Anthony Lyen, Asst. Tempo Editor
Everyone can agree paying for college is not easy. Issues with loans, grants and financial aid paperwork seem to consume us all every time school starts back up. But thank God for those occasion- al scholarships.
Scholarships are really a beautiful thing, especially for an everyday college student experiencing this rough economy firsthand. But while these financial aid gifts from heaven are necessary for affordable college tuition, they do not come without work. Most scholarships require well-planned, well-written essays and are most commonly based on merit, such as academic or athletic abilities, or need.
Fortunately, there are other financial awards one would
not believe could possibly exist.
There are scholarships designated completely for left- handed people. That’s right: you can get money taken away from your college tuition for simply turning in a well-thought out essay and being left-handed.
Another scholarship available is sponsored by The New England Chapter of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. The qualifications are simple: attend a college/university in the North-east, be somewhat intelligent (2.5 Grade Point Average) and be “overweight.” So as long as you are smart and have the physique of Santa Claus, this may be something of interest.
Some other popular scholarships with bizarre origins include the Duck Brand Duct Tape Scholarship, which will
provide scholarships to high school seniors who attend their prom wearing a suit or dress made entirely of duct tape.
If you are tall, you may want to apply for the Tall Club In- ternational Student Scholarship. All males 6’2” and taller or females 5’10” and taller are applicable to receive financial aid from this rather interesting society.
These scholarships, how- ever, are not common among Lewis students. So what are the majority of scholarships students receive?
“Most students get outside scholarships or ones from Lewis,” said Kathy Bruss, a Lewis financial aid counselor. These “outside” scholarships are primarily from occupations or unions where a stu- dent’s parent or parents work, adds Bruss.
Students who do not seek the unusual scholarships, though, can find information online about ways to apply for hundreds of different scholarships. There are plenty of websites a student can use to research potential scholarship opportunities, says Bruss. These sites include scholarships.com, scholarshipexperts. com, whatsnextillinois.org and collegeillinois.org.
There are warning signs to these scholarship-providing websites, though. “Never give your Social Security number. And you should never have to pay for a chance to receive a scholarship,” says Bruss. “If those are asked, just don’t fill out the form.”
One of the most important things about scholarships people do not know is that you do not have to be an incoming freshman student to apply.
There may be age restrictions or guidelines, but most of the time, anybody who is attending college can apply for a scholarship. You can even apply for some now, depending on the deadlines. The money may carry over to the next academic year, but that scholarship will make a difference later on.
So, if you are in need of financial aid, make sure to start the search for scholarships as soon as possible. Kathy Bruss stresses for students to “start the search early and be proactive.” There are tons of “hid- den” scholarships people often pass by. And if doing a two page essay seems like a waste of time or too much work for one little scholarship, remember what President Barack Obama once said, “Money is not the only answer, but it makes a difference.”
Photo provided by David Hansen.
Anthony Lyen
Assistant Tempo Editor | Click here for Anthony's Archives
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