In a month or so, i'll have a full fledged RPG game that i can submit as a project or completion. I'm in need of money for the Game Design degree at Full Sail... can anyone point me to essay contests, game submission contests, or anything else that could help out...

Why don't you call the school and ask? Most serious schools/programs/etc. have people who deal with that type of thing as their full-time job.

I was going to go to Full Sail for a while. I called them up and got Financial Aid (mostly loans) to cover tuition. I coudlnt afford moving to Florida, however, so i never went. But most schools will do whatever they can to make sure you attend, and that means they'll fight hard to make sure you got your tuition covered by loans and grants.

However, from what ive read, Full Sail is advanced. You go through courses fast, and its very sink-or-swim-ish. Only the best of the best get through it easily (youre hindered especially if you're working or have anything else going on in life).

Ive settled with ITT Tech's game design course. Its 4 years. the first two are Multimedia (3D modeling, video editing, etc), and then you go into game design. Its more design-orientated. I dont tink Ive got any C++ classes lined up at all, so dont expect programming.

If you're more into the code than you are into the graphics and design, then I hear Digipen (here in WA) is really good.

I guess it all depends on what you want to do in the Video Game industry. The best advice I could give is that you research each of the schools by reading alumni reviews, or seeking out people who've gone to the schools and having a friendly chat over IM about it.