12 Wacky Scholarship Opportunities

With the cost of college rising faster than inflation, tuition can be a massive financial burden to students and their families. Here are 12 out of the ordinary scholarships that could help make a dent in the bill.

If you don’t partake in eating meat, fowl, or fish and encourage your community and peers to follow suit, this could be the scholarship for you. The Vegetarian Resource Group grants two students that promote vegetarianism in their schools and communities $5,000 each. The scholarship requires an essay and documentation of public promotion of vegetarianism. (http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm)

Can’t get enough meat and dream of being crowned ambassador of all things beef? Create a presentation about the importance of beef nutrition or production, answer presentation and interview questions from a panel of judges and $1,000 could be yours. Scholarship winners will join the National Beef Ambassador Team and could speak at designated engagements. (http://www.nationalbeefambassador.org/Content/)

In an effort to stress the importance of sprinkler systems inside buildings, the American Fire Sprinkler Association offers $20,000 in scholarships. Potential recipients have to read the “Fire Sprinkler Essay” about automatic fire sprinklers and take a 10 question open-book test, for each question answered correctly, students can enter into a drawing for one of 10 $2,000 scholarships. (http://www.afsascholarship.org/index.html)

Does your true calling sound just like a duck? High school seniors who are expert duck callers can enter this contest in Stuttgart, Ariz for a grand prize of $2,000. Following the rules of the World Champion Duck Calling Contest, participants have 90 seconds to imitate four calls (hail, feed, comeback and mating). To enter, contestants must register (for free) with the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce. (http://www.stuttgartarkansas.org/index.php?fuseaction=p0004.&mod=45)

If you find yourself towering over your peers, you may not have to reach as high for college funds. The Tall Clubs International allots up to $1,000 to students under the age of 21 to those who fulfill height requirements (5’10 for women, 6’2 for men). To apply for the scholarship, you must contact a TCI member for sponsorship. (http://www.tall.org/scholarships.cfm?CFID=735897&CFTOKEN=2693406)

Life for left-handed students was a little more tricky in school (finding a “left-handed” desk at school, trying to use scissors), but the Frederick and Mary F. Beckley “Left-Handed” Scholarship could lend you a hand. The scholarship is reserved for sophomores, juniors or seniors attending Juniata College and could award lefties $2,000-$5,000. (http://www.juniata.edu/services/research/fact_book/documents/scholarships0910.pdf)

Have a love for spuds? A prospective graduate student continuing their education in agribusiness with an interest in the potato industry could be eligible to receive $5,000 to help fund college. Participants are judged on their academics, leadership abilities, and knowledge of the “field.” (http://www.nationalpotatocouncil.org/NPC/programs_scholarshipprogram.cfm)

If your Dad or your Mama owns a llama, (or is a member of the Michigan Llama Association), you could receive $500 towards your education. You must be a member or a child of a member of the MLA, have a minimum of a 2.7 GPA for seven semesters in high school or a 3.0 cumulative average in a college or trade school, and display outstanding citizenship qualities to qualify. (http://www.michiganllama.org/mlascholarship.pdf)

Although college didn’t make the list in this famous Dr. Suess book, Random House created a scholarship based on the prospects of new directions and adventures. To be eligible for the scholarship, high school seniors must submit an essay in the form of a letter to someone who “needs inspiration in his or her life” based on the themes of the book. The applicant with the best essay wins $10,000 toward the university of their choosing. (http://www.seussville.com/OTPScholarship/)

Attending the Alma Mater (Ursinus College in Collegeville, Penn) of the author of “The Catcher in the Rye” will not only allow you to walk the same halls as J.D. Salinger, but also share the same living quarters. Should you win the Ursinus College Creative Writing award, you will receive $30,000 and live in dorm room that the notorious author once occupied. (http://www.ursinus.edu/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=810)

It can’t get much better than ice cream and money for college. The National Ice Cream Retailers Association sponsors this scholarship for high school and college students that are part-time and full-time employees of active members. Students can win up to $3,500 and have a choice on what to put the money toward (tuition, room and board, books, etc.). Sounds like a sweet deal! (http://www.nicra.org/scholar.html)

If you are a high school graduate with a passion for welding, this scholarship is right up your alley. To be eligible for the $2,500 scholarship, student must pursue a bachelor’s degree in welding engineering or welding engineering technology. You may only use the money toward tuition or text books and while any U.S. or Canadian citizen may enter, priority is given to those living in or attending school in Georgia, Alabama, or Florida. (http://www.aws.org/w/a/foundation/scholarships/airgas_baker.html)