First things first, just as the article pointed out, you should be passionate about what you’re writing. And no, they don’t mean write about your favorite Disney character or the characters of a famous magazine you frequently read. It must be something that you clearly know about and something that has direct influence in your life. For example, your fifth-grade teacher that taught you to never give up and never to surrender against any problem you encounter in life.

Remember also that you must know well what you’re writing about and never to copy the topic or idea of another person or a website. Why? Aside from the danger of being accused of plagiarism, it will also reflect on the way you write your essay.

These admissions panels are not new to essays and have read thousands of them in their lives, so it would be safe to say that they would know immediately whether or not, you clearly know what you’re writing about. Remember, that no matter how touching your topic may be, avoid writing merely to get the sympathy of the judges. Do not tell them dramatic sequences or excerpts from your life. That’s a big NO. Most likely, they wouldn’t appreciate your attempts at emotional manipulation. This might lower your chance of being admitted to your dream university. Although, a little sympathy or sadness wouldn’t hurt as well, try your best to win the sympathy of the judges without ever directly telling them your “sad” love story. Try to be subtle in your writings and remember that they will want you to write about your topic, and your main objective is to impress them, not try to make them cry.