Some Advice When You Submit Documents

[Chris Fultz]

This is some "mentorly" advice to students as many of you prepare for college applications, scholarships, jobs, and just about anything else.

(This is after reviewing several IRI scholarship applications before sending them to the companies that are sponsoring the scholarships.)

Many of the essays are excellent, full of great information and stories about FIRST and the student and the impact - but there is one thing missing.

The majority of the letters do not have the students name anywhere on them. Many do not identify a team name or team number.

When you submit information about yourself, make sure the person receiving the information knows who they are reading about. Make it a habit to put your name clearly at the bottom or top of the page. Put it on every page if it is a multi-page document. Add other information if it makes sense (like an address, phone number, high school, etc.)

Submitted information often gets printed and copied, and maybe sent around for review. If one of your pages gets out of place, it may never get back into the right place without some identification on it. Just having you name in the file name may not be enough if the file gets printed.

Remember, when you submit these application letters, you usually want someone to do something for you, or give you something. Make it easy for them...