NOTE: This is the best explanation of college application essays I've ever seen! So I copied it from The Princeton Review's excellent book called: College Admissions : Cracking the System. Go buy it. It's great. Or read this here.,

 "When I was a junior, I helped out in the admissions office by giving first readings to applications. The dean of admissions had a notebook in which everybody would copy out the dumbest things from people's applications. We spent a lot of time laughing. And the notebook was very fat. "

For many students, writing application essays, securing good recommendations, and coming across well in interviews are the most unbearable parts of applying to college. They certainly require care and planning. But they don't have to make you depressed.

 While your SAT scores and your grades will be the most conspicuous elements of your application folder, the real debate about whether to admit you or reject you may very well concern how you come across in your essays, recommendations, and interviews. Ifyou handle them well, you can substantially increase your chances for admission.

 WRITING ESSAYS: FUNDAMENTALS

 Virtually all selective colleges will ask you to write at least one essay as part of your application. Admissions officers think of your essay as a iittle window into your personality. They also see it as evidence of how well you write, which is something they care about a great deal. Colleges are very worried that their students don't write as well as students did in the past. An applicant with strong writing skills has a very big edge.

 An admissions officer explained it to us this way: "You just know that a kid who writes well is going to do well in college courses. When faculty members talk to us about admissions, writing comes up frequently. They say,'When are you going to start admitting students who can write complete sentences?' Good writers make the professors happy, and happy professors make us happy. It's also usually true that a student who writes well enough to be noticed by an admissions officer will also have put together a solid record in high school. It's easy to admit a kid like that."

 No guidebook can teach you how to write. Good writers don't become good writers by memorizing a few rules. But we can give you some guidelines that should help you avoid some major pitfalls:

 1. Don't use six-dollar words.

 One of the worst things young writers do is "beef up" their compositions by substituting long, difficult words for short, easy ones. Some students write a rough draft in their own words and then use a thesaurus to plug in big, impressive words.

 Doing this is always obvious, and it is never impressive. A good writer can spot a "thesausized" composition a mile away. The reason is that the big, plugged-in words seldom mean exactly what the young writer thinks they do. There are few precise synonyms in English. Most of the big words in a thesaurus have meanings that are different from the meanings of the shorter words they replace.

 2. Good writing is writing that is easily understood.

 You want to get your point across, not bury it in words. Flowery writing is not good writing. Your prose should be clear and direct. You will be in trouble if an admissions officer has to struggle to figure out what you are trying to say.

 3. Avoid adjectives and adverbs.

 As you reread your essays, stop at every ad Jective or adverb and ask yourself if it is necessary. Too many adjectives and adverbs make writing seem flabby. Concentrate on nouns and verbs.

 4. Avoid the word "however".

 Most people use it incorrectly or put it in places where it isn't needed. Few people know how to put punctuation around it. Everyone uses it too much.

 5. Buy and read The Elements of Style, by William Strunk, Jr., and E. B. White.

 This little book is a required investment for any writer. You'll use it again and again and again in college and beyond. If you do what it says, your writing will improve. Get a copy tomorrow and read it twice.

 6. Don't use exclamation points.

 Ever!

 7. Throw away your copy of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.

 One ofthe worst things a student essay can contain is a lot of sentences that begin, "As Shakespeare said or, "I am reminded of Tennyson's words" Admissions officers know you found these lines in a book of quotations. They won't think you pulled them out ofyour inemory. Quotations make essays seem phony, not sophisticated.

 Don't begin your essay with a little quotation, either-no matter how perfect it seems. And don't ever quote the lyrics of' a rock song.

 8. Don't put quotation marks around words that aren't quotations.

 Don't put quotation marks around a wordJust because it isn't quite the "right" word for what you want to say. If the word doesn't seem "right" without quotation marks around it, find one that does.

 9. Don't say what you're going to say, say that you're going to say it, say it, say it again, and say that you've said it. Instead, simply say it.

 Most student compositions have tedious introductions and conclusions that first announce and then repeat whatever is said between them. Most good writers don't write this way. Even if' they did, you wouldn't have room to do it on your application. You want to make sure a reader understands what you're talking about, but you also want to be concise. You don't want to bore an already bored admissions officer with a boring introductory paragraph that does little more than repeat the question.

 10. Have a good writer critique your essay. Have a good speller proofread it.

 Admissions officers take it for granted that applicants get help with their essays. In fact, if you submit an essay that is filled with misspellings and grammatical errors, admissions officers will conclude not only that you don't know how to write but also that you aren't shrewd enough to get help. Ask your mom, dad, teacher, brother, sister, somebody to read your essay and comment on it. (Does it sound phony? , Is it clear? Do I get my point across? Is it boring? Are the jokes stupid.?) Be especially careful about punctuation. Most high school students don't know where to put commas. Find someone who knows. You should also critique your own essay after letting it sit for at least a few days. The longer it sits, the more mistakes you'll be able to find.

 Asking for help isn't cheating (although actually getting someone else to write your essay is.)

 11. Put a lid on it.

 Unless they specifically tell you otherwise, Admission Officers would prefer that you confine your responses to the spaces provided for them. Longer is not better. Don't add extra pages because you think length is impressive. It isn't. Your essay will be the zillionth essay exactly like it that most of its readers have read. Do them a favor and be brief'.

APPROACHES

 Your newly honed writing skills won't do you much good if' you don't have anything interesting to write about. Most of' your essay topics will be assigned, but some will probably be left up to you. Even if they are assigned, you will have a great deal of leeway in terms of approach. Here are some guidelines that should help you zero in on a good topic or, ifthe topic is assigned, help you find an effective way to get your points across.

 1. Don't repeat information from other parts of your application.

 An application doesn't give you much room to inake your case. Don't waste space (and bore your readers) by repeating yourself. For example, an application may ask you on one page to list your extracurricular activities and on another to write a brief essay describing what your activities mean to you. Don't use the essay simply to repeat the list in expanded form. You would be shocked at the number of' students who do this. Admissions officers hate it.

 Instead of repeating yourself take advantage of the opportunity to expand on information you've already provided. Write about something interesting that you did or that happened to you in one of your activities. If' your list of activities includes something really outstanding that won't be immediately obvious to an admissions officer, use this essay to make sure it comes across.

2. In general, avoid generalities.

Admissions officers have to read an unbelievable number of essays, most of'which are boring. You will find it harder to be boring if you write about particulars. If you are called upon to write about your extracurricular activities, don't write an essay about activities in general: "Extracurricular activities are important to me because they enable nme to expand my horizons," etc. Instead, narrow vour focus. Write about something particular that happened to you in a particular activity. It's the details that stick in a reader's mind. If' you're writing about your trip to Europe, don't give your itincrary. Focus in on an interesting detail: a fascinating old man, the time you got lost in Florence, the day you helped a Parisian fix his car.

This rule even applies to questions that seem to demand general answers. For exaniplc, man\y colleges ask students to write a few paragraphs about why they want to attend that particular college. One popular answer has to do with the value of "obtaining a good liberal arts education," or something similar. This answer is about as interesting as a sleeping pill, and you probably don't mean it anvway. You may not be able to give a really truthful answer ("Because I want to ski all the time"), but you can at least try to give an interesting one. You might talk about a particular course you want to take, or about a specific gap in your knowledge that you want to fill. The less general and vague your answer is-and the more you actually mean it - the more likely it is to be interesting.

3. Be humorous if you can, but be careful.

In general, you will be better off if you strive to make your reader smile, not laugh. The closer you stick to your own life and your own experiences, the more successful vou will be. Most of us are more successful at recounting humorous incidents from our lives than at making up jokes from scratch.

Most writers ruin jokes by beating readers over the head with them. Don't write, "A funny thing that happened to me the other day was. or "I really had to laugh when . . . " If your story is really funny, you don't need to label it. And don't do the equivalent of nudging your reader with your elbow. The most successful joke is often the one told with a straight face.

4. Maintain the proper tone.

Your essay should be informal without being sloppy, wittv without being childish, memorable without being outrageous. If read aloud, your essay should sound like good conversation. You want to warm your reader, not overwhelm them.

5. DO NOT WRITE ABOUT:

 • Your religious beliefs. Deeply religious students make admissions officers nervous-unless -you're aplying to a college with a strong religious orientation, in which case an essay about your religious views would probably be in order.

•Your conservative political views.

• Any other political views. Have you ever had a political discussion with someone who didn't agree with you? Did you end up shouting at each other? People have a tendency to become upset very quickly with people whose political belief's are different from their own. Avoid politics altogether and you won't run the risk of offending a reader. If you do, write about political experience - say, the summer you spent working on a congressman's reelection campaign - avoid ideology as much as possible and write about the nuts and bolts of running the campaign.

 • The evils of drugs. Drugs are indeed evil, but student essavs on this subject tend to sound goodygoodyish and contrived.

 •The pleasures of drugs. For obvious reasons.

 • Sex.

 • The first time you got drunk, or any other time you got drunk.

• A classmate who was killed in a car accident. This is a standard topic, seldom handled well. Death is very hard to write about. Student essays about the death of a friend or parent are sometimes extraordinarily moving - more often, though, they sound either contrived or overly emotional. If you decide to write about a topic like this, be sure you're up to it.

 • How much you love yourself. Don't write an essay that makes it sound as though you spend a lot of time sitting around thinking about yourself. All adolescents spend a lot of time thinking about themselves. Adults are tired of hearing about it. You'll make a better impression if you write about something that makes you seem like a great person rather than simply coming out and claiming to be great.

 • The importance of a college education. There just aren't that many observations you could make that an admissions officer wouldn't have heard a million times before. Joe Bloggs is irresistibly attracted to this topic, because he thinks it will make him seem serious. Instead, it usually makes him seem vacuous.

 • Your personal philosophy, particularly if it involves any form of selfishness. Many, many essays are some variation on this theme. Generally speaking, nobody's personal philosophy is very interesting to anyone else.

 • Your SAT scores. Never, never, never mention vour SAT scores, no matter how good or how bad. In fact, never mention them again to anyone.

 • How much you like to party, screw around, etc.

 • Any topic that doesn't appeal to you but that you think will appeal to an admissions officer, such as how you have recently discovered the importance of studying hard. Essays like this make the Phoniness Alarms go off.

 • Anything that will make a reader blush or feel embarrassed.

 • Anything that will incidentally reveal you to be a poor college prospect - such as an essay on hmv much you hate to study.

 • Big ideas, such as your plan for how to make the world live together in peace. These almost always flop. Stick to details and particulars.

 • Trendy topics, such as apartheid (unless you are a black South African), the threat of nuclear war, or anything involving current events. You probably won't come up with anything new to say. These essays, no matter what the intentions of the writer, tend to be predictable and boring.

 • Anything that makes it sound as though the only reason you want to go to college is so you can make a whole lot of money when you get out. Admissions officers don't make much money, and they're sick of greedy teenagers.

 • Solitary pursuits. In general, activities that involve interacting with other people make better topics than activities you do alone. You don't want to make admissions officers worry that you won't get along with your classmates. (This is really only a problem if virtually every activity you mention in vour application is solitary.)

 • How much psychotherapy has changed your life. You don't want admissions officers to worry that there is a danger of your going crazy while in school.

 • How glad you are to be National Merit semifinalist or how pleased you were to be named valedictorian of'your class. This is like writing about your SAT scores.

 • "The Best Game of Mv Life" or other athletic incidents written in glib style.

 • Any topic specifically mentioned as a great essay topic in a popular how-to-get-into-college book. Joe Bloggs reads those books, too.

6. Write about something you really care about.

Even genuinely bad writers can turn out a readable essay if the topic means something to them. The motorcycle you built from scratch, the time xou helped deliver a baby in a snowstorm, the day you taught your little brother to tie his shoes. The good topic is the one you want to write about, not the one you think you ought to write about-while always keeping in mind who your audience is.

The way to approach finding a topic is first to ask yourself what you want to write and then to ask yourself' whether an admissions officer will want to read it.

7. Remember what the point of an application essay is.

With your essay you want to prove two things: that you are a decent writer and that you are an interesting, mature person. By contrast, Joe Bloggs thinks that the point of his essay is to prove to the admissions committee that he is serious about education. Admissions officers hear this constantly, and it bores them. "My summer in France taught me the value of a solid background in a foreign language . . .": "The summer I spent at Andover summer school showed me the value of good study skills . . ."; "I never realized how important a good education was until I . . ." Nobody really thinks like this. It almost always sounds contrived in an essay.

Instead of trying to think of things you've done that will make you seem more serious, try to think of things that have made you more interesting.

8. Every story doesn't need a moral.

Many students feet they have to make a direct connection between whatever they write about and their suitability for college. Many essays convey the impression that their authors have never done anything that didn't groom them in some way for higher education. This, too, sounds contrived. If you write a good essay, you won't need to tell admissions officers why you wrote it.

9. Don't apologize, don't explain.

Don't use an essay to explain bad grades, low SAT scores, drug arrests, suspensions, or any other black marks in your record. Explanations usually just make these sound worse. They certainly draw attention to your weaknesses.

If there really is something about your grades that should be explained, your guidance counselor should do It. But don't ask your guidance counselor to write a letter simply explaining that you are smarter than your SAT scores. It may be true, but admissions officers have heard it a million times.

Some applications will allow you to explain peculiarities in your record that you think need explaining. You may do so if you feel you must, but tread carefully here. Explaining a difficulty often does little more than draw attention to it, which makes it seem worse.

If an application asks you right out, as some do, whether vou have ever been suspended and why, you'll have to answer truthfully. But unless you have a very, very good reason for doing so, you shouldn't answer this question unless it is asked.

10. Submit extra materials if they're called for.

 Some colleges permit you to submit extra materials - poems, musical compositions or tapes, short stories, artwork, and so on. Some colleges don't want you to do this, and say so in their applications. Check.

Anything extra that you submit should genuinely enhance your application. Be realistic about your abilities. Submitting half a dozen unexceptional poems will make the poetry award you won seem less impressive. The same might be true of stories you wrote for a local newspaper. Before you let admissions officers see exactly what you did, be certain it doesn't sound better in the abstract.

Don't try to be too cute with extra submissions. Applicants sometimes endear themselves to admissions committees by sending homemade cookies or other clever creations. But be very careful. Gimmicky extras like this usually backfire.

Whatever you do, make certain your submissions are neat and well presented.

TYPICAL QUESTIONS & TYPICAL ANSWERS

Here's a selection of common types of essay question, followed by some Joe Bloggs responses to them and recommendations for avoiding the Joe Bloggs mentality.

Write about someone you admire.

This question has many forms. Bowdoin's is, "Do you have any heroes? Explain." Joe Bloggs tends to write without much conviction about people like the president ofthe United States, his father (Joseph Bloggs, Sr.). Mother Teresa, or Martin Luther King, Jr. These may all be highly admirable, heroic people, but they seldom inspire interesting essays. The best responses are ones that are both meaningful to the writer and somewhat surprising to the reader. You don't want to stun the reader (by writing about Hitler, for example-never a good idea), but you do want to give him or her something unusual to think about.

Write about something you have read.

A number of colleges will ask you some version ofthis cluestion. Many applicants are attracted to it because it seems so easy -all you have to do is write a book report. But that's the clanger: Too many responses to this sort of questionestion sound like book reports, and nobody likes to read book reports. The advice we gave you about the "someone you admire" question applies to this one as well: Don't write about an obvious book. Your choice should make you seem interesting (though not eccentric)

Most important, if you are asked to write about a book, be certain vou write about a book: Don't write about your favorite movie.

Why do you want to attend this school?

Your real reason may be something better left unstated ("Because I want to party and screw around for four years"), but the closer to the truth vour answer is the more likely vou'll be to write something that an admissions officer will enjoy reading.

Avoid Joe Bloggs generalities ("to get a good liberal arts education," "to broaden my knowledge") and think in terms of specifics.

Harvard's version of this question is "Write a brief statement describing your academic goals." Too many students, when faced with this type of question, ignore the word "academic" and write about their career goals. They are not the same thing. Again, specifics are better than generalities. Don't write, "Because I believe I have something to contribute to your prestigious . . ."

How do you see yourself ten years from now?

Joe Bloggs sees himselfas a lawyer or a doctor. If you do, too, don't say so. In fact, avold using this question as an opportunity to describe any type of.job you think you'd like to have. This is a tough question, because the temptation to be boring can be overpowering. If you avoid employment as a topic, though, you'll be well ahead of the game. Instead, narrow your focus. Picture yourself doing something a bit unusual, and don't strain to make a direct connection between it and a college education. Just as it is a mistake to act as though your entire life has been building towards your freshman year at College X, you don't want to pretend that you think your college degree wIII be the sole foundation oil which you build the rest of your life.

Write about a meaningful activity.

Yale's version of this question is, "Which activity or interest has meant the most to you? Why?" The best place to start looking for an answer is the truth: Which of your activities really was the most meaningful to you? Which was the most fun? Which did you look forward to? Don't say that your most meaningful activity was your service on the Student Council because it taught you the importance of effective leadership. "Effective leadership" was not why you liked the Student Colincil, assuming that you did. On this type of question, Joe Bloggs tries too hard to make himself seem serious, motivated, and directed. He really ought to be trying to make himself seem interesting.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Most selective colleges ask their applicants to submit two recommendations from teachers. These can have an important bearing on your chances- particularly if they are negative. Here are some guidelines that should help you secure better recommendations:

1. Be prompt.

Teachers have too much to do as it is. Writing recommendations takes a lot of time, especially if yon attend a big school and the teachers you ask are popular. Give your recommenders plenty of time. (The earlier you are, the less likely your recommenders are to be buried in recommendation forms already.)

2. Make it easy for them.

When you ask teachers to write recommendations for you, give them everything they need, including your application deadline and a stamped, addressed envelope. Some guidance counselors and books recommend that you also give your recommenders a list of vour activities, to remind them of what you've been up to for the last few vears. We don't think this is a good idea. Too many recommenders simply rehash students' accomplishments- information that is already in their applications. If your recommender has your brag list sitting there in front of him, he will be unlikely to do much more than turn it into sentences and paragraphs. Admissions officers will wonder why you picked a recommender who obviously knew so little about you.

3. Waive your rights.

You have the legal right to read the stuff colleges have in their files about you. Virtually all recommendation forms include a little box where you can waive this right by signing your name. By all means, waive the right. Colleges won't pay attention to your recommendations if they think the people who wrote them were worried that you would be reading them. Sign the waiver before you give the forms to your teachers.

4. Pick wisely.

The actual content of a recommendation isn't the only important thing about it. To a large degree, a recommendation is also a test of your judgment. If your recommendations are negative or wishywashy, admissions officers will conclude that you aren't bright enough to pick good recommenders. In general, when choosing recommenders, vou should do the following:

Pick teachers who know and like you.

Pick teachers who will absolutely positively write positive things about you. This is important enough to discuss openly with your teachers. If you feel uneasy about asking a teacher directly whether he or she will write you a strong recommendation, you can do the same thing indirectly by giving the teacher an out. You might say something like, "I don't want to put you in a spot if you'd prefer not to do this." If the teacher feels uneasy about recommending you, this gives him or her a way to decline without coming right out and telling you you're a jerk. Another way to do the same thing even more indirectly would be to say something like, I need a strong recommendation, but I know you're busy. Would you have time to write one for me?"

Pick teachers in fields where your principal interests lie. If' you say in your application that you are going to be an English major, at least one or your recommendations should be from an English teacher.

Pick teachers who are reliable. This is also a test of your judgment. If a teacher doesn't get your recommendation in on time, you will be the one who looks bad.

Pick teachers who are good writers. Nothing is less impressive than a poorly written recommendation.

If possible and appropriate, pick a teacher who went to the college you want to attend. This probably won't be possible, but you may be able to choose a teacher who went to a similar school, or one ofthe same caliber. If you're applying to an Ivy League school, a teacher with an Ivy League degree will be in a good position to certify that you are capable of doing Ivy League work. No matter where they went to school, teachers who are familiar with the schools to which vou are applying are in a better position to write good recommendations.

5. Send a thank-you note.

Thanking a recommender is good manners. It's also a polite way to remind a forgetful teacher to get on the stick. Send your thank-you note a week or two before the deadline. If writing a note makes you feel uncomfortable, you can thank the recommender in person. It will still serve as a reminder. A hint: Thank your recommender when he is sitting at his desk, not when he is running down the hall. Your reminder will be more likely to produce the desired result if' pen and paper are at hand.

6. Don't submit (many) extra recommendations.

Fattening your folder with recommendations from every teacher in your school will just make you look pushy. Likewise with recommendations from powerful or famous friends of your parents. We know a student whose father got a U.S. senator to write a recommendation for him. The senator wrote a very flattering letter-about the father. The student was rejected. When the student's guidance counselor asked the college why the student had been rejected, the college said it had been tempted to admit the father, who sounded very interesting, but had decided against it in the end. Letters from famous people almost always seem pushy and show-offy, even if they are informative and sincere.

You can submit one or two extra recommendations if they are from people who really do know you well and who really are in a position to say interesting things about you. If you made a big splash at a volunteer job, a letter frorn your boss could help you. This kind of letter can fill out an admissions officer's image of your personality, revealing the human characteristics that a teacher's recommendations may not.

One of our students was helped considerably by an unsollcited letter from a summer employer. The employer said in his letter that he had given the student a Job because he had owed a favor to his father and that he hadn't expected much of him. But the student had worked hard and done magnificently and won the respect of everyone in the office. He said that he would be happy to have the boy in his company full-time and that he could tell he would be a success at whatever he put his hand to. The letter wasn't terribiy long, but it was obviously heartfelt and it made a big impression.

INTERVIEWS

Few schools require on-campus interviews. Some don't offer them. Some have elaborate networks of alumni who interview applicants in their areas. Some schools conduct informal interviews with students who need information.

Before vou write to an admissions office to arrange "an interview," make sure you understand what kind, if any, the school offers or requires. One of our students told us that the most embarrassing moment of her life was strolling into an admissions office and discovering from a staff member that interviews aren't given.

Most interviews aren't as important as students generally assume. At some colleges, all interviews are handled by the most junior members of the admissions staff. Still, interviews do make impressions. Some students are admitted simply because they had great interviews; less often. students are rejected because they bombed.

Here are a few guidelines:

1. Do your homework.

Don't ask questions that are answered in the brochures you've been sent. This means you have to read those brochures. Ugh! Read them one at a time, at breakfast before each interview.

If there is a popular conception of the school (Princeton is isolated, Dartmouth has too many fraternities, Harvard has too little student-teacher contact), don't ask about it. Your interviewer will have heard the same question ten billion times. He or she will also have spent the last few weeks reviewing a seemingly endless procession of' Joe Bloggses. You don't want to seem off the wall by asking bizarre questions; but even more you don't want to sound exactly like the boring JB who was in there before you.

Don't ask questions if you have no interest in the answers. Unless you have a real reason for wanting to know how many of a college's graduates go on to graduate school, don't ask. The question will make you sound dopey, not smart and serious. And don't read questions from a list. Students who do this look either scatterbrained or nerdy. If you've spent time on campus, ask questions on the information you've gained.

2. Don't give dumb answers.

Before you go to an interview, you need to have a pretty good idea of how you'll answer several stock questions if they're asked. Some of these questions are: Why do you want to go here? What first brought us to your attention? What do you want to major in? What do you want to do with your life?

Most students have a hard time answering questions like this. The trouble with them is that they force you to think specifically about reasons that you probably haven't examined very carefully. But thinking about them is helpful as well as necessary. If you can put your finger on an intelligent and convincing reason why you want to attend a school, not only your interview but also your application will begin to fall into place. The important thing is to be prepared for the "easy ones" so that you don't have to stammer and clear your throat when the admissions officer asks them.

3. Make it easy for your interviewer.

Conviviality, poise, and aplomb are three qualities that have little to do with how good a student you are but a lot to do with how your interview goes. You want to seem bright, interested, mature, and at ease. The more comfortable your interviewer feels at your interview, the better the impression you'll make. If the conversation lags, ask a question.

4. Unless you're asked specifically - and we mean specifically - don't mention your SAT scores or your grades.

We've said this several times already, but it can't be said enough. One of the most boring and predictable things you can do in an interview is try to sneak in your SAT scores. We even know a student who scored 1400 and said in an interview that he was disappointed in his scores. Obviously he wasn't disappointed. He just wanted to mention those big numbers. The admissions officer thought he was a creep. You will hurt your chances for admission ifyou make an admissions officer think you are a creep.

A former Ivy League admissions officer once told us about a game she used to play with pushy applicants from certain high schools. She would keep asking questions that she knew would give the students opportunities to work in their SAT scores; then, every time they were about to mention them, she would change the subject. This drove the applicants crazy and kept the admissions officer alert during interviews that she otherwise didn't enjoy. Needless to say, not many of these students received acceptances.

Now, you may say that it's unfair for admissions officers to put so much emphasis on SAT scores and then not want to hear you talk about them. But whoever said life was fair? Don't worry. Your scores are the first thing the admissions officer will look at when he or she picks up your folder. You don't need to wave a flag.

5. Look the part.

Get a respectable haircut. Don't chew gum. Wear nice clothes, but don't look slick (sport coat or skirt, not three-piece suit or party dress). If you're a boy, take out your earring. No matter who you are, clean your fingernails. Brush your teeth. Don't smoke. Wash behind your ears. And in front of them, too. You can go back to being a slob once they let you in,

6. Send your parents to Antarctica.

You definitely shouldn't let your parents try to accompany you to your interview. It's better to keep them out of the building altogether. Parents can only hurt; they never help. We know a brilliant kid who was rejected by a top Ivy League college soleIN because his mother insisted on being present at his interview. Every time the admissions officer would ask a question, the mother would pipe up. The college was worried that the student wouldn't be able to survive his freshman year if they didn't admit his mother as well. (He ended up at another Ivy League college, where he did brilliantly) What the admissions officer didn't realize was that the student had figured out that the best way to deal with his pushy mom was to let her do what she wanted and not pay any attention. He wasn't dependent on her; she was dependent on him. But that didn't come across. All the admissions officer could see was a mama's boy.

Admissions officers don't like having your mom or dad in the room with you any better than you do. Most will tell parents to wait in the waiting room. But you don't even want this problem to come up. You don't look good ifyour first contact with an admissions officer involves the admissions officer telling your parents to get lost. If your parents are adamant about wanting to accompany you to vour interview itself, don't sign up for an interview.

7. Don't worry about the time.

Students sometimes are told that the sign of a good interview is that it lasts longer than the time allowed for it. Forget about this. During interviewing season, most colleges schedule interviews so tightly that it isn't possible to let one interview run long without screwing up the entire schedule. Don't worry if your interview lasts exactly as long as the secretary said it would. And don't try to stretch out the end of your interview by suddenly becoming long-winded or asking a lot of questions you don't care about.

8. Save the best for last.

If you have interviews at more than one school, you'll get better as you go along. Try to arrange your schedule so that your first interviews are at the schools you care about least or at any rate the schools you are most likely to get into. You can even schedule interviews at schools in which you have no interest at all, just for the practice. Admissions officers frown on this practice for obvious reasons, but they won't find out.

9. Send a thank-you note afterwards.

Always a good idea. Your note can be quite short, but it shouldn't sound mechanical. As with any good thank-you note, mention a specific. And don't suck up. You might ask your mom to read your note before you send it. And remember, no smiley faces.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Should I include a copy of an A-plus paper from my English class?

No. Many students do this. It almost always backfires. First, admissions officers won't be nearly as interested in your thoughts on Beowulf as your English teacher was. Second, if your A-plus paper seems boring and poorly written, an admissions officer will begin to have doubts about all those A's in your transcript. Third, no college admissions officer will be happy to be given more to read.

Can I use the same essay on more than one application?

Maybe, although you need to be absolutely certain that the essay fits. Few applications ask exactly the same questions in exactly the same way. Admissions officers are generally familiar with one another's application forms. It will be held against you if you are suspected of trying to double your mileage.

On the other hand, you can probably use at least bits and pieces of the same essay in most or all of your applications. Adapt the material to the particular questions and particular schools-also particular space requirements. There's no need to start from scratch with every application.

When essay questions are open-ended enough, students sometimes find that they can slip in a composition written for a class. This is usually not a good idea. Class work has a tendency to sound like class work.

I don't care what you say. I'm going to write an essay that's longer than the space allowed for it. What do you think of that, huh?

If you feel you have to do this, write the entire essay on a separate piece of paper and type "See Attached Essay" in the space provided in the application form. This will keep readers from being confused or having to flip back and forth through your folder. At the top of your attached paper, retype the entire essay question from the application. Make sure everything is clear and clearly labeled.

You give a list of bad essay topics. Why don't you give a list of good essay topics?

A good essay topic ceases to be a good essay topic the minute a lot of kids choose it. It becomes a Joe Bloggs essay topic. We do give you a number of suggestions that ought to help you think of interesting topics or approaches, but listing a particular topic in a book effectively kills it. The very best essays are the ones that truly do come from the heart; they don't come from a list. If you follow our guidelines, you should greatly increase your chances of finding a topic or an approach that will show you to your advantage.

If I write a stupid essay, will I ruin my chances?

No. We know of a student who, when asked to write about "a person who has made a difference in your life," filled the entire page with the words "A man called Jesus Christ" in five different colors of crayon. He still got in-and this was a very selective college. That doesn't mean everybody can get away with writing non-essays on forbidden themes in crayon, but it does demonstrate that admissions officers are more understanding of temporary lapses of judgment than they are sometimes believed to be. You shouldn't count on their generosity, though. It's better to be admitted because of your essay than in spite of it.