Unused scholarships are unclaimed because many college scholarships are unknown to students so they never apply. Awarded scholarships never are used by others.
Unused Scholarships
There are essentially two types of unused scholarships. The first type is the unused scholarship money that people don’t apply for; either because of extremely rigid requirements, or because they aren’t aware that they are available, and more commonly because they don’t think that they stand a chance of winning the scholarship.
The second group is the unused college scholarships that are actually applied for and awarded, but then not used by the student. In terms of the second type, however, those unclaimed scholarship dollars are typically rolled over back into the originial scholarship fund, or awarded to other students as they become available. It is the first type that you need to know about.
The first reason that students do not apply for these unusued scholarships is because they don’t think that they could possibly win, with the competition involved, even if they meet all of the criteria. This is always a mistake. If you meet the eligibility requirements for a college scholarship, you need to apply. Never think of this as a waste of time. Remember that for most scholarships, a certain number of each scholarship is awarded every year. When there are strict eligibility requirements, or a complicated application process, fewer students will apply. What this essentially means is that often, there are fewer applicants than there are awards available, and this works in your favor. If you meet the requirements, and you go through the application process, in this instance, you pretty much have a guaranteed scholarship.
Surprisingly, students are largely unaware of many unknown scholarships that are available in their own community. Some high schools have taken the initiative to release lists of these local little known scholarships to their students, so that they are aware of them, but few have done this to date. When the student talks about financial aid with their high school guidance counselor, they need to ask specifically about local scholarships that are available along with state scholarships too. Encourage your school to put together a list of the local college scholarships that are available, so that more students can get financial aid, and there will be far fewer unused and unknown scholarships that go unclaimed for college.
Parents should check with their employers, unions, and any organizations that they belong to in order to find out about any little known scholarships that are available. Scholarship opportunities such as these are not always advertised. You should also check with your church to see if they sponsor any christian scholarships, and check with any type of organization that students belong to for any potential hidden scholarships. Sometimes, just being a member of an organization makes your eligible, but because so many people do not know this, there are a large number of unused scholarships each and every year.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that standard scholarships only go to the most advanced students, or to the financially poorest students. This isn’t so. While some scholarships grants are designed for the very brightest, or the very poor, this isn’t true of most scholarships. Also, don’t assume that you are automatically eligible for a scholarship and that you don’t have to apply. With just a little investigation into what is available, you can greatly increase the awards that you get to pay for your education with the many unused scholarships that go unclaimed each year. Find as many of these unknown, hidden and secret college scholarships available today and see what sticks. This will make your college financial ride a little more enjoyable.
It’s helpful to find a piece of advice to help pay for college, or some scholarship secrets to help you find some of those unknown or hidden scholarships.
Scholarship Secrets
It’s always helpful to find a little piece of advice to help pay for college, or some scholarship secrets to help you find some of those unknown or hidden scholarships you sometimes hear about. Are their really any scholarship secrets or a hidden scholarship in which you discover and that will pay you some money towards college tuition? There is a good case in looking as hard as you can for some type of scholarship, grant, or financial aid. There is one quick way to check, but this is not all of it.
It does not require an economist to tell us how rough the economy has been for quite sometime. The cost of going to college has gone through the roof, and throw in the recession with the expanding jobless rate and post high school tuition options seem bleak. This financial breakdown has sent students scurrying in attempts of finding some type of assistance. For many students a secret or hidden scholarship is their only avenue to a college education besides school loans which upon graduation the loans await you to pay off… YUG!
There are scholarships out there and that is no secret but you have to know what you need to do to qualify and how to be chosen for one. Winning a scholarship does not take some secret method passed down through the generations. It takes organization and the ability to do the right thing at the right time.
If you really want to prepare yourself to earn a standard scholarship it has to start when you are young even as far back as elementary school. Parents have to start molding their children into college students of tomorrow. Students need to push to show academic excellence right from the beginning and never let it slip. If students can show that they have been academically inclined since grade school those issuing scholarships will see that they were educationally ambitious throughout their lives.
As much as the scholarship committees focus on academics they often concentrate just as hard on applicants’ community involvement. It is vital that all students who aspire to attend college get involved in outstanding school programs and activities that form a resume of active involvement. It is just as important to volunteer in their community and help to make it a better place. All of this displays leadership and a genuine concern for those who share the world around you.
Technology has made finding hidden or secret scholarships a much more pleasant task. The age of the computer and the worldwide Internet has opened the doors that took an unpleasant amount of time in the past. Students seeking a hidden scholarship can go online and find hundreds of available scholarships. Finding scholarships is only half of the battle. The true test derives from applying for them. Applicants should always have a well prepared resume demonstrating all of their personal success in academics, awards received and school and community involvement. In addition, they should always have a strong essay available listing their career objectives. Students should also have strong reference letters to support their recommendation for the scholarship. These letters and essays go a long way in selling who you are and what you’re about to the scholarship committees.
It does not take some secret scholarship to get a college education. It takes hard work and dedication towards the process of obtaining a scholarship. The process normally begins early in grade school and proceeds right through the senior year in high school. It takes active involvement in school and community programs. It requires a strong resume with excellent letters of reference. There are no hidden scholarships, just secrets towards getting a regular one.
What if you didn’t get the best of grades to allow you to apply for many of the standard scholarships? Well, you still may have a chance. You may have to start calling the colleges you most likely want to attend from the most preferred to the least, because the most preferred may not offer any aid for you and then you move down your list and call to see what the next school may provide for you. What I prefer is to set an appointment in person to meet with the financial aid guidance counselor. This is the best because you can pick up valuable advice which will steer you closer to your scholarship/aid goal.
If you are crunched for time then you may want to do a quick & easy scholarship search. You should not pay for this but many places try to get you to pay. You can go do a scholarship search on this scholarship search engine which is free and seems to be the one most recommended today. You can read more about it at finding student loan scholarships.
There are many scholarships available for college students today & some are weird scholarships for odd & strange talents. These crazy scholarships pay tuition.
Odd & Weird Scholarships
There are hundreds of scholarships available for college students today and some of them are just outright weird scholarships for odd & strange talents. You can look them up on the Internet. Perhaps you know about the more popular scholarships and it could be that those are the only ones you apply for. You may be missing out on some lost opportunities if you have some sort of weird talent.
It is good to know that there are still people in the world with a sense of humor. There are some crazy scholarships today that will make you laugh or shake your head in disbelief but it just could be that you might qualify for one of them and make you a few extra dollars towards your college education.
Let’s take the Alice McArver Ratchford Scholarship for instance. To qualify for these weird scholarships you must be a female and be enrolled at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. Students have to submit their FAFSA and must make their home on campus. The applicant cannot have a car or be married and cannot have won another scholarship. The student also needs to display a financial need. If you can meet the criteria you must submit your application by March 1st of the scholarship year.
Okay, prepare yourself for this one because this is one strange scholarship. The Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest has a crazy scholarship for you. No, I am not quacking around. Stuttgart, Arkansas in the United States is home to this duck calling oddball scholarship contest. You can be a high school senior anywhere in the USA and qualify. The only other criteria you have to meet are, well, you have to be able to call a duck. The first prize is actually something to quack about. The winner will receive a $1,500 weird college scholarship. The second place winner gets to take home a $500 scholarship, while third and forth place finishers take home $300 and $200 respectably. Stop quacking up and give it a try.
Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana offers the David Letterman Scholarship for Telecommunications. The oddball aspect about this strange scholarship is that it is not based on academic performance. Your grades do not matter. What you do have to be is creative. First of all you have to be studying telecommunications as either a major or a minor. All you have to do is submit a creative project that displays your creativity. You do have to be in the first quarter of either your junior or senior year in college. Your submitted project can be written, in audio form, a short film or on videotape. If it is creative and you win you will receive $10,000 in weird college scholarships. Second place finishers receive a $5,000 award while the third place student gets $3,333. All submissions must be turned in by March 26th of the scholarship year.
There are many more strange & crazy scholarships available. We have covered but a few here. They might sound a little weird but they are just real scholarships for college students with odd talents. The way the economy has been, money for college is hard to come by. Every little bit helps. If you can find one of these weird scholarships where your talent matches up, then it may just offer a helping hand.
Searching the internet you will find some smart scholarships and some pretty silly scholarships, but wacky scholarships pay you the money like all the others!
Smart or Silly Scholarships
If you search the Internet long enough you are bound to find some really smart scholarships and some pretty silly scholarships too. Okay, maybe not exactly silly, just some wacky scholarships that don’t quite seem like they should be classified as a scholarship. However stupid or not these so called silly scholarships are for real and they actually deliver valuable smart scholarship money to those who meet their unusual criteria. So before you turn your nose up at these stupid scholarships give them the once over and make completely sure that they cannot lend you a helping hand in your pursuit of post high school education. Let’s examine a few of these smart, goofy scholarships.
Let’s start with The Duck Brand Duct Tape “Stuck At Prom” Contest. Believe it or not, you read it right. As goofy as it sounds you can win $3000 towards your college education along with a bit of pocket money for school as well. All you and your date have to do is attend your high school prom in a duct tape costume you designed. Then you take pictures and send them to the duct tape website. They will choose 10 finalists. Those who visit the site and give them the most votes will determine the winning couple. You must submit your photos to silly scholarships no later than June 8th of the contest year. Voters will judge the couples on originality, workmanship, accessories, colors and the amount of duct tape utilized. This may be one wacky scholarship contest but if you win you may think otherwise when you accept the money!
Just when you thought you had heard everything along comes the Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship for Left-Handed Students. No, this is not going to be a ‘left-handed monkey wrench’ story. If you are a senior, junior or sophomore enrolled in Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, have sound academic scores, display financial need and oh yes, be left-handed your a candidate for this strange scholarship. Silly, maybe but you can win a smart scholarship of up to $5,000 just for being left handed. Winning the $5,000 scholarship may not seem so dumb once you deposited it in your bank account though. The next application deadline will be April 1, 2010.
Being tall is good for something else other than playing basketball and picking apples off trees. The Tall Clubs International Scholarship offers a $1,000 scholarship. The somewhat stupid part is that a female has to stand 5 feet 10 inches tall. A male has to stand 6 feet 2 inches tall. If you are shorter than that then you are tough out of luck. These applicants need to be below 21 years of age and preparing for their first year in college. His or her local TCI Club must also sponsor each applicant. Believe it or not this is no tall tale and many may consider these to be stupid, or smart scholarships depending on who you ask.
Some people may think it silly that this next scholarship could even exist. The Gertrude J. Deppen Scholarship at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania is asking for a miracle in this day and age. Those interested must have resided in Mount Carmel for at least a decade. They must also hold a diploma from Mount Carmel High School. It gets better. Prospective applicants cannot drink, smoke, use drugs or even play in sports. It must be hard to verify this award and then stick to it. This scholarship may be stupid, silly, goofy & wacky all rolled in one and other ways as well.
Yes, some of these seem like pretty silly scholarships but sometimes when you need money for college you have to be willing to find assistance where you can. At the very least these wacky scholarships can finally make you smile because in the end they all are really smart scholarships if you discover them, apply, and ultimately win money from them!
Many colleges offer unknown Girl Scout Scholarships. Here are top universal scholarships for Girl scouts. Attend any college and still receive the scout award.
Girl Scout Scholarships
There are many colleges and universities which offer Girl Scout Scholarships, but are college specific; meaning you must attend that particular college to receive their unknown scholarship for Girl scouts. The best course of action to secure a Girl scout scholarship if you are interested in attending a particular college or university is to call their financial aids office and ask them if they offer scholarships for Girl scouts which you can apply to.
If you’re a senior still attending high school, speak to your personal counselor about their knowledge of Girl scouts scholarships that you can look into. Keep in mind that you may be able to uncover more than they do by contacting individual colleges and universities on your own. Many colleges may have scholarships not specifically labeled as a Girl scout scholarship, but it may fall under the umbrella of a high achievers award that you can apply to and receive scholarship money. Remember, colleges love high achievers; which being a Girl scout clearly has exhibited, and they will go out of their way to find some sort of scholarship for a high achieving Girl scout because they value these types of students & want them attending their school.
That being said, we will discuss a few unknown top Girl scout scholarships which are universal in nature; meaning you can receive their universal scholarship money and choose to attend any college of your choice. This will appeal to a broader audience of students because many want to attend a few colleges they already have in mind. We will condense the information down to make it as simple to understand as possible with links to their respective Girl scout scholarship sites for more detailed information and to apply.
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
This is the largest youth recognition program in the US today and is exclusively based on volunteer community service. Any young person who is in grades 5-12 can apply. (10) National Honorees are chosen by a panel of prominent public figures and awarded a $5,000 Scout scholarship. Local Honorees (2 from each state – one from a middle level school and one from a high school) are selected from each state and receive $1,000 in scholarships. Also, winners receive an all paid expense trip with a parent/guardian to Washington, D.C. for the national recognition presentation for all winners. Each September the program year starts with November 2nd being the last day to apply online. For questions call (888) 450-9961. Go to Prudential Spirit of Community Scholarships for Girl scouts to apply and for more details.
The Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting Scholarship
The winners of these Girl scouting scholarships will have exhibited their participation in their Scouting, school, and community, scholastic achievements and church. To be eligible, candidates must be a registered active member of Girl Scouts and having earned a Girl Scout Gold Award, a member of an Eastern Orthodox Church and have received the Alpha Omega Religious Scout Award. Must be presently attending an accredited high school as a senior. The Eastern Orthodox Scouting Scholarship Committee awards (2) scholarships. First place winners receive $1,000 & runner-up $500. You must be officially committed in attending a (4) year accredited college/university of your choice. Just recently the Russian Children’s Welfare Society, Inc, has included a scholarship for $1,000 for a Scout who is Russian descent & qualifies with the above criteria. Three national scholarships for Girl scouts who best meet the qualifications above, will also be given by the Eastern Orthodox Church in addition to the above. Deadline by May 1st of each year. Contact below for questions.
Chairman George N. Boulukos
862 Guy Lombardo Avenue
Freeport, New York 11520
(518) 868-4050
Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation Scholarship for Girl Scouts
Winners of these Girl scout scholarships go to women who have earned the Girl Scout Gold or Silver Award and whom will be studying a foreign language. You can renew this scholarship yearly. Also; a separate grant is awarded to a Silver or Gold Award Girl Scout who will be studying overseas with a field of their choosing. This is for airfare only. Go to Corinne Jeannine Schillings Scholarships for Girl scouts. For more questions call 708-957-3684 or 630-886-0507. Email – dschillings@cjsfoundation.org.
American Legion Auxiliary Girl Scout Achievement Scholarship
Girl Scout Gold Award recipients only. Active religious member of choice & must have been awarded the Cadet or Senior Scout level. Must show strong involvement as a citizen in her religious institution, school, Girl Scouting and community. One recommendation letter from one of the following: church, school, community or her Scouting group. Deadline is April 1st. Must write a (500) word essay about your Gold Award project. For more go to American Legion Auxiliary Girl Scout Achievement Scholarship.
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Girl scouts are top candidates for these awards which honor young girls who have made a difference in the community through public service. You must be nominated by adults who are not related but who know all about the accomplishments & achievements of the Girl scouts work. Annually, (10) winners nationwide are honored with a $2,000 award for furthering their education or their service work. Every year there has always been one Girl scout amongst the winners. April 30th deadline. Contact info below.
Barbara Ann Richman, Executive Director
The Barron Prize
545 Pearl Street
Boulder, Colorado 80302
Rising Stars Scholarship for Girl Scouts
If you’re a Girl scout and you love learning about math, then you must apply to this scout scholarship fast. A $2,500 yearly Girl scout scholarship is presented to 1 – 4 applicants. You can keep on receiving this yearly up to (4) years too for a total of $10,000! Along with the winners, (6) runner ups are also given acknowledgement by being mentored by a major university and/or corporation to assist them in becoming future leaders & role models in math for other Girl scouts and other girls too. The criteria on who can apply for the Rising Stars Scholarship for Girl scouts are: you must be a registered Girl scout who will be graduating high school and who will be majoring in either mathematics or physic in college. Leadership and community service must be exhibited and academic achievement must be shown by the studying of accelerated math classes in high school. Strong SAT,SAT II scores and GPA are also considered. Go to Rising Star Scholarships for Girl scouts for more details.
With the above top unknown Girl scouts scholarships being universal, you can easily go directly to their respective sites and apply to them to see which ones are right for you. If you have a handful of colleges in mind you most want to attend to find top unknown scholarships for Girl scouts; then you can start by calling directly the colleges you are most interested in. You will uncover more than you think this way. Girl scouts know how to tackle projects and this should be treated as a top priority project because it will pay you monies to attend college when you are awarded a scout scholarship. Go for another ‘Gold Award’. It should be worth all the effort you put into it. The more you put into it (more colleges called) the more you will certainly get back.
