Tips to Completing Your Accounting Scholarship Application On Time

By Benjamin Warren

Original publish date: January 13, 2023. Updated January 21, 2025.

The deadline for Washington CPA Foundation Accounting Scholarship applications is only a month away. You have until 11:59 PM PST on Monday, February 10, to finish and submit your application. Last year, about one-third of applicants walked away with a scholarship to fund their education, as well as validation and support from members of the CPA community who believed in their success. Check out this handy infographic for help breaking down the application process into a few manageable, weekly steps over the next month.

Three to four weeks is the standard time it takes to get letters of recommendation, so be sure to request your letters by no later than the week of January 24. You can request letters of recommendation using the scholarship application portal. Just create your account, answer the qualifying questions, and skip ahead to the Letter of Recommendation section to email the referral link to your references. Here are some tips on how to make the ask, and what to provide your references along with your request.

Make sure you leave enough time to complete the essays. These are short essays of 500 words or less, but you want to include time for proofreading and revisions. Correct any spelling or grammatical errors and have someone else review your essays. When writing your essays, keep in mind passion, service, and storytelling. Focus on telling your personal journey and showcase your passion for accounting and serving your community. Having a well-written, compelling essay will help you stand out and make the best impression with the scholarship reviewers.

ChatGPT and other AI tools can assist with outlining, grammar, and proofreading. However, reviewers will be looking for authenticity in your essays with a focus on passion, service, and storytelling. We’ll be looking at how well your essays answer the prompts through your own voice and experiences. AI can be used to help polish your work, but make sure it is used as a supplement, not a replacement, and that your essays speak to who you are.

Take full advantage of the third essay question, "Tell us up to three things that you believe the review committee should know about you but are not mentioned elsewhere in your application." Here are some ideas to get you started:

Past obstacles you’ve overcome, or current challenges you face
Future career or personal goals
Financial need
Anything in your transcripts/résumé you’d like to address? Maybe an explanation about that blip in grade point average from a bad semester or that you aren’t involved in many activities outside of school because you are a parent or need to work full-time to fund your education
Other hobbies or passions
How you’ll use your license to give back to the profession/community
Anything that sets you apart from other candidates (sell yourself!)

Find links to the scholarship application and eligibility requirements at here. If you're looking for more tips on completing your scholarship application, join the WSCPA Virtual Scholarship Open House on Friday, January 24, at 12:00 PM PST or keep an eye out for the recording.. Scholarship applications for incoming first- and second-year college students during the 2025-2026 academic year are due April 15. Click Here for more information. If you have questions about the scholarship or application process, please feel to reach out to foundation@wscpa.org.

Remember, submit your application by 11:59 PM PST on Monday, February 10. Good luck!

Benjamin Warren is the WSCPA Manager of Pipeline Initiatives. You can contact Benjamin via email.