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College isn’t cheap—a fact I’m reminded of once a month, when Sallie Mae’s collections department demands another $204. At this rate, my loans should be paid off around the time my daughter matriculates. (She just turned eight-weeks old.)
With the price of tuition continually going up, we decided to do something about it. So, mental_floss is announcing a big Tuition Giveaway! We’ll be awarding five $10,000 scholarships. And the best part is, you don’t even have to be a good student to claim one. You just have to be interesting. Here’s a quote directly from the Official Entry Form:
“In 750 words or less, explain why you (as the most deserving person on the planet) should win a $10,000 prize for tuition/books in the fall of 2009.”
That’s it! The contest is open to full-time students pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university in the U.S. or Canada in the fall of 2009. (Applicants must turn 18 by August 15, 2009.) The contest closes on January 31, 2009, and full details can be found at tuitiongiveaway.com.
The Grand Consolation Prize is a dinner at your school with a co-founder of mental_floss—either Will Pearson or Mangesh Hattikudur—and five of your closest friends. I’ve dined with both of them. Let me tell you, they’re fun to eat with.
Before signing off, I should thank our co-sponsors, Borders and Merriam-Webster. (I should also urge you to go to Borders and buy a dictionary.) And if you’ve got a question about the Tuition Giveaway, I bet we have an answer in our Tuition Giveaway FAQ. Good luck!
Comments (20)
Comment
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Why can’t it be for grad students? We’re often racking up HUGE debts and I think I’m deserving. Can I apply?
posted by Sara B on 9-17-2008 at 10:08 pm
Woo hoo! Does it help our candidacy if we’ve been a subscriber since 2003 and have been reading the blog every day since summer 2005?
posted by Cynthia on 9-17-2008 at 10:14 pm
I’m all over this. I actually checked out the blog tonight hoping for a tshirt contest. but i’ll take ten grand.
posted by Joe Hawkeye on 9-17-2008 at 10:18 pm
i am blowing off my french paper to work on my essay as we speak
posted by one interesting sophomore on 9-17-2008 at 11:20 pm
this is the best news i’ve heard all semester. granted, the semester just started. now i need to go do something that makes me deserving
posted by Travis on 9-17-2008 at 9:24 pm
Cynthia: I’m pretty sure this blog was not around in the summer of 2005, but even if it were, I don’t think that would sway the judges.
one interesting sophomore: Please don’t fail out. That will hurt your eligibility.
Sara B: While I would never challenge your worthiness, the Tuition Giveaway is for undergrads only. By keeping the contest very straightforward, it allows us to manage our message, back office challenges and partnerships while taking care of our primary business.
As a small company, we don’t have the resources at this point to take on the additional challenges and complexities that a multi-tiered contest would entail. Perhaps at some point in the future, we’ll be able to do more, but for now we have our hands full in managing what we’ve taken on. Sorry!
posted by Jason English on 9-17-2008 at 11:34 pm
ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou!!!
In all seriousness, I’m going to start on this. $10k will go a long way towards my education.
posted by NicoNico on 9-17-2008 at 11:51 pm
Oh, damn! I’m graduating next May, I won’t be in school in Fall ‘09. Am I eligible?
posted by Sarafina on 9-17-2008 at 11:52 pm
The blog wasn’t around in 2005, but mentalfloss.com certainly was, with a daily fact & quiz. So thanks, Cynthia!
posted by Sandy Wood on 9-18-2008 at 1:41 am
Tuition continually goings up! Such a giveaway is appreciated today. And by awarding five $10,000 scholarships this allows for many to benefit. Great job!
posted by The Drunken Blogger on 9-18-2008 at 5:21 am
What you are doing is really great!
Will the winner have to wear M_F t-shirts at all times on campus?
posted by septer on 9-18-2008 at 10:20 am
Septer: I like that idea. Though a mental_floss tattoo would also be cool.
[Legal Copy: Getting a mental_floss tattoo will guarantee that your photo will be plastered all over the blog, but will not be taken in consideration by the scholarship judges.]
posted by Jason English on 9-18-2008 at 10:26 am
Of course it has to be for the US and Canada only…
but then I just had to go to an English school, now didn’t I?
posted by Anna on 9-18-2008 at 1:23 pm
Mew… why can’t graduate students apply? We’re extra poor because we’re supposed to be grown-ups living on our own and stuffs…
posted by LindsayC on 9-18-2008 at 3:02 pm
I = Graduate student. 2 classes left :(
we never get anything.
recaptcha- Hit Quickly
posted by Shawn on 9-19-2008 at 1:33 pm
Egads. Though I’m grateful I get to terrorize my daughter with another scholarship essay, I wish there could be an essay contest for parents. I would love to write about how I deserve a financial break from funding my child’s education.
posted by Jenn on 9-21-2008 at 11:15 am
When are the winners going to be announced?
posted by Nicole on 2-4-2009 at 7:25 am
When will the winners be announced?
posted by Court on 2-5-2009 at 12:46 pm
i think in the rules it said the winners would be notified at the beginning of april
posted by scoop on 2-6-2009 at 3:25 pm
Just looking in to what I’d like to think of as a goldmine to something I’d like to look in to every so often. What exactly is there to do when you have something so surprisingly entertaining!!
posted by Ben on 2-23-2009 at 6:44 pm