You are now ready to take one of the most crucial steps in applying to college—choosing a college essay topic; then defining your style or literary voice in writing it. Ultimately, this is what will pique the interest of admissions officials. Your mastery of the written word has never been more important than it is at this moment!

While some colleges ask their own specific essay questions, others simply use the common application question to elicit your words of wisdom. So, it's how you interpret that question and turn it into something "special" that will distinguish you from other applicants and allow those readers to get a glimpse into the real you.

This is important because colleges want more than the three R's from you, more than a good GPA or SAT score—they want to crawl into your mind and see how it ticks. Are you creative, funny, savvy, bossy, organized? They don't just want straight "A" clones. How and what you write helps them see you more clearly. Ultimately, what they are looking to do is enhance their student body with a balanced and diverse group of classmates who are unique, accomplished AND interesting.

There is no "correct" format for writing an essay; variety is the spice of life but a cookie-cutter essay that doesn't reflect much effort or thought can certainly hurt. Make it memorable by focusing in on your topic and giving detailed information.

If you recount a special family vacation, don't just do a travelogue of the things you saw, give us specifics. Tell us how it impacted your life and say it with passion and active, vivid language.

Make your words come alive by creating visual images the way a bestselling author does. Remember, don't just re-hash your resume and academic accomplishments; inject some personality and make sure it's believable. Check out some examples before you put pencil to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

Average:
"It was fascinating to visit the Pantheon to see this feat of engineering genius for myself. How could they have constructed such an amazing dome?"

Superior:
"I looked up at the gaping hole of the Pantheon as the rain poured off its dome and had to smile at the centuries-old engineering genius that could have accomplished such a magnificent feat. My sneakers were bone dry."

Average:
"I want to be a healer someday because the world needs healing. To be a doctor means to improve the lives of others, to make a difference and that requires a higher calling that I know I was born with."

Superior:
"Who would want to become a doctor in these times of HMO-controlled medicine, uninsured masses and diminishing salaries? Someone who has no choice, who cannot resist, whose desire to touch a life, and heal a heart overcomes common sense; someone like me."

Average:
"My mom is my hero because she made so many sacrifices to get me where I am today. She raised me by herself and made sure I excelled in school because she said she wanted me to be more than she was."

Superior:
"She was the one who clapped the loudest as I walked on stage to receive my diploma; my mom, who worked the night shift and bravely held back tears while drying mine when I asked where daddy is. She is the one who earned a degree—a degree in maternal love."

Here are a few real excerpts of good essays:

An honor student who wants to be a doctor:

"Some day, there will be comprehensive medical care for everyone in the United States. Until that day, there is grief, suffering, frustration, and despair for millions. In Lakeland, Florida we have chosen to help our friends and neighbors that lack medical insurance. Time, money, passion and drive together have built something, more than just a building. This clinic for the working uninsured is a haven for kindness, goodwill, and compassion for others.
One man can move a mountain if he can inspire enough other people to help. My father was that man. He had a vision for providing desperately needed medical care to the working uninsured. He had such passion for sharing his vision that he motivated a community and he has inspired me."

(Admitted to University of Miami)

A singer applying to competitive/audition-based music programs:
"I now know that talent is a blessing, a calling; a gift you can't give back. It is unique to each of us, personal, and honorable. It doesn't come quietly; it roars inside of us, beckoning us to listen, to not ignore it. Talent carries awesome power but also tremendous responsibility. It is proud but not possessive. It inspires feelings of joy and yes, sometimes, tears; tears of happiness for those with whom we share it. Who wouldn't want to touch people in that profound way; to make them feel the same passion that I feel on stage."

(Admitted to New York University—NYU)

A Constitution champion applying to Ivy League colleges:
"The announcer's voice boomed into the microphone and immediately sixteen girls, and a dozen parents, rose up from their chairs and began to applaud, embrace, and smile. We had done it; when the announcer declared Colorado the runner-up, we knew we had won first place. The all-girls, Catholic school from Miami had, after months of challenging work, become the national champions. As I sat there, in awe of my surroundings, I realized that I would never forget this moment. I had finally reached the goal that I had been striving for since I entered high school... The trophy we received was only an added benefit; we had already received the greatest gift we could ask for: participating in one of the most influential experiences of our lives."

(Admitted to Harvard University)

A math/science standout applying to top technology colleges:
"As Robert Frost so eloquently put it, "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." I am a firm believer in this philosophy, that it is solely by following who you really are that you can hope to get anywhere worth going. Through the people I've grown up with, the events that have unfolded around me and the way in which I've been brought up, I've become the unique and sometimes eccentric person that I am. Now it's my greatest hope that I can take the figurative road that's right for me."

(Admitted to Massachusetts Institute of Technology—MIT)

As you can see, the writing styles of these essays differ greatly and yet these students were all successful applicants, proving that there are no rules or templates to follow.

The students' styles reflect their uniqueness and thus, their attractiveness. Admissions officials read tens of thousands of essays. They have discriminating minds when it comes to reading between the lines and have a knack for discerning what is credible, sincere, and real.

If you feel you need more help, these web sites offer essay-writing services as well as additional sample essays. They boast Ivy League educated writers and might provide you with the edge you need to compete with other academically-gifted applicants out there. Here are some examples:
http://www.admissionsessays.com/
http://www.essayedge.com/

---