With summer days really starting to heat up, it almost seems like school is a far off memory. Wrong! School bells will be ringing before you know it along with them come those lovely tuition bills. Many organizations post new scholarships in the summer time for those early birds like your savvy, collegiette self. After you’ve come inside from your day in the sun, apply for these scholarships to score some serious back-to-school cash.
1. Texting While Driving Awareness Scholarship
DoSomething.org and Sprint have partnered up to spread word about the dangers of texting while driving and you help them while winning money at the same time! Just log onto the website, send your friends stats about the dangers and send pics of you wearing free mail-order “thumb socks” for support to the site’s upload gallery.
Details: This scholarship has no GPA requirement and is open to anyone in the U.S. and/or Puerto Rico age 25 or under.
Deadline: August 2, 2012
Amount: $2,000
Where to apply: www.dosomething.org/thumbwars
2. The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program
This “good through graduation” scholarship program created by Bill Gates himself is offered to low income minorities who would otherwise never have the opportunity to go to the college of their dreams. With tough competition, it may seem like as much work as applying to college itself, but a full ride is just too tempting to pass up, so get cracking!
Details: Rising high school seniors are eligible and the application requires a 3.3 GPA, someone to count as a nominator, and a letter of recommendation.
Deadline: September 30, 2012
Amount: Full scholarship based on college tuition
Where to apply: www.gmsp.org
3. Monthly Student Survey Scholarship
CollegeProwler.com, the hub for college and university reviews, gives away money each month by randomly selecting from a pool of their survey takers. All you have to do is sign up, take a university review survey and enter the drawing at the end of the questionnaire. One winner is chosen monthly with this insanely easy scholarship.
Details: Open to any undergrad or graduate student with a CollegeProwler.com account.
Deadline: The 15th of each month (August 15, 2012)
Amount: $1,000
Where to apply: collegeprowler.com/survey
4. Zinch “Easy as Pi” Scholarship
Pre-collegiette mathletes rejoice! Your love of numbers comes in handy for this scholarship. Zinch.com gives 12 students a year, one each month, a tasty reward for writing a short 250-word essay on why they love Pi (3.141592…).
Details: This award has no GPA requirement and is only open to high school students with a Zinch.com account.
Deadline: The last day of every month (July 31, 2012, August 31, 2012)
Amount: $3,141
Where to apply: www.zinch.com
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5. Common Knowledge “Back to School” Scholarship
Are you the brainiac who yells answers at the TV during Jeopardy!? If so, this scholarship was made for you. The Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation, which is run by the FBI, tests your knowledge of a school subjects through a series of quizzes. The highest scorers in the first round move onto the “championships” where the winner receives $250.
Details: There is no GPA requirement and separate quizzes are set up for high school and college students.
Deadline: September 5, 2012 (round one begins)
Amount: $250
Where to apply: www.cksf.org/index.cfm?Page=AvailableScholarships
6. Bucks, Books and Beyond Scholarship Sweepstakes
Two companies known for providing college essentials, Bed, Bath and Beyond and Chegg Textbook Renters, have teamed up to make paying your bills a little easier. Hopefuls can enter their information everyday from July 3 to August 15, 2012. The grand prize is four years of free textbooks (valued at almost $10,000) with runner-up prizes including a $2,500 scholarship and Bed Bath and Beyond gift cards. And the best part is you can enter everyday to better your odds.
Details: This sweepstakes allows residents of the U.S. and Canada 18 and over (excluding Quebec). No GPA requirement.
Deadline: August 15, 2012
Amount: grand prize of four years of free books from Chegg, runner-up prizes described on site
Where to apply: http://winsweepstakescontests.com/bed-bath-and-beyond-sweepstakes-bucks-books-and-beyond/442/
7. Dr. Seuss ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’ Scholarship
Grab your crispest canvases and sharpest pens for this scholarship contest. The Dr. Seuss Foundation awards students with scholarships and authentic Dr. Seuss artwork pieces for exhibiting the persevering characteristics from the children’s book Oh, the Places You’ll Go! You don’t necessarily have to be a mini Picasso or Shakespeare to win—just reflect the feeling of embarking on a new chapter in life in your submission. Applicants can either artistically display their work with an original painting or write a one-page letter to someone who needs inspiration.
Details: The fourth annual contest is open to anyone 21-years-old or younger in the U.S. and awards top prizes of $10,000. No GPA requirement.
Deadline: January 4, 2013
Amount: $10,000 and original artwork by Dr. Seuss
Where to apply: http://www.drseussart.com/facebookcontest.html
8. “Hit The Books” Scholarship by CoffeeforLess.com
These days, it’s probably harder to find a college student who isn’t addicted to coffee, so all highly caffeinated collegiettes should apply for this scholarship. CoffeeforLess.com challenges students to write a 500-word essay on the importance of education and coffee in their lives, explaining how the scholarship winnings would help their success.
Details: Undergrads and grad students age 18 to 25 are eligible and the winner’s prize money should be spent on books or other college materials. No GPA requirement.
Deadline: September 30, 2012
Amount: $500
Where to apply: http://www.coffeeforless.com/scholarship
9. Laws of Life Scholarship Contest
This contest is based on the works of philanthropist John Templeton and prompts graduating seniors to answer a question that Templeton spent his life exploring: What is the purpose of why you are on this Earth? The best submissions will be well thought out and artfully executed either in writing or through a short video, so channel your inner monk for some soul searching.
Details: This scholarship is open to graduating seniors in the U.S. who plan to attend college in the fall. Written submissions should be between 500 and 1,000 words and video submissions should be two minutes or less and uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo. No GPA requirement.
Deadline: August 31, 2012
Amount: Grand prize of $5,000 and a session with a professional purpose coach
Where to apply: http://lawsoflifecontest.com/
10. Kiss Tixx “First Kiss” Essay Contest
Whether awkward, spectacular or downright embarrassing, most of us have had our first kiss. With this scholarship contest, you can turn your experience, romantic or traumatic, into cold hard cash. Lip balm branch Kiss Tixx is giving away $500 to any high school, college, or grad student with who tells the best “first kiss” story in a 250-word essay. Pucker up and put pen to paper for your chance to win.
Details: This essay contest is open to any student in the U.S. currently in high school, college or graduate school. No GPA requirement.
Amount: $500
Where to apply: http://www.scholarships4students.com/first_kiss_scholarship.htm
Photo Sources:
http://files.dosomething.org/files/thumb%20wars%20logo%202012.jpg
http://www.morethanatestscore.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/pi31-300×22…
http://chutzpah.typepad.com/.a/6a00e55180ed5c8834012876c3e031970c-800wi
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