After you’ve gone through all the tradition scholarship channels –talking to your college, your high school counselor and Vermont Student Assistance Corporation—it’s time to look a little bit off the beaten path. Here are 10 weird scholarships to get you started. Hey, you never know.

  

Red Vines Drawing Contest

Do you pride yourself on your artistic abilities? Well, American Licorice Company is giving students the opportunity to submit an original drawing of ITS logo, which may be featured on the new Red Vines packaging. You could win a $2,500 scholarship, as well as a prize pack of Red Vine goodies.

 

Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest

If you're looking for a unique outfit that will stand out from the crowd at prom this year, make one— and win money, too! Couples must attend the spring prom in full duct tape attire. Outfits will be judged on originality, workmanship, color usage, accessory creativity and the amount of duct tape used. Each member of the winning duo gets a $2,500 scholarship. Second place is $1,000, and third is $500.

 

The Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest

On the off chance you can do four exceptional duck calls— hail, feed, comeback and mating— in 90 seconds, you can win up to $1,500. If you even knew there was more than one type of duck call, you have a better shot than we do.

 

The OP Loftbed Scholarship

This might be the most random scholarship ever, from the company that makes many college beds. Answer four questions with no discernable purpose or connection— like where you would go and what you would order if you had $10 to spend on fast food—and you could win $500. Judges are looking for quirky, creative answers. Huh.

 

Common Knowledge Quizzes

You could win a mini-scholarship every month! Register online at the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation’s website, www.cksf.org, and they’ll e-mail you multiple-choice quizzes on a different topic every month.

 

Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship

If you've been trying to save animals by encouraging people not to eat them, you could end up saving lots on college! Write an essay about how you have promoted vegetarianism in your school or community, explaining your challenges and successes, and you could win one of two $5,000 scholarships.

 

National Make It With Wool Competition 

If you have serious sewing skills, you could win scholarship money from the American Sheep Industry. Create an outfit out of wool, and if you impress the judges you could walk away with $2,000.

 

The Ayn Rand Institute’s Essay Contests 

This scholarship is for people who paid attention in English class. Write an essay about one of Ayn Rand’s novels to win one of 521 cash scholarship prizes, up to $10,000! Choose from “The Fountainhead,” “Atlas Shrugged,” and “We The Living.”

 

The American Fire Sprinkler Association Scholarship

If you're good at simple test taking, then take your chance at this quick multiple-choice quiz based on an essay about automatic fire sprinklers. The text will be provided to you, you can even read it as you take the quiz. Could it get any easier? Or more random? Each correct answer will enter you into the drawing for ten $2,000 scholarships.

 

School Band and Orchestra Magazine Music Student Scholarship

Musically inclined? Write, in 250 words or less, how your music teacher influenced you and your goals in school, and you could win one of five $1,000 scholarships.