Your authentic voice is the key to unlocking a successful essay. You've probably heard that a few hundred times, but what does that really mean? Don’t write from 30,000 feet above ground hiding behind clichés and well-worn phrases. Make your essay personal in a way that no one else could have written it. Write about what is core to you. Be specific, be pithy, be inventive. Beware of the semi-colon unless you have a black-belt in grammar. Embrace time as a trusted friend and make sure you have built in plenty of hours to ponder, cogitate, draft and re-draft. Read your essay aloud. Does it sound like you or what you think someone wants to hear? Admissions committees want to hear your voice, your idiosyncrasies, your tone, your rhythm, your take on the world. Take this opportunity to speak loudly and directly. The best first step sometimes is to just start writing and find out what you have to say. Look for the full post and more tips in the soon-to-be-released college.u ebook.