For us newly-graduated, the college application process is officially over. As we head into the summer, many of us will be making travel plans, enjoying last moments with high school friends, and packing our things as we prepare for our journey into the world of college.

But for the soon-to-be high school senior, the college application process has only just begun.

There's many important things that go into one's college application: grades, major, and extracurriculars being just a few of these aspects. But for many high school seniors, the essay just might be the most important part, the "secret ingredient."

The essay is the one place in your application where you can get admissions reps to see you for who you really are--which is why it's often so heavily stressed. So, as the rising seniors start prepping applications this summer, I thought I'd drop a few of my favorite essay writing tips, as I've been admitted into some great schools by using them. And perhaps I can help save a life!

1. Write about a topic you actually like.

On the Common and Coalition Applications (platforms used to send college applications to nearly all colleges in the world), you'll be asked to submit a general essay to send to each college you apply to. And you'll have to choose a prompt from the ones given.

This is where things get tricky for many. Which prompt to choose? Which one's the easiest? Which one's the most relatable?

These are incorrect ways of thinking.

Doing the "easiest" prompt will often result in a sloppy essay that sounds disinterested. Doing the "most relatable" essay will result in an essay that will be scrutinized as a superficial pity party. When you write an essay with the wrong intentions, it'll show.

Choose the prompt that you genuinely find interesting. This way, your curiosity and creativity will truly show. And this way, admissions reps will realize how curious and creative you truly are, and you'll score more brownie points!

2. Always pick the free-write prompt (if given the option to).

The Common and Coalition Apps have their own given prompts, yes, but each college has additional essays required (usually)!

And often, colleges like to spice things up. So they may throw in a "free-write" prompt that one can choose from, a prompt that allows the applicant to write about anything they'd want to write about.

Let me repeat: a prompt that allows the applicant to write about anything they'd want to write about.

A prompt like this is the best chance one can get to truly showcase how truly creative one can be. So, go wild with it! Write an epic, a lab report, a poem. One of my friends wrote about his "naughty Hillary Clinton fantasies." I'M NOT LYING.

College applications are stressful enough. So you might as well have some fun while you're at it!

3. Avoid sob stories.

You know what I mean. The "I had a rough childhood" spiel. The "My truest inspiration was my mother/grandfather/uncle" recollection. The abuse story.

I'm not trying to say that these issues aren't important. If they really had such an impact on you and your high school career, talk about it in the additional info section.

But the last thing you want is the admissions reps being concerned about you, your mental health, or personal safety.

Showcasing these issues centrally in your essays comes off as narcissistic. But you can always use these examples to portray how strong you are now, how these issues built you up into the amazing person you are today. That's totally fine! But otherwise, the essay isn't about you. It's about your abuse, or your parent, etc.

And the last thing you want to do is draw away from the main star: yourself!

So just be careful! That's all I'm saying.

And that's it! Those are the best tips and tricks I can think of to pass off to future seniors. The future is uncertain, yes, but the future is human, as you are. Best of luck, guys! I'm sure you'll do great.