Now that 2016 has ended, many students have been getting accepted to colleges by this time. A different application has come to the forefront: scholarships.

Scholarships can be easy and difficult. Students will get tired of filling out what seems like endless amounts of scholarship essays and questionnaires. Some may take a few hours and a good edit before submission, while others take the click of a button.

A common thought high schoolers may feel when applying is that their chance of receiving the scholarship is “one in a million,” or not very likely. This is why it is smart to take advantage of each one that they find.

Depending on your background or interests, there are scholarships out their tailored more specifically to the student. They range from scholarships for people that are part of a certain ethnicity all the way to ones for vegetarians (those really do exist).

Also, if one has ever had a medical disability, no matter how small, there is likely one there for it. A scholarship like this allows one to explain how they overcame an issue and succeed in school.

Bigger scholarships like any one from the Miss America Organization, Coca-Cola Scholarship, or the Gates Foundation have plenty of scholarships, along with a main one where a student will receive a large amount of money toward their schooling.

US News points out that knowing who you are speaking to is essential to having a successful essay. The site states “Know your audience: Although we’re looking at scholarship essays as a whole, it’s important to realize that every scholarship provider is looking for a specific student who meets unique criteria.”

They also state that you should “Plan far in advance: You can also avoid the “one-size-fits-all” essay by getting an early start on each application. Begin your research and planning a week or so before you think you should, and you’ll be able to take enough time to turn out something great.”

The last step US News says will help bulk up your scholarship essays “Make it personal and passionate: When you do start writing, don’t forget that the main purpose of your essay is to convince the scholarship provider that you’re the student they’ve been looking for.”

To avoid the stress that comes along with writing a long essay over and over again, reusing an essay a few times is smart idea so that all your effort can have a chance at taking the price in a few different scholarships.