Help with essays?

<p>I'm in the process of applying to colleges and right now I'm attempting to get my college essays started. I look up the colleges that I coudl potentially be applying to and the ones that do require essays say:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>"Optional essay on any topic, approximately 250-500 words in length"</p></li>
<li><p>"A writing sample. Please submit a copy of a graded paper you have written within the past year. It should be a minimum of 250 words and can be on any subject. Some examples are an English composition, a history thesis, a psychology report or a literary critique. This college will accept the Common Application essay in place of a graded writing sample."</p></li>
<li><p>"A college essay of at least 250 words"</p></li>
<li><p>"A personal essay. 1-2 pgs"</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Now, I know about number 1. Number 2, what exactly is the Common Application essay? I'm still rpetty clueless with a lot of the college stuff. Number 3, is a college essay different from the essay on any topic? And number 4, whats a personal essay?</p>

<p>Are numbers 1, 3, and 4 all the same?</p>

<p>Also I wrote an quick draft essay, not too much of a criteria and I was wondering if anybody could read it? I'm not even sure if it's acceptable topic-wise because I didn't know how to choose a topic. According to Microsoft Works it's 429 words. Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>bump bump bump</p>

<p>Anybody? thanks</p>

<p>common app is the main application used by many colleges. <a href=“http://www.commonapp.org%5B/url%5D”>www.commonapp.org</a></p>

<p>most, but not all, colleges use this. in addition to the main part of the application, u need to fill out the supplement of each school u apply to (available at the commonapp website).</p>