Personal questions: (40 points - each question worth 10 points)
Question #1 - How has your participation in PTSA impacted your life? How has it made a difference at your high school?
Question #2 - Describe a time in your life when things did not go the way you planned. How did you respond? Or, describe a challenge you have experienced and how you overcame it.
Question #3 - Where do you see yourself in five years?
Question #4 - If you could change one thing, whether about the world or about yourself, what would it be? How do you plan to use your post-secondary education in this endeavor?
You might consider grammar, structure of the essay, and overall message. Does it tell you something interesting or important about this applicant? Does the essay make sense? Does it sound like they are sincere, or did they copy and paste this from another application? Does it seem like they understand the mission and vision of PTSA? Does it seem like they contributed to their school in a positive way through PTSA? Did PTSA benefit their life? Does it seem like this applicant has ambitions that a PTA scholarship could help? Is there a need here? Is this a person that might not get another scholarship?
Resume (10 points)
Is this resume well-rounded? Keep in mind, this might be the first resume they've ever written, but is it professional in nature? Are there lots of typos or did they double-check the resume before they turned it in? Do they have a lot of community involvement? Do they seem ambitious and motivated? Do they try to support their community? Is everything on the resume just about themselves, or do you see that they are focused on service and helping others?
Academics (10 points)
Does their GPA reflect someone who is disciplined and dedicated to learning? The GPA influences their score as well as the rigor of the coursework. Also take into account any extenuating circumstances.
Two letters (10 points)
Do they have both letters? Does it seem like the letters are written specifically for this application, or did they use letters from another application? Does it seem like the person really knows them? Does the person writing the recommendation really feel strongly about this person receiving the scholarship, or is this a formality?
Questions for letter writers - In what capacity have you guided, assisted, or interacted with this student during his or her high school years? How have you seen this student embody the PTA motto, “Every Child, One Voice?” What conditions exist for this student that merit his or her consideration for this scholarship?
Character (10 points)
Does it seem like this person can handle challenges, and be proactive about finding enriching experiences in their lives? Do they seem like a good person? Do they seem sincere or self-centered?
Service (10 points)
Does this person do things to help the community, or are all of their extracurricular activities really just about boosting themselves? Are they a benefit to their family, their school or their community? Do they seem like they dedicate time to helping the community? Does it seem like they have made an impact on the world around them?
Judge's discretion (10 points) called Overall on the judging sheet
If you absolutely love this person and maybe they don't have the highest academic record, but you just know that they really need this scholarship, and you want to put them at the top of your list, give them some extra points. This is especially helpful for those applicants who might not have been involved with PTSA for as long, but are really community-minded or might not have the best grades but really need financial help to go to school, or they might be a first generation college student, or maybe they have another family issue that tugs at your heart strings. This is the judge's discretion and for whatever reason, you can give this applicant full points. Or, if you feel lukewarm about the applicant, maybe you only give them a few. It's up to you.