Dan Heath is the co-author of "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die." In this 16-minute podcast, “Making You Stick,” he talks about how to stand out from the pack when the pack is crowded, including when writing college essays and applying to college. You can download it here:
I disagree when he says that when you write a college essay, you need to convince them that you are the perfect applicant for that school. Students who try to do that inevitably write clichéd essays about how being an Eagle Scout taught them to commit to their goals. But yes, you do need to stand out, and his advice will help.