reasons behind them. Essentially, scholarships don’t usually just get handed to you (although some lucky people do find this fortuitous world). You must do your research.

Here are some types of scholarships.

1. Merit Scholarships

Scholarships typically revolve around this type of award. People who excel in academics are awarded a scholarship on the basis of their overall academic achievement. This may come in the form of top GPA, excellent SAT scores, and so on. These are highly competitive and may come in various forms.

2. Need-Based Scholarships

This type of scholarship is given purely on financial means. They are designed to fund the less-fortunate students in their academic pursuits. Scholarship committees look at various reasons for this hardship: Parents’ income, number of siblings in school simultaneously, expenses, cost of living, etc.

3. Athletic Scholarships

Scholarships are popularly given to star athletes by universities to recruit them for the athletic teams. Many athletes complete their education free of charge, but also pay the price of overworked team sports. Usually full-scholarship athletes are recruited by “scouts” while in high school. You don’t usually pursue this type of scholarship; it is given to you.

4. School-Based Individual Scholarships

Every school offers specific scholarships relevant to specifics from the university: donors, individual name scholarships, personal scholarships, and so on. Sometimes you have to apply directly to the scholarship, and other times, just by being accepted, you are placed in the bowl for possible scholarship awards.

5. Full/Partial Scholarship

Many people look at scholarships as a whole and think that they sometimes cover everything. If you are lucky enough to receive a full scholarship, then yes, they cover living, books, and tuition. However, many scholarships are partial, meaning they may cover simply living, simply books, or part of the tuition. If you are awarded any type of scholarship, take it and run! They are prized, wonderful gifts, and you should feel honored to receive one.

While several scholarships are school based, others are based on almost every other personal element that can exists. Several websites and books are designed purely for the existence of finding scholarships. Here are some websites and books that serve as search agents and listings of all the scholarships that exist. If you try hard enough, you are likely to find at least one or two that match your interests and qualifications. It takes much patience and time, but you are bound to find a scholarship for you.

Biomed Society BBQ

Additional Information:
Free food and drink for all members!

MUMCo is thrilled to present Tony Award-winning musical, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street for their 2008 production. The musical is based on the 19th century fictional character Sweeney Todd, with book by Hugh Wheeler and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

A cruel and bloody comedy tells the story of Sweeney Todd, a Fleet Street barber, who was previously known as Benjamin Barker, who returns from Australia where he has spent fifteen years on false charges. When he learns from Mrs. Lovett (whose meat pies are the worst in London) that his wife poisoned herself after being raped by Judge Turpin (the man who wrongly imprisoned him), and that his daughter is the ward of the same Judge Turpin, he vows revenge.

Sondheim’s musical thriller engulfs the imagination and retreats into the darkness, taking the spectator with it. MUMCo invites you to attend the tale of Sweeney Todd as he embarks on his murderous revenge.

MUMCo was founded in 1966 as the Monash University Light Opera Company (MULOC) and is one of the oldest clubs on campus at Monash University. The club mostly consists of current students at the university; however, anyone is welcome to join. We are focused on producing musicals to the highest standard within our means. At the same time, we place great importance on the social aspect of each production and aim to make every MUMCo experience as fun as possible.