College applications are a horrible agony no one should suffer once -- let alone eight to 10 times, as many of today's high school students do. But for every tortured student, there's a tortured admissions professional, sifting through an entire forest of paper, looking for an essay that doesn't scream with gimmick. If you're struggling to write a decent application essay, research writing tips before you get started.
Otherwise, just avoid these terrible examples.
