How to Submit to a ScholarJet Competition in an Hour or Less

It happens to the best of us — you’ve had a lot going on between school, work, and your personal life, and it’s now the day something is due and you haven’t even started. It’s a moment of panic, but it is fixable! Now, let’s say the thing you completely forgot about is your submission to a ScholarJet competition. Or, you just found out about us and found a competition that feels like it was made for you, and then you realize that the deadline is that same day. Now what?

Step One

First, take a deep breath. You can do it! It’s natural that your first instinct would be to panic, but the most important thing is to take a deep breath, relax, and get ready to put your brain to work.

Step Two

Brainstorm. Take a look at the requirements and description of the competition — what is the company looking for? Get out a piece of paper and a pen and write down the things that come to your mind. Don’t erase just yet, just think about what sorts of things you know how to do that satisfy the requirements and will help to show off your skills and talent.

Step Three

Minimize. Now that you have a handful of ideas written down, go back through and ask yourself, “Which of these is realistic?” It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to create a full-scale presentation with drawings, data visualization, graphics, and video — scratch that. Find the one or two ideas that you think you can reasonably accomplish in a short amount of time, and work with those to make them the best they can be.

Step Four

Get to work! When in a time crunch, Microsoft Suite and/or Google Drive apps, plus your phone, will be your best friend. Use the tools and resources that you already have and feel comfortable with to get your work done — this is not the time to try to learn a completely new skill or application, so, stick with what you know.

Step Five

Film and edit. Your phone’s camera is perfectly acceptable (and most commonly used in our competitions), so feel free to use that to record your submission! Check out our previous blog post for some tips about editing submissions and finding good editing apps that you can use on your phone!

Step Six

Upload! Once you’ve finished presenting, recording, and editing, it’s time to upload to the competition (make sure you have your profile made first)! Be sure that it’s uploaded correctly and completely, then press that Submit button.

Step Seven

Be patient. Judging a competition can take awhile, and the waiting game can be tough, but rest assured that we will keep you updated and let you know as soon as possible once a decision has been made. So, cross your fingers, keep yourself busy, and be proud of yourself that you were able to get something submitted in only an hour.

Stuck and need a little extra help?

• Book a 15 minute 1-on-1 session with me, the ScholarJet CEO and co-founder, and get customized advice.
• Prefer to use our chat? Here’s a link to Drift.