While staying on top of admissions deadlines and financial aid requirements may seem stressful, there’s another group of deadlines to keep in mind: scholarships.

A university might give you money once you receive admission, and you also may receive some money from the government after filling out the CSS profile and FAFSA, but you can still receive more financial aid through companies and foundations that are willing to help. Big or small, near or far, college is expensive.

According to the American Student Assistance, nearly 12 million Americans in college will be in debt from their college applications.

You don’t wan’t to be in debt: you want to leave your footprint in this world and make a difference without having to worry about financial issues.

Even though you may not be rocket scientists or a decorated award winning student receiving tens of thousands of dollars, there are other circumstances in which scholarships might avail to you. They have scholarships for debaters, students who play musical instruments, students who have GPA’s under 3.5, people above the height of 5’6, left handed students, students of certain races, and plenty of others. They may not fill in the difference that you need to pay your future university every year, but they do add up. If you win five scholarships with the value of $1,000 each, that already takes care of your books, supplies, and parking fee.

In case you haven’t already realized, seniors, until you graduate, the College and Career Resource Center will be your best friend. The staff members in that room will hold your hand and make this whole process so much easier. They know which schools can really put you into debt. They know which schools you actually have a shot of getting into. They know which scholarships you have a shot of winning and which ones you don’t, so you won’t really have to waste your time.

If you’re thinking you don’t want to write anymore essays, just push to write really good piece. Chances are, that essay topic will apply to other scholarship opportunities, and it could be used for more than one circumstance. If you’re thinking you aren’t that great of a writer, and you definitely won’t win the scholarship, ask an English teacher or someone the college and career resource center for help. Their main purpose in being in this building is to make sure you succeed.

There’s a scholarship for everyone. You might be young and afraid to think about your responsibilities in four years, but by winning scholarships, you might not have to face those responsibilities at all.