Should I give a title to my college essay or leave it untitled?
I’m working on my Common App personal statement right now and I keep going back and forth about whether or not to use a title. My English teacher said that sometimes it can be a nice touch, but other times it just feels forced unless there’s a really good reason for it.
I’m a rising senior, and I’ve looked at a bunch of essay examples online. Some have really catchy titles and others just start with the first line. Does it make a difference to admissions officers? I don’t want to seem super formal or cliché, but also don’t want to miss an easy opportunity to stand out if a title would help. Any advice or personal experiences?
I’m a rising senior, and I’ve looked at a bunch of essay examples online. Some have really catchy titles and others just start with the first line. Does it make a difference to admissions officers? I don’t want to seem super formal or cliché, but also don’t want to miss an easy opportunity to stand out if a title would help. Any advice or personal experiences?
4 months ago
•
18 views
Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
Great question—this is something a lot of students debate! The truth is, giving your college essay a title is completely optional and there's no requirement to include one. Admissions officers aren't judging you on whether or not you have a title; they're focused on the content of your story, your voice, and how you present yourself.
A well-crafted title can be a nice touch, especially if it adds context, intrigue, or sets a specific tone for the essay. For instance, if your essay is about your experience volunteering at a bakery and the lessons you learned from kneading dough, a title like "Rising with the Dough" could be playful and thematically fitting. Titles like this can grab attention—IF they connect meaningfully to your story.
On the flip side, titles sometimes feel forced, overly formal, or detached from the actual content. If you find yourself spending more time trying to come up with a clever title than refining your essay, it's fine to skip it. Most admissions officers will dive right into the text if there's no title, and that's perfectly normal. Many successful essays are submitted without any title at all.
My advice is: only add a title if one comes naturally and authentically fits your essay. If you don’t feel strongly about one, or if adding a title makes your essay feel less like you, then it's absolutely okay to leave it untitled. Focus most of your energy on the opening lines of your essay, as those will really set the tone and pull the reader in.
In summary: there's no automatic advantage to having a title. Go for it if it feels right, but don't force it. Admissions readers are looking for your authentic voice more than a catchy headline.
A well-crafted title can be a nice touch, especially if it adds context, intrigue, or sets a specific tone for the essay. For instance, if your essay is about your experience volunteering at a bakery and the lessons you learned from kneading dough, a title like "Rising with the Dough" could be playful and thematically fitting. Titles like this can grab attention—IF they connect meaningfully to your story.
On the flip side, titles sometimes feel forced, overly formal, or detached from the actual content. If you find yourself spending more time trying to come up with a clever title than refining your essay, it's fine to skip it. Most admissions officers will dive right into the text if there's no title, and that's perfectly normal. Many successful essays are submitted without any title at all.
My advice is: only add a title if one comes naturally and authentically fits your essay. If you don’t feel strongly about one, or if adding a title makes your essay feel less like you, then it's absolutely okay to leave it untitled. Focus most of your energy on the opening lines of your essay, as those will really set the tone and pull the reader in.
In summary: there's no automatic advantage to having a title. Go for it if it feels right, but don't force it. Admissions readers are looking for your authentic voice more than a catchy headline.
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Camille Luong
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Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
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