There are many organizations in the US which award scholarships to girls based on some special qualities. Some offer scholarships for being tall while others for predicting the economic future.
We are now in a world that appreciates, applauds, and admires the unusual and unique. As part of such a world, there is no need for us to be embarrassed or unhappy about what others perceive as ‘weird’ or ‘geeky’, especially when you have so many scholarships to choose from for the same qualities. Based on your personal characteristics or talents, you can definitely make the most of them, and fund your education. Here’s a look into some weird scholarships that girls can avail of.
The Scholarships
Fortunately, you don’t necessarily need only good grades or be superb at sports to get yourself a scholarship. They have now gone beyond these requirements to embrace the unique qualities each potential student possesses. Let’s take a look.
Tall Clubs International Scholarship
For a girl who’s tall, this scholarship is a blessing in disguise. No personal skills and no talents are required. You need to be blessed with a good height, i.e., a girl who is taller than 5′-10″ can qualify for this award of US $1,000. Apart from your natural towering personality, you also need to write an essay on ‘What Being Tall Means to Me’. If it is the best, you can easily win the prize money and use it for your education.
The Gertrude J. Deppen Scholarship Fund (Bucknell University)
You’ve always been encouraged to get active, but if you’ve been turning a deaf ear to those pleas all your life, you may in fact be in luck. Bucknell university offers varied amounts to girls who are rather inactive, and vow not to consume tobacco, alcohol, or drugs in the future. Those of you, who have never participated in an athletic competition that can be termed ‘physically strenuous or exhausting’ are eligible for this grant.
Excellence in Predicting the Future Award
Girls are known to be more intuitive and have a more powerful sixth sense. How much more perfect can this intuition get when it comes to predicting the economic future of your country? Offered by the Cenimar website, grants are available to the tune of US $400 for high school and undergraduate students. By signing up on the website, you are given some play money and are expected to trade. This is similar to the way one would buy and sell stocks in the stock market. Based on your portfolio and the collected amount, you will be considered for the award.
Scholarships from the Ayn Rand Institute
Ayn Rand Institute holds a yearly essay contest for high school students (Grade 11 and 12), where you have to write a great essay based on any one of the books of Ayn Rand. The winner is awarded a prize of US $10,000, while 5 prizes of US $5,000 are awarded to those in second place. The third place winner gets the prize money of US $1000.
KLI Academic Award
Be it Parseltongue or Klingon, if you have an affinity for languages that are unusual and show some interest in or are rather familiar with ‘constructed language’, this one is for you. Keep in mind you have to be a student of any kind of language, and can apply through nominations by your department chairs. You can win an award of US $500.
Seuss “Oh, The Places You’ll Go”
Heard of the book Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss? If you have, you can easily qualify for the essay contest offered by Random House for high school seniors. Based on the perceived challenges you will face in the course of your higher education, you are asked to write an essay. The winning amount is a whopping US $5,000, that can help you in overcoming at least one challenge in the path of your education.
Some More Scholarships
- Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest: Create the best prom outfit for yourself and your date, made of duct tape, sport it at your prom, and win US $6,000.
- Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship: If you have not only adopted vegetarianism but promote it too, you are suitable to fund your education with this habit by winning an award for the same. One award worth $10,000 and two awards worth $5,000 are given each year.
- Van Valkenburg Memorial Scholarship: The Van Valkenburg Memorial offers grants worth US $1,000 to those who share this last name, or a name that is even similar.
- National Make It Yourself with Wool Competition: If mom forced you to learn how to knit, you can finally use that art to win this competition. Make a unique garment with 100% wool or a 60% wool blend and win yourself a prize of up to US $2,000 to study further.
- American Fire Sprinkler Association Scholarship: Offering a prize money of US $3,000, for this award all you have to do is write how the fire sprinkler system has been successfully activated in your town, city, or state.
- LaFontaine Aquatic Entomology Scholarship: If you don’t find water bugs gross or icky, here’s an interesting grant that offers up to US $500 for girls who like to study entomology.
- Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest: Call out to ducks as well as you can in 90 seconds, and you can win up to US $2,000 for first place, $1000 for second, $750 for third, and $500 for the fourth place.
- Michigan Llama Association Scholarship: Show your interest in llamas and become a member of the Michigan Llama Association for a mere US $15. This can qualify you for a grant of US $500 that can be renewed up to three times in the course of your education.
As important as funding your education is, also make an effort to nurture all those qualities, traits, and characteristics that everyone has always called ‘weird’ for a girl or even in general. You can see how your interests can get you places with these aforementioned awards.