If you search for “no essay scholarships,” you will find some awards advertised as such. But, no essay scholarships aren’t really what they seem to be on the surface.
Even if some of the no-essay scholarships are legitimate, they usually aren’t worth the effort. Aside from the potentially horrible odds of winning, your child may be opening themselves up to a deluge of marketing attempts.
– a video essay instead of a written one– a creative presentation instead of a traditional written essay– portfolios of past work related to a particular field
No essay scholarships are generally not associated with any greater mission (aside from receiving a tax write-off for giving the money away and gaining access to the personal information of thousands, if not millions, or applicants), so they amount to no more than sweepstakes with a cash prize.
Before your child applies for any scholarship, it is important to research the award and the organization providing the funds to ensure that it isn’t a scam or simple sweepstakes pretending to be a true scholarship.