To attempt to write a college essay without having read a college essay is similar to attempting to write a mystery without having read a mystery. We have plenty of stellar college essays for students to read; what they quickly discover is that there are a variety of ways to approach the task.

Sam Rosensohn, the author of the newspaper column College 101 and founder of College Planning Partnerships, heads all of the college essay work.

Sam will help students to write a college essay that only they can write. To do this they must write in their own voice about what they treasure most. When students lament that it's frustrating, they do so with good cause. They have had little formal training and experience in writing honest autobiography. An essay that asks students to candidly reflect on their lives is a far cry from what they're normally asked to do in Language Arts class. Many students have difficulty identify what they want to say and then telling it in a memorable way. We encourage students to be themselves in the essay and we discourage them when they strain to be different. For sometime there has been a growing that has seniors writing highly stylized essays that are short on genuine autobiography. I've watched students labor for hours over what they perceive to be catchy first sentences that convey little information about themselves. This is not to say that a good essay shouldn't dazzle from the opening; it's to say that honest autobiography trumps style every time.

According to the University of California at Berkley, a good essay:

• Is thoughtful and honest

  A strong personal statement is reflective; that is, it demonstrates that you have thought about and gained a clear perspective on your experiences and what you want in your future. It gives the reader a vivid and compelling picture of you - in essence, telling the reader what he or she should know about you. Remember that the focus of the essay is you - your achievements, your obstacles, your goals, your values.

• Strives for depth, not breadth

  A good essay is not a list of your accomplishments. Remember when your mom told you that it's quality, not quantity that counts? Well, the same adage applies for your college essay. A reader will be much more interested in how your experience demonstrates the theme of your essay, not the number of accomplishments you can list.

• Follows the conventions of good writing

  A good essay uses appropriate grammar and syntax, uses precise and vivid language, and does not contain any spelling errors.

• Conforms to guidelines

  If the essay instructions tell you that the essay should be two pages long, on white 8.5×11 inch paper, then the essay should be two pages long, on white 8.5×11 inch paper.

• Answers the question!

  A good essay is the result of a writer who has examined the essay question and written an essay that explicitly addresses that question.

• Benefits from several drafts and feedback from others

  Revision allows an essay to grow. Revising is not editing; revising is the act of "re-seeing" and of looking for those parts of the essay that would benefit from more explication, more (or less) vivid language, or even deleting parts that simply don't work to move your primary theme forward.

  Contains a catchy introduction that will keep the reader interested. It is important to recognize that essay readers will read hundreds, maybe even thousands, of essays during the application review period. That means that an essay with a catchy introduction, one that gets right to the point and uses precise language and vivid imagery, is going to stand our more than an essay that is predictable and conventional in its opener.

• Transforms blemishes into positives

  It's okay to have flaws! The essay is your chance to show how you have transformed blemishes. For example, if your essay theme is "overcoming obstacles" and you earned a poor grade in a class, but went to a community college at night to repeat the course, it is important for your reader to know this because it is an example of your perseverance.

• Demonstrates your knowledge of the major/college
• Exudes confidence-you will be successful no matter what

  A good essay doesn't beg or brag. Colleges and universities want to admit the best students, and the best students are those who can demonstrate their ability to pursue their goals regardless of where they are admitted. Think of this as quiet confidence - the kind that reveals itself through your description of lifelong interests, sustained commitment, and/or perseverance in the face of adversity.

College Admissions: How We Decide When We Have So Many Equally Qualified Candidates

College 101

By Sam Rosensohn

For everyone enrolled in College 101, we're going to start class today with a pop quiz - no reason to growl; there's only one question on this assessment.

While grades and SAT scores remain the top factors in the college admission process, which of the following tip factors gained more prominence in 2004?

• A) High school class rank
• B) The college is the student's first choice
• C) The essay that accompanies the college application
• D) Number of completed AP courses
• E) Someone in the applicant's family graduated from that particular institution

The National Association for College Admission Counseling provided the answer in its newly released book, State of College Admission, which is chockfull of insider information.

Oh, the correct answer? It's C. "The essay as a factor in admission has continued to grow in importance over the last 11 years," according to this terrific book that can be found Here. "In fact, the student's essay/writing sample has nearly surpassed a student's rank in class as one of the top four factors in the college admission process," according to the assessment written by David Hawkins, NACAC's Director of Public Policy. That's important information. And the 158 page book is filled with insider stuff that will help you to see how colleges work admissions. "Since more qualified candidates are headed for four-year colleges with each passing year, efforts to add a 'face' to the incoming class may be driving admissions officers toward the essay as a quick way to individualize each application," according to the State of College Admission.

Now that it's established that the essay now carries more pop; let's get to how to write it. For starters, gather all of the essays that you will need to submit.

I'd suggest you take a look at the link to Common Application to see how many of your picks accept the Common Application. Download the essay questions and start to think about the one you want to answer. The essay questions on the common application work for 277 colleges and universities. If the schools you want to apply to do not accept the Common Application go to those schools' homepages and download their applications.

Once you've decided on the essay you want to write first, here's what I suggest you do: Don't start writing. Step back and consider the following: Admission officers are looking to discover who you are and if you would be a good fit at their schools.

An essay that offers insight into what is essential to you will generally do the job. Readers are looking to discover students who care deeply about something and who've committed themselves to that endeavor. A strong college essay provides evidence of a student's most important achievement, what he cares about most in the world, and why college is important to him.

Now look at the initial essay you chose and see if it will allow you to present what you've devoted yourself to and care deeply about. Does the question let you present a prominent portion of your history in an interesting manner? At the moment there is a growing trend that has seniors writing highly stylized essays that are short on genuine autobiography. I've watched students labor for hours over what they perceive to be catchy first sentences that convey little information about themselves. This is not to say that a good essay shouldn't dazzle from the opening; it's to say that honest autobiography trumps style every time.