<p>Are the responses to the short answer scholarship questions really only supposed to be a maximum of 160 characters (80 characters per line * 2 lines)? That seems awfully short to provide a detailed response, much less one that distinguishes you from other scholarship applicants.</p>
<p>Can anyone provide some feedback on how much weight these SA responses carry if I am planning on applying for just the President's Achievement scholarship? Thanks a bunch in advance.</p>
<p>Not to sound pretentious or rude or anything, but isn’t that why it’s called a “short answer” question? I don’t remember what the actual questions were, as I answered them a while back, but I don’t think that they’re supposed to be detailed in nature, nor are they supposed to distinguish you from other scholarship applicants because they’re not essays. You said that you are only applying to the President’s Achievement Scholarship, but everyone is automatically considered for that scholarship, so there is no real application or application process for it. Other scholarships however, have extra requirements/an application process. For example the Terry Foundation Scholarship requires that you write a an essay about a significant setback/challenge/opportunity. </p>
<p>I think that for the President’s Achievement Scholarship, they look more on what you put on your actual application (grades, classes, volunteering/extracurriculars, etc.), rather than the scholarship short answer questions. Actually, I think the scholarship short answer questions are there specifically for the separate scholarships that are available to apply for, but they just make you answer all of them as a formality, even if you aren’t applying to all of them. </p>
<p>If you really want a scholarship that would allow you to distinguish yourself from the crowd, you’d have a better chance of getting it through the separate scholarships, because there are less applicants since not everyone is automatically considered, and you have more of an opportunity to showcase how unique you are (essays–if they require them). However, seeing as the deadline is in a few hours, you might not want to do that. The essays are significantly shorter though than the Topic A/B/C essays in the general app, so I think you might be able to rack up maybe one or two decent ones in that time crunch. </p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for your response. I always expected short answers to be a maximum of 250 words or so, not 30-40 words as given by the 160 character limit. Regardless, your answer does make sense. I’m not applying to any additional scholarships due to the time constraint I’ve landed myself in and the fact that I will likely not go to UTA should I be accepted anywhere else, given UTA is my in-state safety - I’m a Texas resident in the top 8% of my class.</p>
<p>Haha, you’re a lucky one. I stuck myself in the top 14% due to my bad procrastination habits, and I’m crossing my fingers to make it from holistic reviews. </p>
<p>Hope everything goes well with your other applications!</p>
<p>Well, regardless of their weight, would you say that the current answers I’ve provided are sufficient for the purposes of the application? </p>
<p>*I don’t really mind posting them on here since my responses are fairly generic.</p>
<p>**Question 2: Why This University</p>
<p>Why have you chosen to apply to The University of Texas at Austin?**</p>
<p>I would like to attend UTA for its balanced approach to academics and maintaining a sense of community and to take advantage of its dedicated honors programs.</p>
<p>**Question 3: Why This Major</p>
<p>Why have you chosen your academic major(s) of Biochemistry and Unspecified Business / Freshman?**</p>
<p>I have chosen to major in biochemistry to further my interest in the human body and the biological and chemical processes that make human life possible.</p>
<p>**Question 4: Educational Plans</p>
<p>Briefly describe any educational plans you have beyond earning your Bachelor’s degree.**</p>
<p>I hope to attend medical school and enroll in courses focusing on neurology and oncology. As a second option, I hope to apply for a Ph.D in neuroscience.</p>
<p>**Question 5: Life Goals</p>
<p>What are some of your life goals and objectives?**</p>
<p>I primarily desire to become a physician and medical scientist by graduating from medical school and completing the required residency. In doing so, I hope to apply my knowledge to improve the lives of the people around me.</p>
<p>Those answers sound fine! Nice and to the point. :)</p>