Effective college writing uses specific experiences as a "framing device" to reveal your character, values, and potential contribution to a campus community. Common successful topics include:

While "college.us.com" encourages personal expression, admissions experts often suggest caution with certain subjects: Popular Application Essay Topics - The Princeton Review

Recounting an obstacle or failure and, more importantly, what you learned from the experience.

Use placeholder headings during the drafting phase to organize complex arguments.