Exploit those loopholes
This hack isn’t even unethical, nor is it illegal. More than anything it is smart. It does showcase some intense dedication, however. This person applied for a scholarship designated for students from a district that got restructured. Kind of cool knowing that the scholarship still exists, so many years later.
I would say that this person certainly earned their way into college as well as this scholarship. I did not even like filling out applications for scholarships, which are a key part to acquiring said scholarship. I was the kind of person who liked to write the essays that also lead to earning a scholarship.