As the Program Manager for the program, I鈥檝e been asked by prospective applicants how to 鈥渂est鈥� prepare their application so that it not only gets read, but stands out. There really are no gimmicks or tricks to this, but there are effective guidelines that I鈥檝e seen throughout my 12 years at 优蜜视频 that I鈥檓 happy to share:

1. Take the application instructions and directions seriously.

Allow plenty of time to complete your application, so you have time to review and double-check it. Stay within the maximum word counts for your essays and short answers. This lets our selection committees know that you understand and know how to follow directions. Don鈥檛 include extra items if specifically given number limits in certain categories such as recommendations. The CDB Scholarship asks for two recommendations. We know that you鈥檙e a spectacular applicant, but, again, this falls under the follow directions rule of thumb.

2. Start your preparation early.

Be mindful of the CDB application deadline. To ensure you meet the deadline, start gathering everything you need, begin brainstorming essay ideas and request letters of recommendation months ahead of time as a courtesy to your recommenders who more than likely have a lot in their schedules to take care of aside from your recommendation鈥� and potentially for other program applicants in addition to yours.

Be sure to check the deadlines of upcoming ACT and SAT test dates and register as early as possible to be assured of your requested test date and the location of your test center. It also doesn鈥檛 hurt to do a 鈥渢rial run鈥� to the test site so you know in advance not only where it is but how long it will take to get you there, whether driving or on public transportation. The less stress you can put into test day realities, all the better for you to focus your energy on the test itself鈥� and not on getting there.

3. Choose recommenders wisely.

Make sure that your recommenders know you well enough to support a positive letter of recommendation that makes it clear they know you in the context in which they are writing your letter, and that they have the time to write and submit your recommendation in accordance with the deadline. It is YOUR responsibility to give your recommenders all of the necessary details and deadline information, not theirs to research. You do not want to make this process difficult for them, but should focus on presenting yourself in a positive light to any person willing to support your application. You can certainly provide your recommenders with details, as they may think highly of you but not remember your record-setting time in the 100 meter butterfly or the essay you had published in the school鈥檚 literary magazine. Many teachers and coaches routinely write multiple letters of recommendation over the course of an academic year. It鈥檚 fine if you supply them with appropriate data on YOU鈥攚hich is not to say that you write your own recommendation for them to sign. Any recommender who asks you to do this is NOT a recommender that would be appropriate for you to utilize.

4. Don鈥檛 lose focus of the detail.

Make sure that you know and are eligible for the specific requirements of the CDB Scholarship. Overlooking a direction or neglecting any of the submission requirements鈥攊.e. not answering the required number of essay prompts, not submitting a work sample, not completing a parent or recommender statement鈥攃an disqualify an otherwise eligible applicant from consideration. Read the directions carefully, and don鈥檛 hesitate to reach out to a member of the CDB Scholarship team either by phone or e-mail if you have any questions.

5. The seventh聽grader is the applicant- not your parent.

I鈥檓 going to let you in on an insider secret: no one on the CDB team wants to get a phone call from a prospective applicant鈥檚 parent that begins, 鈥淚鈥檓 filling out the application for my son/daughter鈥︹�澛� unless their question specifically refers to the Parent Statement聽 or general directions-related queries. The application is the responsibility of the student to complete. Yes鈥攁 parent or responsible adult can assist with making sure all elements of the application are in order, but it鈥檚 up to the actual applicant to be proactive when it comes to requesting the recommendations, school transcript and all of the essay writing and submission of activities, work sample, etc.

6. Stay organized.

Keep track of various deadlines and test days with your planner or a calendar app. It鈥檚 also a good idea to keep an online or paper folder with all of the components of the scholarship application as 鈥渟aved鈥� documents prior to submission, as well as the specific people and dates you鈥檝e gone to for your recommendations and school transcripts. Stay on top of the application components that others are responsible for in a respectful manner which does not mean asking them every week if they鈥檝e completed and submitted your materials. With the CDB application, you can check online under your name to see if and when outside pieces of your application have been submitted.

7. Make sure you know the scholarship.

It鈥檚 irritating to a reader when an applicant misspells the name of the scholarship or mistakenly lists the incorrect name if they鈥檙e applying for multiple scholarships.

8. Proof your work and have someone else review your application for errors.

It鈥檚 perfectly acceptable to ask another person鈥攑arent, teacher, older sibling鈥攖o read your work and ask for their input or to check your grammar and spelling. A second pair of eyes can often spot errors that you might have missed in the umpteenth reading of your work. But to be clear– this application should be the work, ideas and creative submission of the applicant who is a 7^th grader, not that of an adult. Our readers are well versed in reviewing applications, and the 鈥渧oice鈥� we expect to be presented with is that of the student applicant, not an over-arching parent.

9. Pay attention to presentation.

If you鈥檝e written great essays and have followed all of the scholarship directives and guidelines but submit an application that is sloppy or not what should be considered as a final draft, you could jeopardize your chances of being a stand-out applicant. All things being equal, the student who submits a neat and professional looking application is going to have an advantage over what appears to be a rushed and not well-proofed submission.

10. Be original.

Many of our readers say that a great essay opening line or a slice-of-life story captures their attention and makes that applicant memorable. Write about specific aspects, experiences, memories or moments of your life in your responses to the various prompts that are unique to you.

11. Share your passions.

As important as your scholastic performance may be, we want to see what you do outside the classroom that has your interest and focus, which is why the CDB application asks for the time commitment and length of time that you鈥檝e put into a particular commitment, as well as any leadership roles you have assumed in your extracurricular life. It鈥檚 fine to dabble in a lot of different pursuits, but the limited number of response slots on the CDB application are meant to reveal your passions鈥� the areas that you have seriously devoted your out-of-school time, effort and outreach towards.

The Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship and the annual cohort of selected CDB Scholars takes into account more than an applicant鈥檚 numerics鈥攇rade point average and test scores.聽 Our team looks at each application as an amalgam of the multiple aspects of what contributes to present you as an accomplished, multi-faceted, high-potential individual, which we hope is indicative of the CDB application in all of its component parts.聽 We want you to be as engaged in the application process as we will be in its reading and getting to know you.

Interested in becoming a CDB Scholar? The is now available. Apply by April 10, 2018.

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Pour some hot coco;
grab your scissors, tape and glue.
Science + crafts who knew?!

Look no further for a holiday craft bound to brighten the season. Below you鈥檒l find instructions for how to make a light up card using a simple circuit. Before we begin, here is a that will give you a glimpse of the project.

What you鈥檒l need:

• • Did you know ? This tape can be found at your local hardware store under the name 鈥渟lug tape!鈥�
• Cardstock or construction paper
• Tape
• Scissors
• Any and every crafting supply! (Including but not limited to: colored pencils, crayons, markers, tissue paper, glitter, felt, foam, and feathers)

Step I: Fold the card
Start with a full sheet of cardstock or construction paper and fold it in half to make a card.

Step II: Design your masterpiece
Think of how you would like to decorate the front of your card. What part of the scene would you like to be lit up, maybe a reindeer鈥檚 nose, the glowing part of a candle, a star, or lights on a tree? Whether you choose a figurative scene or an abstract universe, draw, cut and glue your heart out. Just don鈥檛 forget to pick a spot for the light!

Step III: Locate the light
Once you know where you want the light to appear, poke a small hole through the front panel of the card with a pen or scissors. On the inside flap of the card, use your pencil and draw a small circle around this hole.

Step IV: Map it out
Open up your card and follow the steps below to draw a map of the circuit directly behind your creation.

1. With a pencil make a medium circle where you want your battery to go. (Consider This: When the card is closed, you will press the battery to make the light come on. Put the battery in a place that correlates with your design. Like right on the stump of your Christmas tree for example.)
2. Now, draw lines to represent the copper tape
   1. Draw a line from the center of the battery circle to one side of your light hole (negative current).
   2. Beginning on the opposite side of the battery circle, draw a line to other side of the light bulb (positive current). Make sure your line does not touch the edge of the circle.

Step V: Where the magic happens

1. Lay the copper tape along the lines you drew in Step IV.
   1. Lay the copper tape over the first line you drew (from the middle of the battery to the edge of the light hole). This is the negative strip.
   2. For the positive strip, fold a half inch tab on one side of your copper tape. Right beneath the fold, lay the copper tape over the second line you drew (from the opposite side of the battery to the edge of the light hole). The tab should hover over the battery when you are finished. This will serve as your on/off switch when the card is closed.
2. Place the battery on your map negative side down. Secure the battery using clear tape. Make sure to only cover half of the battery with tape so that there is plenty of room for the folded tab to make contact with the positive side of the battery.
3. If you are using LED lights like the one鈥檚 linked above, there will be a short leg and a long leg (these are called leads). Push the bulb through the hole and tape the longer lead (positive) to the positive strip of copper tape. Now tape shorter (negative) lead to the negative strip of copper tape. Depending on what kind of LED light you have this part may look a little different.
4. Test your light by pressing the positive folded tab to the battery. Now, close the card and check it out.
5. Don鈥檛 forget to write a note!

Want to learn more? Check out these additional resources:

• 鈥溾��

Check out some and crafts for kids!

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