Can I address the reader in my college essay?

For my college essay, one of the ideas I was thinking of writing was making a step-by-step guide to something I love creating while tackling the fear of failure that I possess and how to get over it. Would it be smart to address the reader (ex: “You should find a space that…”) while adding my experiences and how I do things and the deeper meaning behind the creation?

It’s a college app, not an ordinary creative writing assignment. Pick something that shows them the parts of you they want to see, for their class.