Students who are planning to apply to college or university in the UK must submit a personal statement as part of their application. This is VERY different than the essay required by most American colleges. Get a jumpstart on your writing by doing some research about what UK schools are looking for.
Check out the UCAS website for tips on how to get started with your personal statement:
UCAS Information on Personal Statement
Check out this cool Mind Map that UCAS created to help you brainstorm and organize your personal statement:
UCAS Mind Map
Summer is a great time to get started on this if you are planning to apply to college/university in the UK. Feel free to share your drafts with teachers, parents, counselor, etc. for feedback and editing.