By tamaraThe first day of April is always interesting in my house. I have four kids, so they find it amusing to ‘punk’ mom throughout the day. Even waking up can be fraught with peril; I never know if I will be covered in some sticky mess or step into something disgusting. I’m not sure how April Fools’ Day started, but my children have embraced it as a day where even their most outrageous pranks will receive amnesty. They don’t know it yet, but one day (many years from now) I will be helping my grandchildren exact some serious payback. I could start by telling my daughter I lost her college fund while playing poker, but that seems a bit too cruel. Besides, saving (and finding) money for college is no laughing matter, unless you apply for these funny, and a bit weird, scholarships. 1. The Bird Dog Foundation, Inc. Annual High School Senior Essay Contest Seriously, could this scholarship’s name be any longer? Some of the topics for this year’s essay include: Oology (the study of eggs), the hunting dog, and the relationship between man and dog. The prizes, however, are no laughing matter. One winner will receive $1,500 and the runner-up will receive $1,000. Deadline: April 15, 2013. 2. Kor Memorial Scholarship Do you know what ‘qep’a’ wa’maH SochDIch’ means? If you speak Klingon you do! No worries, any language study, real or not, is welcome in this scholarship competition. Just let your imagination run wild and you could possibly win $500 for college. Deadline: June 1, 2013. 3. Dating & Relationship Psychology Scholarship Are you the next ‘Millionaire Matchmaker’ or could you see yourself hosting a show called ‘The Couple’s Whisperer?’ If so, this DatingAdvice.com scholarship may be perfect for you! Deadline: June 30, 2013. 4. CouponCommunity.com Scholarship program I’ve never come across a college tuition coupon in the Sunday paper, but this comes close to it. Just share your tips for saving money, using coupons and other resources, and you could ‘clip’ a cool $2,000 off your college bill. Deadline: July 31, 2013. 5. Make Me Laugh Scholarship This scholarship is perfect for anyone who has been at the receiving end of an April Fools’ joke. Just submit your most embarrassing (or funny) moment and you could win $1,500 for college. If you’ve been lucky enough to avoid any mishaps on April 1, just make something up that is sure to make the scholarship committee laugh out loud. Deadline: August 31, 2013. Although April Fools’ Day is fun, paying for college is serious business. Start your scholarship search as soon as possible, so you’ll have more opportunities to win. Don’t forget to check with your high school guidance counselor, college financial aid office, employers, and local businesses to see what may be available, as well as using several free, online scholarship search services to help you find scholarships that are perfect for you.