Research each school where you plan to apply. You need to know what degree programs and other academic options the schools offer. Your college admittance essays should be tailored for each school to which you apply. Doing this shows the admission committee that you are a serious student who knows how to choose the right school to help you meet your career goals.
Determine which field of study you plan to pursue at each school. This decision may be made as a result of your research. Each essay you write can indicate an intention to pursue a different major. A school wants to know why you are applying to its program. Many college students change majors anyway, so whatever field of study you indicate on the essay may not be the one in which you graduate with a degree.
Create a list reasons describing why you want to attend each college. This will help you organize your thoughts as you begin to write each essay. Ideally, your essay should have three to five main reasons why you have chosen to apply to the school.
Construct an outline to organize your essay. The outline should include an introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction should indicate your academic major and the school to which you are applying. The body of the paper should include each reason or rationale you listed during your brainstorming session. The conclusion should summarize and reiterate the rest of your essay.
Write the first draft of your essay. Use your outline as a guide. Include anecdotal stories or illustrations from your life to illustrate how you came to decide upon your career goals. This will also interject a little personality into the essay. Once you have finished your essay, ask someone to proofread it and revise if necessary.