1. Writing your essay doesn't have to be stressful. Every fall, thousands of aspiring students just like you spend hours staring into a computer screen, searching for a clever opening line or a life-changing experience. It doesn't have to be that hard! 2. Counselors want to learn about you-and that's all! A good essay does not need to be a literary masterpiece, or a scholarly treatise worthy of Albert Einstein. The best essays come from high school students being themselves, with all the depth, wit, charm and quirkiness you bring to your daily life. 3. So let your best come through! College-admission experts Edward B. Fiske and Bruce Hammond give you all the advice you need for an application essay that will open the door of the college of you choice. Fiske Real College Essays That Work includes samples from both great and not-so-great writers, and describes how to take your essay from initial draft to final submission. Real essays on these topics and more: o Athletics o Arts o Race and cultural experiences o Personal growth o Family o Travel o Humor