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<p>A good essay is personal, detailed, and revealing. Ideally, it is so personal, detailed and revealing that only you could conceivably write it. It sets you apart from other applicants.</p>
<p>A cliche essay is the opposite. It tells pretty much what everyone knows, and could be written by many people. It does not set you apart.</p>
<p>So, for example: a sports essay that tells about winning the big game and concludes that hard work pays off is cliche. However, it is quite possible to write a personal, detailed, and revealing college essay about sports. </p>
<p>The same can be said for any other “cliche” topic. </p>
<p>For good advice about college essays, see [Essays</a>, Admission Information, Undergraduate Admission, U.Va.](<a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/writingtheessay.html]Essays”>http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/writingtheessay.html)</p>