The first challenge is to come up with a topic. Write about something you’re interested in, not something you think will interest an admissions officer. Make sure the story belongs wholly to you.
No. No it's not.
Now write the first draft with your heart, not with your head. Try a free-writing exercise. Set a timer for 20 minutes and start thinking about your topic. Once your timer starts, start typing away and don’t stop until the full 20 minutes have passed. Even if you have to write the same word over and over again to keep the momentum going, an exercise like this will free up your mind and yield some really original ideas.
Once you’re ready to try a more fully developed draft, stick to writing that is descriptive. Show, don’t tell. Don’t write “I got wet in the rain” when you can be “weighed down with a waterlogged sweater.” This kind of evocative, sensory language can paint a picture of you for a stranger, which is essentially what an admissions officer is. It’s something the reader can remember you by when the time comes to make an admissions decision.
When you’ve finished, read it aloud to yourself to get a good sense of its rhythm. Are all the sentences too short, or too long? Does it feel like it drags? Or does it sound animated or energetic? Try it. Because if you don’t like the sound of your own essay, no one else is going to.