Target the essay to the particular school. Read carefully the list of suggested topics and guidelines and take the time to know who you are speaking to. Don't use one general essay for all the colleges and universities. Research the prospective college or university and take the time to know what sort of students they find particularly attractive. Select a topic that demonstrates why you would be a good fit for the university.
Write down a list of various ideas. This is typically referred to as brainstorming. Write down a number of different categories such as activities, intellectual interests, achievement and talents, interesting life experiences and so forth. Start filling in the categories with different things that come to mind The actual process of writing things down is an activity that is creative in itself. At this point don't worry about what is appropriate and what is not. It
Select a topic from the list. Choose a topic that presents an intimate portrait of who you are. It should give an account of your intellectual and personal preferances, values, your goals and aspirations. Don't worry about finding the perfect theme; the same story can be told in a variety of ways. For example, write about what a perfect day for you would consist of. Make a list of qualities that you find attractive in a friendship and explain why they are important. Write about your first intellectual hero. The way that you treat and respond to the topic, and the topic itself, will have a lot to say about who you are.
Pick a topic that rings true to you. The portrait that you present should be truthful. Don't construct a false image that you think will increase your chances of being accepted. One of the appealing qualities of a well-written essay is its truthfulness. The sincerity of your essay will be an important part of the overall evaluation process.