Here at Red Kite, we love helping students find scholarships!
And we’re not just experts at connecting you with funding for your education. Ya girl1 is here to share a few of my favorite scholarship facts!
While doing research for our blog, I came across some seriously wild history. Did y’all know that scholarships have been around for hundreds of years? And don’t even get me started on all the silly goofy scholarships out there…
From grants for C-students to library dwellers (yes, that’s a thing), the world of scholarships is way more interesting than I expected. Let’s get into it!
1. The First Scholarship Was Granted in 1643
Scholarships were invented before the United States, y’all! The first recorded scholarship was created by Lady Anne Radcliffe Mowlson for Harvard University. (Also didn’t know that Harvard is that old, either…)
Lady Mowlson was born in London and immigrated to colonial America. Seven years after Harvard was founded, she left the university £100 in her will. With inflation, that’s equal to about $30,000 in 2024… imagine how many powdered wigs and horse-drawn carriages that scholarship paid for!
And her scholarship is still around today! It’s called the Lady Mowlson 1643 Fund, which has benefited students for hundreds of years through Harvard’s Radcliffe College.
Apparently, Lady Mowlson is quoted as saying the scholarship would go towards ““the maintenance of some poor schollar [sic] which shall be admitted into…Harvard[‘]s Colledge [sic].” Which… is a bit of a read, but her heart was clearly in the right place. Thank you, Lady Anne!
2. It’s estimated though that around $100 million in scholarships go unclaimed each year
You’ve heard me say it over and over again on this blog (almost as much as I’ve mentioned Beyoncé), but I still can’t get over this fact!
Before I discovered Red Kite, I had no idea there were billions of dollars of scholarships out there for students, let alone how many of those dollars go unused. It’s mainly because nobody hears about these opportunities, which is why Red Kite makes it easier than ever to personalize your financial aid.
And through our curated lists of scholarships that fit YOU, you might end up receiving a scholarship that would’ve otherwise gone unclaimed!
So, be sure to sign up for Red Kite to get started on achieving your college dreams. Think of all that cash somewhere, just waiting for a deserving student like you.
3. David Letterman created a scholarship for the average “C student”
The former late night host David Letterman always describes himself as “an average student,” which is pretty incredible, given how talented he is! It just goes to show that grades aren’t everything, even when it comes to college success.
While many scholarships celebrate academic excellence, Letterman took a different approach. He decided to create a scholarship for telecommunications students at Ball State University (his alma mater) and target students similar to him by basing the scholarship on creativity, rather than GPA. Anybody else feeling a little better about the test they just bombed?
In order to be considered, students have to submit a creative project, such as writing, research or interactive media. The scholarship is awarded to one winner, who receives $10,000, a first runner-up who receives $5,000, and a second who receives $3,333. That’s a lot of goodies for kids who might be feeling down about their grades!
Remember my own story, people: I had a 2.7 GPA my sophomore year of high school. Yet, I was still offered hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of scholarships because I was passionate about writing. (And now I get to do it for a living!)
Of course, applying to college is so competitive, but it doesn’t have to be quite so expensive. There’s a scholarship for everyone, as the Letterman scholarship proves!
In 2004, Steven Stanzak was attending his sophomore college college at NYU. He had a 30-hour work week and a $15,000/year scholarship, but he was still struggling to pay the high costs of tuition and room and board. That problem is so real – even to this day, 20 years later!
So, bestie Steve was forced to secretly live in the basement of NYU’s Bobst Library for the majority of his sophomore year. As an English major minoring in Creative Writing and Irish studies, he decided to start writing online about his library lifestyle.
Stanzak’s story gained widespread attention – old-school viral, if you will. His story was shared in media outlets like The New York Times and NBC News. Luckily, Steve wasn’t kicked out from the library – in fact, NYU offered him free housing through the summer!
Now, don’t go around thinking that you can just secretly live on campus for free. Stanzak himself said that the situation was incredibly uncomfortable and embarrassing. It just goes to show that college students are resilient, even in the worst of circumstances. And maybe if Steve had Red Kite back then, things would’ve been different!
- Every year, the Chinese government offers 60 students full scholarships to North Korean universities
Here’s a scholarship perk you probably never expected—every year, the Chinese government offers 60 full scholarships for students to study in North Korea.
The winners enjoy more freedom to explore the country than regular tourists, traveling from city to city, even hopping on the Pyongyang subway. Now, this isn’t my personal cup of tea, but I thought this was an interesting idea!
North Korea is infamously a strict and highly controlled country, but the fact that scholarships can open up doorways like this is mind-blowing. I’m so curious to read about these Chinese students’ takeaways from their very unorthodox study abroad!
Well, there you have it, Kitelings. Just a few fun facts about Red Kite’s favorite subject: scholarships!
As a reminder, Red Kite is here to help match you to the financial aid you need. We’ll personalize your financial aid recommendations, walk you through the application process, and help you stay on top of deadlines.
What could be easier than that? (Well, maybe a David Letterman-style scholarship, but we’ve got you covered either way!)