1. Keep the audience in mind when writing your essay
2. Realize the reader will probably spend 1 minute on your essay so get their attention early
3. Make sure the reader learns something about you that he or she would not learn from your application
4. Tell a story, don’t write a resume
5. Try to “connect” to the reader

Excerpts from the Collegeweeklive “Conquering the College Essay” session by Alan Gelb