If you were amused by 10 Scholarships That Sound Fake, But Aren’t, you’ll be tickled to discover even more wild and wacky scholarship offerings in the college financial aid arena. Let the fun continue…
What’s in a Name?
Think your name has to be Rockefeller, Gates, or Trump to be able to afford college? Think again – your regular-old last name could be your ticket to a super scholarship. If your last name is Gatling or Gatlin and you plan to attend North Carolina State University, you may be eligible for a John Gatling Grant ($9,000 for North Carolina residents and $18,000 for out-of-state residents). If you’re Catholic and your last name is Zolp, consider attending Loyola University Chicago, where Zolp Scholarships are granted in amounts based on fund availability and the number of eligible recipients. And if you’re a descendant through birth or legal adoption of Lambert and Annetje Van Valckenburg, you can win a $1,000 scholarship to the college of your choice. Time to break out the genealogy charts!
Major Misnomer Award
Speaking of names, you might have seen notices for the new Willy the Plumber Scholarship and thought it was intended for students planning to become plumbers. Not so much. This need- and merit-based scholarship is actually for Utah students who have a parent who is or has been in prison. The scholarship is worth $1,000 for students attending a college or university and $500 for students attending a technical school. I’m not sure who Willy the Plumber is, but I’d say this award is an excellent step toward helping children of convicts break the cycle of crime.
Wooly Awards
I never imagined there would be scholarship dollars for students enamored with wool, but I’m learning to expect the unexpected. If you’re a member (or the child of a member) of the Michigan Lama Association (why do they spell it with only one “l”?), you may be eligible for a $1,000 renewable scholarship. On the other side of the wool-protection spectrum, fashion-forward students are invited to participate in the National Make It With Wool Competition to win $2,000 scholarships from the American Sheep Industry. And let’s not forget the $3,200 Beans for Brains Scholarships – created by Jimmy Beans Wool – for students who knit, crochet, and/or sew. (Incidentally, this last scholarship would also qualify for a “major misnomer award”!)
Championing Mediocrity
Scholarships often go to the best and the brightest – the exceptional students of the world. But the entertainment website CollegeHumor.com has decided to make an exception for the unexceptional among us. This year, CollegeHumor proudly awarded two $5,000 Average Student Scholarships to so-called “normal achievers.” The criteria were all about lowered expectations, with staffers imploring students not to impress them. So… the $5K sounds great, but I’m wondering how colleges will feel about students who were recognized for being not very successful, accomplished, or notable. Is the cash worth the compromise?
Cash for Candy
Your mom may have told you to steer clear of sweets, but if you made like Willy Wonka and decided to stick to the sugary stuff anyway, you could be rewarded for your dedication. The American Association of Candy Technologists awards the $5,000 John Kitt Memorial Scholarship each year to a high-achieving college sophomore, junior, or senior majoring in food science, chemical science, biological science, or related area who also has a demonstrated interest in confectionery technology. (Don’t you think “confectionery technology” is an awfully fancy term for candy making?) If your relationship to sugar is a little less career-oriented, consider the $1,500 Flavor of the Month Scholarship offered each year by ScholarshipExperts.com. Just write a short essay revealing which ice cream flavor best represents your personality, and you’ll be in the running for this sweet scholarship.
