Choosing a good essay topic can be hard,

and people make a lot of common mistakes.

Here are some guidelines that should help you zero in on a good topic or,

if the topic is assigned, help you find an effective way to get your points across.

Don't repeat information from other parts of your application.

An application may ask you on one page to list your extracurricular activities

and on another to write a brief essay describing what your activities mean to you.

Don't use the essay simply to repeat the list in expanded form.

You would be shocked at the number of students who do this. Admissions officers hate it.

 In general, avoid generalities. Admissions officers have to read an unbelievable number of essays, most of which are boring.

You will find it harder to be boring if you write about particulars. It's the details that stick in a reader's mind.

If you're writing about your trip to Europe, don't give your itinerary.

Focus in on an interesting detail: a fascinating old woman, the time you got lost in Florence, the day you helped a Parisian fix his car.