The college essay addresses what are quite possibly the most dreaded, difficult and stress-inducing questions you've ever been asked: What makes you special? What is your purpose in life? It's enough to make you want to blow off college and go backpacking in Nepal. But colleges have their reasons for making you churn out those pages of soul-searching prose. Sure, they want to know if you can spell correctly and form sentences. And, yes, they're eager to learn about you as a person. But how can you distinguish yourself from the thousands of other applicants without going too far? Here are some dos and don'ts for four college-essay questions:

Evaluate a significant experience or achievement that has special meaning to you.
— University of California

DO concentrate on an aspect of yourself that will reflect your assets. Take the opportunity to show off!

DO write about something you remember well — it should probably not be an event that occurred when you were five years old.

DON'Tdescribe why your high school voted you most likely to end up at the Betty Ford Clinic.

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Describe a risk that you have taken, and discuss its impact on your life.
— Skidmore College

DO tell the truth. Your essay should reflect who you really are. If you're genuine, it will show in your writing.

DON'Tdescribe the rave party you threw the weekend your parents were away.

Indicate a person who has had significant influence on you, and describe the influence.
— Carnegie Mellon University

DO avoid clichés, e.g., "All I need to know I learned in kindergarten." (It's been done already.)

DO write about someone close to you. It's much easier to be specific when you describe a loved one rather than a stranger.

DON'Twrite about Tom Green, Jeffrey Dahmer, O.J. Simpson or any former Heaven's Gate members.

Imagine that you are a "hero" or "heroine" for one day during any time period under any circumstances. Write a creative essay describing your experience.
— Notre Dame University

DO exercise your creative juices. Colleges ask questions like this because they want you to demonstrate knowledge and imagination.

DON'Tforget who's asking the question — in this case Notre Dame, a Catholic institution. (Resist the obvious; St. Patrick may not be the best choice.)

Source: TIME/The Princeton Review's The Best College For You 2001