It's quite simple, really. All you have to do is sum up your 17+ years on this planet in 500 words or less. So what are you stressed about?

The first step to writing a great admission essay is to treat it like a window of opportunity rather than an obstacle. It's your chance to be more than an SAT score or a grade point average. You know you're a special and deserving candidate, and this is your moment to prove it.

Tackling the Topic
You've never been to London for an exchange trip. You don't volunteer at the local hospital or perform community service for the elderly. You never even had a pet that died. Feeling like you just don't have anything to write about? Think again.

The first rule of writing a truly memorable college essay is being able to recognize it's you the admissions officer wants to find out about, not necessarily some extraordinary experience you had. "It's better to write about something comfortable than to try desperately to find a 'unique' experience you end up exaggerating and feeling artificial about anyway," says Alicia Llosa, a recent graduate of Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, and former executive editor of The Harvard Independent. As executive editor, Llosa compiled essays for "100 Successful College Application Essays" (The Harvard Independent, 2002), so she has seen plenty of admission essay topics.

"I have read essays about a trip to Russia, a brother's swim meet, a car accident, and a favorite class," she says. "The key is to include personal reflection, which is what will make a common topic uncommon."

The Turnoffs
Beware! There are several surefire ways for your college essay to head straight to the "no" pile. Usually when it is overdone or unoriginal, an admissions officer won't even make it through the first page. "Never start or close the essay with a quotation or aphorism [adage]," says Mark Alan Stewart, co-author of "Best College Admission Essays" (Peterson's, 2004). "Try something original, and use your own ideas."

Attempting to write beyond your means won't work either. "There is a strong tendency to philosophize and write in clichés," says Geoff Cook, founder of EssayEdge.com, a Web site that advises students on how they can improve their admission essays. "Great essays are grounded in personal detail, which means they are unique by definition."

And how about trying to pull off that zany gag college essay -- you know, the one that's so off-the-wall you just have to get noticed? "Forget it," says Cook. "You want a solid essay, and what you think is funny or original might be totally lost on the reader." Your efforts are better spent focusing on an honest, detailed reflection of you, rather than writing your entire college essay in a circle or on the bottom of a sneaker. (Hope we haven't spoiled your idea!)

The Technicalities
Once your ideas are rock solid, you need to make your delivery equally as stellar. What you submit should truly be the best quality of writing of which you are capable.

"Proofreading is vital," asserts Llosa. "Spelling and grammar mistakes can detract your reader's attention, and you shouldn't rely on spell check either." Since you have several months to perfect your submission, any typos will be perceived as sloppiness by an admissions officer. Remember, the person reading your admission essay really only has a few minutes to spend on it, and errors are a one-way ticket to the rejection bin. "Quite simply, your competition won't have those errors," points out Cook. "Take the time to edit and proofread."

Tips and Tricks
A strong topic that is executed with polished, great writing is the meat and potatoes of a standout college essay. Here are a few more pointers from the experts that will help you focus on tackling this project the best you can: the person reading your admission essay is an intelligent individual. "Let the reader read between the lines," says Stewart. "And don't have someone else, either a parent or other adult, write it. [Admissions officers] can tell the difference every time."

Get a head start to help ease stress during crunch time. "There's no need to be anxious -- you have a great deal of time to do this," reassures Cook. Avoid procrastination temptation, and you can comfortably construct your college essay as you bask in the luxury of time.

Don't be afraid to use variations of the same admission essay for different schools ­-- it will save you time, and it is perfectly acceptable. But beware. "Make sure you send the right essay to the right school," jokes Llosa. "I think it's pretty common for students to use the same topics to write several essays, and since I believe they will write best about topics they enjoy, I don't see any reason to find a separate topic for each application."

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