Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does a winning essay look like?
Winning essays must be truly memorable. They should be easy-to-read, funny, quirky and creative without being pretentious. Just (we hope) like the content of mental_floss magazine. Make it clear why you are the most deserving person on the planet to win this scholarship. The prizes will be awarded on the overall quality of your essay and its style should reflect the style and tone of the magazine. It must be your original work. And don't forget to limit your entry to 750 words. If you aren't already a mental_floss magazine reader, it might be a good idea to take a look at the magazine. It's available at Borders and other leading bookstores and you can also get an online preview of an issue at www.mentalfloss.com if you'd like to check it out. The magazine is also available in many libraries and schools.

2. What's the deadline for sending in entries and can I enter more than once?
Entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on January 31, 2009 and it's one entry per person. You can get all the details in the rules section.

3. Can I send in an entry by snail-mail?
No, you have to enter online at www.tuitiongiveaway.com.

4. Who's going to judge the winning entries?
Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur, the co-founders of mental_floss, will choose the winning entries.

5. When will you announce the winners?
On April Fools Day -- that's April 1, 2009.

6. Why are mental_floss and Merriam-Webster sponsoring this competition?
We won't lie to you -- it's a way of introducing more people to our brands and our products. And it's a way for us to give back to the community and to help students pay for their education. We also thought it would be a great way to see how many people could write some fabulous essays.

7. How many scholarships are you giving away?
Five $10,000 (U.S. dollars) scholarships will be awarded for 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. The prizes will be paid directly to the schools. Winners will also receive a Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary and a two-year subscription to mental_floss magazine.

8. Any runner-up prizes?
First Grand Consolation Prize: A dinner at your school during fall semester 2009 with a co-founder of mental_floss magazine, namely Will Pearson or Mangesh Hattikudur, and five of your closest friends or a cash award of $250. Four other runner-ups will receive a one-year subscription to mental_floss magazine, a mental_floss T-shirt and a Merriam-Webster dictionary.

9. When will the prizes be awarded?
The scholarships will be paid to the schools/universities in the fall of 2009 and the runner-up prizes will also be awarded then.

10. Any final advice on crafting a winning entry?
Make your content memorable. Check out mental_floss magazine and our website (www.mentalfloss.com) to get a feel for the tone and style of writing that we'd be looking for in winning entries.