British Columbia Campus News, Canadian Colleges & Universities

By Andrea Ykema

Being left-handed can get you a $1000 scholarship. Attending your high school prom dressed in duct tape can get you $3000. And if confectionary technology is up your alley, there's $5000 waiting for you from the American Association of Candy Technologists.

Scratching up the financing necessary to attend college tends to be overwhelmingly challenging. Chances that you've collected tens of thousands of dollars in your piggy bank are slim. The likelihood that a well-endowed stranger has written you into their will is also quite slim. Most of us have to combine a motley collection of savings, parent-loans, government-loans, part-time work, scholarships, and bursaries in order to make our way through four years of post-secondary education.

Admittedly, scholarships and bursaries are the most attractive option. There is no money to be paid back (and obviously no lingering interest) and no money out of our own pockets. However, there are other sacrifices that must be made in the search for free money. Those sacrifices include - but are not limited to - time, energy, creativity and, sometimes, dignity (come on... duct tape at your prom?!).

People do not part with a thousand bucks easily. Expect to work hard to catch the eye of those who are offering scholarships. Before you begin searching for scholarships, prepare to dedicate yourself to the hunt. Some students have found it very beneficial to spend a summer applying for scholarships full-time, rather than working their regular job at McDonalds or Seven Eleven. That kind of dedication will afford you the opportunity to dig deep into the different places where scholarships can be found...

Scholarship Search Engines: Websites like StudentAwards.com and FastWeb Canada offer convenient, centralized places from which to search for appropriate scholarships. Many scholarships found on these types of search engines offer around $1000 for writing an essay about a classic piece of literature. Others require a piece of multi-media art to be submitted. Still others are looking for original poetry or high school GPAs. All manner of options will be encountered!

Corporate Scholarships: Sometimes, corporate scholarships are not listed in scholarship search engines. These scholarships are offered by companies like Pepsi or Apple, and can be found by digging around on the company's website.

Educational Institution Scholarships: Don't forget to look on the website of the school you plan to attend. Currently, Columbia has six different new-student scholarships/bursaries distributed to 54 new students, and 41 continuing student scholarships/bursaries available to about 70 students. Many students miss the advertisements for new-student offers in the giant shuffle of application paperwork. Being aware of the opportunities found at your own educational institution can be an easy way to access financial aid.

Don't let finances deter you from pursuing the education you really want. After all, if there's a scholarship out there for being left-handed or wearing a duct tape dress, there's probably a scholarship for you!

Check out http://www.financialaidfinder.com/scholarships/unusual-scholarships/ to see more wild scholarships for average students!