Should College Students Apply for Weird Grants and Scholarships?

Millions of students attend college in the United States – approximately 20 million. That number includes students attending full and part-time. What is even more shocking is that almost half of those students receive financial aid. That is a lot of money in loans that graduates will need to pay back. Most of these students do not apply for scholarships because they think there is no way they will qualify. Weird college scholarships provide a way for students to use their most interesting and quirky attributes and interests to receive free money for college.

Do not worry if you were not at the top of your class, or if you did not perform as the star quarterback. There are still many weird college scholarships out there for you if you know where to look, and you search based on your interests and attributes. Are you an atheist member of the LGBT community? Then there is a scholarship for you.

If you have a unique skill like duck calling, can knit the best scarf in town, or make a mean prom dress out of duct tape, then you should look into weird college scholarships. It is often the things about us that we never think could have any practical use that can get us through college for free. For instance, if you play the bagpipes and are willing to go anywhere for college, then you can get a free ride if you apply for the Carnegie Mellon University scholarship. There is not a lot of competition. Most years the scholarship goes unclaimed.

Did you get flak as a child for your love of Star Trek? Did your mom always tell you to come out of your room and be social? Well prove her wrong with not one, but two scholarships for Trekkies. You do not even need to be fluent in Klingon to apply!

Celebrities sponsor several weird college scholarships. They use their funds as a way to give back and provide opportunities for those in need. Some celebrities who sponsor scholarships include Alec Baldwin, Jerry Seinfeld, Bill and Melinda Gates, Michael Jackson, David Letterman and Bruce Lee. A lot of their scholarships focus on minority and low-income students and are designed to give students the opportunity to live up to their fullest potential, especially in fields such as the arts and sciences.

Bettering your future and bettering the environment can go hand-in-hand, and some weird college scholarships involve more than simply writing an essay and filling out an application. You can become an SCA intern, where you work for the national parks of the United States as a part of conservation. You will get paid, all while your room, board and other expenses are covered. What a great way to see our beautiful country and get money for college at the same time! Local companies also sponsor prospective college students who care for their community and world. The AA Plumbing Go Green Scholarship is a $1,000 award given to Fairfield High School seniors.

Weird college scholarships are a-plenty if you know where to look. Use the money from weird college scholarships so you do not have thousands of dollars in student loan debt when you finish school.