40 hot scholarships: here's our roundup of 40 diverse scholarship programs. If you take the time to write the essays and fill out applications, you could lasso some serious college dollars

Careers and Colleges, Nov-Dec, 2002 by Jami Dittus, Zinnia Faruque, Paul Jannace

INFO: ESPN, Inc., ESPN Plaza, 935 Middle St., Bristol, CT 06010;

(203) 585-2000

ESSAY CONTESTS

DO YOU HAVE A WINNING WAY WITH WORDS?

JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA

SCOOP: If you've got Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice (on your bookshelf), the Jane Austen Society of North America wants to hear your unique insight into Austen's art and ideas. This year's essay topic is on the importance of home and family in Jane Austen's life and work. Applicants also must include a statement about the individual or teacher most influential in teaching them to appreciate literature. First place essays are published on JASNA's Web site. Look up past winners to get a glimpse of what judges are looking for.

$$$: $500

WHO: High school students

DEADLINE: May 1, 2003

INFO: (800) 836-3911; www.jasna.org

FREEDOM FROM RELIGION FOUNDATION

SCOOP: Are you an avid proponent of "free thought" and separation of church and state? The Freedom From Religion Foundation sponsors an annual essay contest with topics such as "Why the United States was NOT Founded as a Christian nation." Winning essays are printed in the Foundation's monthly newspaper Free-thought Today. This year's topic will be available on the Web site after February 1.

$$$: $1,000 first prize; $300 second prize; $200 third prize

WHO: Seniors

DEADLINE: July 1, 2003

INFO: High School Essay Contest, P. 0. Box 750, Madison, WI 53701; www.ffrf.org

SOCIETY FOR SOFTWARE QUALITY SCOOP: Do you know about computer software? The Society for Software Quality offers a scholarship essay contest on topics related to computer issues. Check out the Web site for this year's topic as well as winning essays from prior years.

$$$: $1,000

WHO: Seniors

DEADLINE: May 1

INFO: Scholarship Committee Chair, P. 0. Box 86958, San Diego, CA 92138; (858) 2971544; www.ssq.org

AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSN.

SCOOP: The American Foreign Service Association wants you to tackle an essay topic related to foreign policy. Elizabeth Carlisle, 2002 winner, wrote an essay called "9/11: Foreign Service Contributions to Short-Term Relief and Long-Term Solutions." (You can read winning essays online.) Check out the Web site for details on this year's topic.

$$$: $250

WHO: High school students

DEADLINE: February 6, 2003

INFO: AFSA Essay Contest, 2101 E St., NW, Washington, DC 20037; (800) 704-AFSA; www.afsa.org

ALL-INK.COM

SCOOP: Here's a short and sweet scholarship. If you can point, click, and type a brief essay or two, then All-Ink.com can help you pay for your higher education. All-Ink.com wants to know, in two separate essays of 50-200 words each, what you hope to achieve in your personal and professional life after college. Before logging, on, make sure you have at least a 2.5 GPA.

$$$: $1,000

WHO: Seniors, college students

DEADLINE: December 31, 2002

INFO: scholarship@all-ink.com; www.all-ink.com/scholarship.html

DIVERSE STUDENTS MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES. BUT YOUR ROOTS COULD PAY OFF.

JACKIE ROBINSON FOUNDATION

SCOOP: Established to honor the late baseball legend, the Jackie Robinson Foundation grants four-year scholarships to minority students of demonstrated ability, character, and need. In addition to money, winners get access to college counseling and career networking opportunities. Past applications included questions such as "What do you consider the most compelling problem(s) facing youth in the 21st century?"