In a message dated 98-01-01 17:36:32 EST, you write: << I had the same problem. If I said anything that I felt, there's no way any college in america would have accepted me. Well, after writing about fifty phony essays and not being able to live with myself afterward, I just wrote an essay on a teacher who was a tremendous help to me in High School, and promised myself I'd give him a copy. That way, I didn't write anything too off-putting but still managed to write something that I cared about. I gave him a copy, too, and he liked it. Just an idea. -ecas >> Good idea. I'll keep it in mind on future essays. Thanks, Eric