By Chris Cosci

As tuition prices continue to rise, so does the value of a good scholarship. Scholarships help many high school seniors afford the college of their choice. For the parents, a scholarship can mean the difference between just scraping by and having to sell vital organs for money.

The trouble is, you usually have to be smart to get one of those things. So, for all those students ranging from "dumb as a brick" to "fairly intelligent," scholarships are hard to come by. What this 98% of students needs is a scholarship that doesn't rely on such pesky criteria as grades.

Enter the "Stuck at Prom" scholarship, provided by Duck brand duct tape. To earn this scholarship, applicants must create prom outfits out of duct tape. All you need is to use your imagination, stretch your creative muscles, and throw away any shred of dignity you have left. Oh, and you also have to find a prom date willing to do the same.

In previous years, applicants have created full-length evening gowns, three-piece suits, hats, shoes, purses, and much more - all out of duct tape. Apparently, wearing an all-duct-tape outfit is not as uncomfortable as you would imagine. Taking it off is probably another story. Removing a band-aid is painful enough. And I'm sure you can't just tear off a full outfit in one, quick motion.

You might be wondering, "wouldn't these outfits all be the same, boring, silver color?" Thankfully, no. Duck has released a line of colored duct tape, which is available in many hardware stores. But somehow, I don't think they had your typical hardware store customer in mind when they created these colors. I just can't picture Bob Vila walking into Home Depot and asking for "funky flamingo" duct tape.

This year, the scholarships will be awarded in three primary categories. The first is "Just Plain Silver Attire," a nod to the good ol' days, when the concept of "blaze orange" duct tape was still just a dream. The second is "Traditional Prom Attire." Personally, I'm not sure how anything made with "duct tape" can be considered "traditional," but that's another story.

The final category is "Theme/Costume Attire." This category is for people who can't decide whether to be laughed at for dressing up in costumes or for dressing up in duct tape. To make a prom outfit out of duct tape is one thing. To dress up for your prom as a Lord of the Rings character is quite another. But if you make hobbit costumes out of duct tape for your prom, the only institution in your future will have padded walls.

The winners of this contest each receive a $2,500 scholarship. While the outfit does not need to be made entirely out of duct tape, the judges do consider "quantity of duct tape used" as one of the five judging criteria. The remaining criteria are workmanship, originality, use of category-appropriate colors, and accessories. And if you still have friends after the night is over, you may be eligible for bonus points.

The real question that arises from all of this is, what does making duct tape clothing have to do with getting in to college? In my four years of college, I never remember that being a particularly useful skill. If you're going to create a scholarship, at least have the applicants do something practical. I suggest making them stay awake through a two-hour class at 8:00 in the morning - and not use duct tape to keep their eyelids open.