If you can write well, essay contests are a good way to get money for college. These are usually not large, but you can do these in addition to any other scholarships. The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) gives ten $2,000 scholarships every year for the best essay in favor of fire sprinklers. It is open to all high school students. The Random House scholarship gives one $5,000 scholarship a year based on an essay about what you think your future will be like.
At Loyola University, you can get tuition assistance if you are Catholic and your name is Zolp. North Carolina University offers a full tuition scholarship to anyone whose last name is Gatlin. Other universities give scholarship, or partial scholarships for other names.
You can get a scholarship--or qualify to compete for one--based on who you are. You can get a scholarship if you are red-headed or left-handed. You can get a scholarship if you are very tall or if you are very short. You can get one of the 250 $5,000 grants given out by Coca-Cola if you are not related to anyone who works for Coca-Cola. Pepsi has similar scholarships, except they are only good at certain colleges. It is, however, good for $10,000 and there is no stipulation that you not be related to anyone in particular.
Universities don't offer scholarships for good bowlers, but the American Bowling League does. Skateboarding is another non-standard sport that can win you money for college. Chess, checkers and the Japanese game Go can all get you money for college.
If you are not left-handed, red-headed, too tall or too short, if you have the wrong name, can't write and cannot excel at even the non-standard sports, you can still win a scholarship--you just have to do something wacky. For example, there is a scholarship contest each year for the couple who makes the best (male and female) ensembles to wear to the prom--entirely out of duct tape. You don't actually have to wear it to the prom--a picture will suffice.