Re-using parts of old essays

Paying for College
1

<p>I'm a sophomore in college and I've been applying for things (scholarships, summer programs, college itself, etc.) for probably like 3 or 4 years now. Writing application essays and personal statements is really hard for me... It's hard to find motivation, I have trouble finding the right words to use to describe myself and my interests, and sometimes I come across as alternately naive or pretentious. My first drafts are always awful, to the point where I get embarrassed showing them to people. However, I eventually manage to pull through and write something decent to send with an application. </p>

<p>Lately, since I've built up a collection of these essays on my computer, I tend to re-use parts of old ones when writing a new essay or personal statement. I never submit the exact same thing twice, but I'll copy a paragraph from one, paragraph from another, sentence from a third one, etc. Then I'll "fill in the blanks" with some new writing to make the transitions cohesive and tailor the essay to the specific scholarship I'm applying to. This makes the writing process easier for me because it speeds up and simplifies everything. It makes essays seem more approachable so I don't put them off until the last week. </p>

<p>I'm wondering, is this a bad habit to have or is it okay? Could it somehow catch up to me later or can I keep doing it? </p>

2

<p>It’s fine unless the scholarship rules stipulate against it. </p>

3

<p>I don’t see any problem as long as the essay is appropriate for that purpose. Make sure you have removed the unrelated information from it such as a school name for previous submission.</p>

4

<p>This is a great habit! It is hard to find motivation but if it’s already done or mostly done, it makes the work load a lot easier. I actually suggest re-using scholarship applications and essays to my clients to make the process easier. </p>

<p>Keep it up with applying and winning scholarships. You’re on the right path!</p>