College essays are the key pieces of the admission process that can make a student stand out from the crowd. The rest of the application only includes standard information that may not be remembered in particular by a college admissions board member. College essays, on the other hand, are an opportunity to personalize an admissions packet. They give a student the opportunity to be remembered and accepted.

These five things are essential to a memorable college essay:

1. Personalized information about the student.

This is the number one, most important thing to put into the student's writing. Include details no matter what the topic is that the student has been assigned to write about. The student should tell a story about his childhood, confess the stuffed animal he slept with, mention and discuss his passions- anything that will catch the reader and make him or her care about the writer.

2. Mention the student's college savings plan.

If the student is paying for everything themselves through student loans, it needs to be mentioned. Many colleges give financial need-based aid and here is a good opportunity to mention how hard the student has been working. The fact that he has a college savings plan makes him look responsible. Even if his parents are paying for it, the student should talk about how he intends to pay them back. That kind of determination is what a college admissions official is looking for.

3. Talk about an obstacle the student has overcome.

There's nothing a reader of university essays wants more than to read another story about how the student was in the honor society. That gets old. Talk about a personal event where it wasn't easy. Examples include anything from dealing with a mom's cancer diagnosis to a class that was difficult. It's important to see how the student triumphed over the tough parts and met the challenge successfully.

4. Include some humor.

If possible, always include humor. Don't make it over the top and ridiculous. It's better to pepper in a little humor here and there, just to make the college admissions reader smile and relax. They've been reading 20 essays in one sitting. Make them laugh and the writer will likely win admission into the school.

5. Make the essay a strictly positive one about the student.

The university application process is not the time for negativity. The student should talk up his good qualities, like his determination. Don't mention how he gets easily distracted or hates thinking about money for college. He should sell himself.