Ease into the process by drafting an outline--and don’t worry about its roughness. Getting your thoughts on paper will get the thinking process underway, and reduce the anxiety often associated with this component of the application.

Analyze your audience. What information does the admissions committee need to know about you? Of your education and professional experience, what is most relevant for your application? What questions do reviewers want answered?

Make sure you pick one solid angle to support.

Your essay should be a compelling story about how your goals and interests align with your program of interest.

A graduate student in an online degree program must be proactive, critical and independent, so when you write your statement, underscore these and other abilities that make you an ideal candidate for distance education.

Your essay is the perfect place to explain deficiencies or lapses in your work or education history. The admissions committee is not after perfection, but it is looking at fit, so be sincere and convey your enthusiasm for your chosen field of study.

The more connections you make among your motivations, talents and qualifications to pursue graduate education and what admission officers are seeking, the more persuasive your essay will be.

Make sure these connections are clear and explicit by relating anecdotes and professional experiences to the program. Don’t just list these experiences, but emphasize the qualifications you developed from them.

Keep your essay personal in content and professional in delivery. Tell your story in first person and express interest for the field, but avoid an overly casual tone.

Your essay should make it evident that you can express yourself coherently.