Writing the College Essay Experts say essays should be concise, coherent, unique, honest and accurate, with vivid details or anecdotes. If you're struggling to get started, experts suggest ...

The sheer number of works written about these experiences made them a cliché in the college admissions community. Instead, Kim advises writing an essay about something personal: "We always said ...

"I can't help but think other (admissions) factors are going to matter more," says Ethan Sawyer, founder of the College Essay Guy, a website that offers free and paid essay-writing resources.