DO
Start working on the essay early.
Tell a story.
Use the active voice.
Use strong verbs and simple sentences.
Answer the college's question.
Write as you would to a new friend. (Simple, modest prose)
Avoid clichés.
Stay personal and concrete. (Keep close to your own life.)
Write an essay only you could have written.

DON'T

Be boring.
Be cynical.
Be predictable.
Be a Pollyanna.
Brag. Let your story speak for itself.