Should my college essay include a title?

You don’t need to include a title for your Common App personal statement—the application doesn’t require it, and nearly all admissions officers are used to seeing essays without one. In fact, most students skip titles entirely and just start the essay with the first line of their narrative or introduction.

A title is really a personal choice. Some students like to add a creative touch, especially if the title can set the mood or tease their theme, but this isn’t expected. For example, if your essay revolves around your weekly chess matches with your grandmother, a title like “Queens and Grandmothers” might intrigue a reader. But at the end of the day, what matters most is the content of the essay itself.

If you’re already close to or exceeding the Common App word limit (650 words), you might want to skip the title. Any title you include actually does count toward the word limit, possibly taking away space from your story or insights. You definitely don’t want to cut anything important in your essay just to fit in a title.

Admissions officers spend just a few minutes on each file, so your hook, narrative, and reflection will make a bigger impression than a headline. Unless you have a short and punchy title that adds real value, you’re not missing out by leaving it off. If you do decide to use a title, just make sure it’s succinct and the essay still fits within the limit.

To sum up: You don’t need a title, and your essay won’t suffer without one. Focus on making your opening sentence strong—many admissions readers say a compelling first line does a better job pulling them in than a separate title anyway. Good luck wrapping up your draft!