Should my college essays be double spaced when I submit them?
I've started working on my main Common App essay and some of my supplementals, but I'm unsure about the formatting part. When it comes to uploading my essays on the Common App (or even for other schools), do they expect it to be double spaced like how teachers have us do in school? Or is single spacing better since it saves space? I haven't found a clear answer on the actual submission page, so I'm a little anxious about messing up a small detail like this and having it look unprofessional. If anyone who already applied knows, please let me know how strict colleges are about this or if it really matters either way.
Also curious if the spacing preferences change if you are attaching a PDF versus pasting into a text box. I'd appreciate any insight!
Also curious if the spacing preferences change if you are attaching a PDF versus pasting into a text box. I'd appreciate any insight!
4 months ago
•
96 views
Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
When you're submitting your essays through the Common App or most other college application portals, you don't need to double space your essays. In fact, the Common App essay and most school supplements require you to paste your essay into a text box, not upload a formatted document. The formatting in these text boxes is typically standardized, and line or paragraph spacing options are limited or nonexistent.
In these text boxes, your essay will usually appear as single-spaced with a blank line between paragraphs. To keep your essay readable, be sure to press 'Enter' twice to insert a clear line break between paragraphs. Don't try to indent as the formatting might strip away tab spaces. For example, if you write:
Paragraph 1 text here.
Paragraph 2 text starts here.
—this matches what most admissions officers expect to see.
If a specific school asks you to upload a PDF or Word document instead (which is rare for the Common App itself, but can happen for certain programs or scholarship apps), then check for any explicit instructions. If they don't specify, single or 1.15 spacing is typically preferred, with standard 1-inch margins and a readable font like Times New Roman or Arial, sized 11 or 12. Double spacing is more common in academic papers for readability and grading—not for admissions essays. Uploading double-spaced college essays could make them look odd and unnecessarily lengthy to the reader.
Colleges aren't strict about this minor formatting detail since their systems standardize the appearance of your essay. The most critical point is following any specific instructions posted by the school. If nothing is specified, single spacing with clear paragraph breaks is safe.
If you're ever in doubt for a rare PDF upload scenario, you could email admissions for clarification, but for the Common App and most supplementals, focus your energy on your content rather than exact spacing.
In short: single space, double ENTER between paragraphs in text boxes, don't worry about extra formatting, and you'll look polished and professional!
In these text boxes, your essay will usually appear as single-spaced with a blank line between paragraphs. To keep your essay readable, be sure to press 'Enter' twice to insert a clear line break between paragraphs. Don't try to indent as the formatting might strip away tab spaces. For example, if you write:
Paragraph 1 text here.
Paragraph 2 text starts here.
—this matches what most admissions officers expect to see.
If a specific school asks you to upload a PDF or Word document instead (which is rare for the Common App itself, but can happen for certain programs or scholarship apps), then check for any explicit instructions. If they don't specify, single or 1.15 spacing is typically preferred, with standard 1-inch margins and a readable font like Times New Roman or Arial, sized 11 or 12. Double spacing is more common in academic papers for readability and grading—not for admissions essays. Uploading double-spaced college essays could make them look odd and unnecessarily lengthy to the reader.
Colleges aren't strict about this minor formatting detail since their systems standardize the appearance of your essay. The most critical point is following any specific instructions posted by the school. If nothing is specified, single spacing with clear paragraph breaks is safe.
If you're ever in doubt for a rare PDF upload scenario, you could email admissions for clarification, but for the Common App and most supplementals, focus your energy on your content rather than exact spacing.
In short: single space, double ENTER between paragraphs in text boxes, don't worry about extra formatting, and you'll look polished and professional!
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