<p>im applying ed and im lost</p>
<p>Exactly what other selective colleges like to see. Flow + a solid essay idea = a good essay. Flow = reading through it and almost being subtly handheld to “the point”. Good subject = a cute believable keystone of your presented personality </p>
<p>Northwestern is hardly different from Harvard in what constitutes a good essay, even while admittedly the % of superb essays in the applicant and probably accepted pool might be marginally lower.</p>
<p>^Agreed. Also, when I visited, I remember that the lady giving the admissions presentation said that they liked creative, but not totally out-of-the-box strange essays. So yeah, anything that is creative, refreshing, flows well, and subtly reveals who you are, but nothing too bizarre.</p>