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Poetry Scholarships: Academic Scholarship Applications And Awards

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Published: August 20, 2007

"To be a poet is a condition, not a profession," said Robert Frost. It's a shame for individuals diagnosed with the condition of poetic sensibility to allow their disease to rest dormant. Especially for lack of education money. Many colleges, graduate schools, publications, and wealthy individuals would agree, and they are often happy to share their financial resources with fresh talent.

There are many niches to consider when deciding which poetry scholarships to apply for. Talented African American, Native American, Hispanic, and Asian creative writers have a lot of free money at their disposal. As the melting pot of the world, the United States is well suited to create ethnically diverse art and literature, and many patrons and organizations are willing to invest in poetry scholarships that can help our nation realize this goal. The Daesan Foundation, for example, is committed to fostering talent in the Korean-American community. Their awards include fiction, children's literature, drama, and poetry scholarships for writers who have been active for under ten years.

Universities with strong creative writing departments often offer poetry scholarships. Marylhurst University's Binford Writing Scholarship, for example, awards two $4,000 a year academic scholarships and several partial academic scholarships to students with a promising portfolio and history of academic excellence. Applications for this, and other university poetry scholarships, are available online. Applications are typically due several months before the academic year begins.

Poetry scholarships funded by a wealthy patron's trust or memorial foundation are often less restrictive than university poetry scholarships. Rather than being required to attend a certain school, Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship recipients are simply expected to study abroad in the country of their choice for one year. Applications, resumes, and poetry samples for this $49,000 poetry scholarship are due by mail October 15th.

Poetry contests are also commonly funded by private individuals, and promise substantial cash awards for winners. The Ellen LaForge Memorial Poetry Foundation recognizes an outstanding collection of up to six poems by a writer who has not yet published a poetry collection with $1,000. The Robert Frost Foundation also offers a $1,000 prize, honoring a poem written in the spirit of this famous American writer. Though not exactly scholarships, these cash awards can alleviate the expenses of higher education.

When gearing up to complete applications for poetry scholarships, consider writing instructors or acquaintances in the publishing world who might be willing to submit a noteworthy letter of recommendation. Applications have variations on the standard personal essay prompt, but it's always helpful to brainstorm personal reasons for pursuing poetry and start a list of all previous writing experience and awards. Most academic scholarships are partially based on GPA, so be prepared to include a coy of high school or college transcripts.

When all is said and done, the applicant with the most amazing portfolio is the one who will rack up the the most poetry scholarships. Don't expect to be awarded poetry scholarships in order to learn how to write poetry... the winners are the ones who already know how to write poetry, but deserve poetry scholarships that will enable them to receive mentoring, editing, and connections in the literary world.

WikiHow.com gives writers some tips on how to write poetry that will merit poetry scholarships. First, read and listen to good poetry and learn the various traditional forms. Second, allow the creative juices to flow freely during the first draft and fight the urge to edit along the way. Third, attack the readers senses with surprising and original concrete images. Fourth, consider using poetic devices like tasteful rhyme and meter, and listen to the poem aloud to check for effectiveness. Finally, check pride at the door and ask for appropriate outside opinions.

Classmates', fellow writers', and teachers' constructive criticism is usually more helpful than biased relatives and friends. Remember, poetry scholarships are extremely competitive. There is no reason to protect oneself from the truth about an awful line or awkward rhyme, or get so attached to a stanza that it costs a handful of potential poetry scholarships and a chance at a prestigious university!

Start refining those favorite little masterpieces, find the personally appropriate poetry scholarships, and shoot for the stars. Though a career in creative writing has rarely made anybody rich, the rewards of self-expression are priceless to the artist and their readers. Someone's got to get the money set aside for independent poetry scholarships and university academic scholarships... why not give the other applicants a run for their money?


Sources:
Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship. Adventures in Education. 2007. Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation. 12 Aug. 2007. http://www.aie.org/Scholarships/detail.cfm?ID=1298 1.

Grants and Awards. Poets & Writers. 2007. 12 Aug. 2007. http://www.pw.org/mag/0707/deadlines.htm.

"How to Write a Poem." WikiHow. MediaWiki. 12 Aug. 2007. http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Poem.

Instructions and application for the Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship. Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship.12 Aug. 2007. http://www.amylowell.org/instructions.htm.

Marylhurst University Binford Writing Scholarship Application. Marylhurst University. 12 Aug. 2007. http://www.marylhurst.edu/images/uploads/file_2007 0221134822/schapp-binford.pdf.

Quotations about Poetry. The Quote Garden. 2 Aug. 2007. 12 Aug. 2007. http://www.quotegarden.com/poetry.html.

The Daesan Grants for Creative Writers. Kyobo: The Daesan Foundation. 1997. 12 Aug. 2007. http://www.daesan.or.kr/english/business/grants_wr iter.html.
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