The essay is the one place on college applications where you can let your voice be heard; it is part of the application in which you can come alive. It is also a chance to show the admissions committee that you can write expressively and correctly; a prerequisite for most college work. Spend time contemplating topics and revising essays. Have friends, family and teachers read them to see that they ring true and do not give a false impression of you. These essays are a very important part of the college application - too important to leave until the last minute. Take pains to make them as telling as they can be.

Choosing a topic is difficult but important; spend time figuring out what will reveal something about you as a person. Most application topics are quite general. You may be able to use an essay for more than one application, but it is a good idea to revise the essay to make clear that it is directly addressing each essay topic in a tightly focused manner.