By tamaraIt’s hard to believe, but the school year will be coming to a close very soon. High school seniors will be saying good-bye to old friends and familiar places, and juniors are just now realizing that their carefree lives will soon be coming to an end. College students, on the other hand, may be looking forward to a much needed break from the spring semester or heading off to study abroad this summer. But one thing they all have in common is the opportunity to use these final weeks of school to crank out some scholarship applications, and hopefully earn some much needed money for college. The following May scholarships offer something for just about everyone, so I encourage students to apply to as many as possible. 1. WyzAnt College Scholarship This essay contest is open to high school sophomores and older. A total of three scholarships, valued between $2,000 and $10,000 each, are offered annually. Deadline: May 1. 2. “Breaking Down the Barrier” Scholarship ClearTarget Media offers one $500 scholarship annually through this essay contest. Students who are 16 years or older, and plan to enroll in college this fall, may apply. Deadline: May 1. 3. The Scholarship for Redheads Students who are natural redheads may apply for this $500 scholarship. Eligible candidates must also be high school juniors or seniors, and possess grade point averages of 2.5 or higher. Deadline: May 4. 4. Marketing EDGE Scholarship Several scholarships are offered through this program annually. Awards range in value from $1,000 to $5,000 each. Students must be pursuing a marketing career and have grade point averages of 3.0 or higher. Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply. Deadline: May 9. 5. Admissions Essay Scholarship Contest High school seniors, and those who have graduated within the last three years, may submit their college admissions essays for a chance to win $1,000 cash. Deadline: May 10. 6. MCO Scholarship This creative writing contest is open to high school seniors and undergraduate students. One $500 scholarship will be awarded. Deadline: May 15. 7. Kodak Scholarship Program The Eastman Kodak Company sponsors this annual scholarship program for film and cinematography students. A total of three awards valued between $3,000 and $5,000 each will be provided. Deadline: May 16. 8. Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest Students 14 years and older can compete in this creative scholarship contest which requires participants to wear prom outfits made from Duck Tape®. A total of 21 awards valued between $500 and $10,000 will be provided. Deadline: May 23. 9. Ornament Shop Annual Scholarship Current college students may compete for this $500 scholarship by creating a marketing plan to sell ornaments and other holiday items from February to October. Deadline: May 31. 10. Fifth Month Scholarship This weird scholarship requires students (13 and older) to write a letter to the number five. Letters can be funny, serious, or even put into other formats, such as songs and poems. One winner will receive $1,500. Deadline: May 31. Remember… The summer months usually have fewer scholarship opportunities, so it’s important that students use their time wisely and try to apply to as many programs as possible right now. It’s also a good idea to log back into any scholarship search services they may use and update their profiles to reflect any recent changes in test scores, grade levels, or other academic achievements, as these may open the door to new scholarship programs. A few hours of writing scholarship essays and completing applications over the next few weeks could definitely pay off.