Read some good
writing. You will get an idea of what
types of essays colleges are getting, and
you will see the quality of writing that you
are up against. There are lots of resources that have samples of college
essays. Look for a resource that gives a
commentary about the quality of the essay samples. The essays in these books
are very good, something to strive for,
but not everyone who gets into college
can write as well as these superlative
examples, especially if writing is not a
strength.