Strange Scholarships
What would you do to get a piece of the big ol' scholarship
money pie? Think it's necessary to be a football star or
straight-A student to get your hands on some? Think again—there's
a huge variety of scholarships out there. Here's our Top 10 list
of the most bizarre ones we came across.
10. What a quack!
The Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest, is
open to any high school senior in the United States who can call
ducks. The grand prize winner will receive a $1,500 scholarship
to be used to further his or her education in any field. Get more info.
9. Fat chance:
The New England Chapter of the National Association to Advance
Fat Acceptance offers an annual scholarship of $500 to a "fat"
high school senior currently attending school in the New England
area (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, and VT). Applicants answer questions
that reflect their attitudes towards overweight people and size
acceptance, and how they might contribute to the size acceptance
movement. Get more info.
8. Calling all southpaws:
...who'd like to attend Juniata College, that is. The small
private college in Central Pennsylvania offers up to $1,000 to
two left-handed students each year. Word has it this scholarship
was set up by two Juniata freshmen who, in 1919, were dropped
from the school's tennis team because they were lefties. Find out
more about this scholarship by calling the Juniata College Office
of Student Financial Planning at (814) 641-3142.
7. Being good does have its rewards:
...like the Gertrude J. Deppen Scholarship, for one. Among
other restrictions (such as having to live in a certain town,
attend a certain high school, etc.) this Bucknell University
scholarship considers applicants "who are not habitual users of
tobacco, intoxicating liquor, and narcotics, and who do not
participate in strenuous athletic contests." Guess that gives
some of us teetotaling couch potatoes some hope, eh? Check it out
at: Get more info.
6. A little help for Little People:
The Billy Barty Foundation, created by the diminutive late
character actor, offers several scholarships each year to
students of short stature. But not just to any petite
person—recipients must be under 4' 10'' and have a medical form
of dwarfism. To inquire, phone the Foundation directly at: (818)
953-5410.
5. Shot in the dark:
Is your last name Gatling? How about Gatlin? No? Then you're
not eligible for the John Gatling Scholarship, a full ride to
North Carolina State University. The scholarship is named for the
inventor of the Gatling gun, but no gun-toting experience is
required. Visit the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at:
Get more info.
4. It's easy as pie
...to apply for the Culinary Institute of America's
All-American Apple Pie Recipe Contest: Students enter their apple
pie recipes to win delicious CIA bachelor's degree scholarships
of $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000. Call 1-800-CULINARY for
details.
3. Hey there, Stretch:
Tall Clubs International (TCI) offers an annual scholarship of
$1,000 to a graduating senior of tall stature (minimum height for
females 5'10"; males 6'2") who meet, er, tall academic and
character standards. Applicants must write an essay on "What
being tall means to me." Learn more at: Get more info.
2. Trekkies, anyone?
The Klingon Language Institute awards the $500 Kor Memorial
Scholarship each year to a student in a program leading to a
degree in a field of language study. Familiarity with Klingon is
not required, however creative and innovative applicants are
preferred. Find out more at: Get more info.
And the number one strange scholarship is...
1. Ball State University's David Letterman Scholarship.
Founded (and funded) by the university's most famous alum,
this scholarship doesn't reward outstanding achievement as much
as it does an outstanding display of creativity. Applicants are
encouraged to submit an artistic or otherwise creative project.
There is no minimum GPA required (Letterman himself was a C
student!).