Applying for admission can be a stressful process. Most students don't look forward to completing the applications for admission and tend to put it off for as long as possible. The one thing to remember about the process is that there are no trick questions. Most applications for admission can be completed in about 15 minutes, except of course, for the essay portion. Since some schools don't require an essay as a part of the application process, many students ask, "How important is the essay, anyway?"
Why do colleges want a student to submit an essay? 
There are several reasons why colleges want to see an essay. The most important reason for the essay is that it provides the college with a writing sample that can be used to assess how well students express themselves in written form. The ability to write well is critical for college success. Many of the courses taken in college will require a student to prepare papers, essays or other written reports. Individuals who have trouble expressing their thoughts in written form will have difficulty being successful in college.
A person's writing is also a reflection of how they think. An individual who writes clearly, succinctly and in an organized fashion usually thinks the same way - a thinking approach that is well-suited for college. The essay provides an applicant with the opportunity to separate his application from the pack. In fact, the essay is usually the only part of the application where the student is able to include information not covered by standard questions. Essays provide a voice to a student's application for admission.
What do I write about?
Most of the colleges that require an essay also specify the topic or topics that should be addressed. A few colleges will ask all of the applicants to prepare an essay addressing one question posed by the college. Other colleges will allow the applicant to choose from several questions. The basic rule in preparing the essay is to answer the question the college asks. Most admissions officers frown on essays that avoid the question.
Can I ask for help in writing the essay?
Preparation of the college essay is a writing exercise, and part of any rigorous writing process, is an independent review. Having someone review the essay is an acceptable step in the process as is incorporating the suggestions made for improvement. However, there is a fine line between having your essay edited and having it rewritten by the reviewer. Ultimately, the essay you submit has to be your work, not the work of the reviewer. So if the person who reads your essay suggests major revisions including changing the basic thoughts and content of the essay, that individual has gone too far. An essay that incorporates others' thoughts is no longer your essay and should not be what you send with your application.
Can you give me some hints on preparing the essay?
There are some basic rules to follow in preparing the essay. None of these are earth-shattering, innovative ideas, but you would be amazed at the hundreds of students each year who fail to use common sense in preparing their essay.
Use spell-checking software - Nothing detracts more from an essay than misspellings. Admissions officers read many essays and tend to identify spelling errors easily. Make sure you edit your essay carefully and that every word is spelled correctly.Don't rely on spell-checking software to catch all your grammatical errors - While spell- checking will catch spelling errors it will not identify the use of inappropriate words. For example, the words principal and principle are pronounced the same way but they mean very different things. Spell-checking will not tell you which word is correct in your essay.
Don't overwrite - Colleges will usually tell you what length of essay they will review. Don't submit an essay much longer than the guidelines. The admissions officer will be reading hundreds, perhaps thousands, of essays in a short period of time. If the essay is much longer than what was requested, it may not get the reviewer's full attention.
Submit your essay in typewritten form - Nothing is more tedious than trying to read a handwritten essay prepared by a person with bad handwriting. If you do not have access to a computer at home, prepare your essay on one of the computers at your school or a local library. Not only will it look better, you will find it easier to revise if necessary.
Don't get cute - Every year a number of college applicants decide that the best way to stand out from the pack is to prepare an outrageous essay. They may use unusual writing styles, uncommon vocabulary culled from Roget's Thesaurus, even profanity. These applicants are usually successful in their attempts to stand out, but unsuccessful in their attempt to positively impress the admissions officers.
Don't embellish - Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. While you may have worked in a soup kitchen in your community don't try to convince the admissions officers that you have ended world hunger. Don't say you have done something unless you have and don't take credit for something you haven't.
Don't recite your application - It is never wise to use the essay to restate what you have already told the college. Use the opportunity to tell them something important that they can't ascertain from a form.
Don't cheat - Using essay from any of the essay books available in bookstores or online is the fastest path to rejection! If you have access, so do the college admissions officers. Copying an essay or submitting one that is not your work is a serious breach of academic integrity and will get you a rejection letter faster than just about anything else you can do.
So, really, how important is the essay?
If you want to be admitted, then it is a critical element in the college's assessment of your candidacy. Use the essay opportunity wisely. Use it as a chance to demonstrate your writing skill and to tell the college something about you that it would not know from the other items on the application form.