Tell a Clear Story

I once reviewed an application that had everything.

Strong grades. Leadership roles. Volunteering. Work experience. Even a bit of research. On paper, it was impressive.

But halfway through, I realised I was struggling to answer a simple question:

What is this person actually about?

Everything was there, but nothing connected. It felt like reading a list, not a story. By the end, I knew a lot about the applicant, but I didn’t understand them.

And that is where many applications fail.

In the last issue, we talked about strategy — choosing the right opportunities instead of applying to everything.

But choosing well is only half the work.

The next question is: how do you present yourself?

A strong application is not about saying more. It is about saying things clearly.

If someone reads your application once, they should be able to answer three simple questions:

1. Who are you?

2. What have you done?

3. Where are you going?

If those answers are not obvious, your application feels scattered, even if the content is strong.

This is a common mistake. People try to include everything they have ever done. Every role. Every achievement. Every experience.

But more is not better. Clear is better.

You do not need to tell every story. You need to tell the right story.

Choose a central thread.

Maybe it is your interest in public health. Or education. Or technology. Or community development. Whatever it is, your experiences should point in that direction.

• Your CV should support it.

• Your essays should reflect it.

• Your examples should reinforce it.

When everything aligns, your application becomes easy to follow. And when it is easy to follow, it is easier to believe.

This connects to what we’ve already discussed.

Strategy helps you choose the right opportunity.

Now clarity helps you show that you fit.

You are not trying to impress with volume. You are trying to communicate with precision.

The person reading your application should not have to guess what you are about.

Make it obvious.

—Ojonugwa

Scholar ChitChat