What's the best way to format my college essay?
I keep hearing different things about how to format college essays and now I'm starting to get a little confused. Are you supposed to use a specific font or margin size? Is it better to indent new paragraphs or just leave a space between them? Some of my teachers say double spacing is best, but then I saw something about single spacing being okay too.
If anyone has already submitted their essays, can you let me know what you did? Also, do colleges actually care about the formatting that much as long as it’s readable, or can small differences hurt your application? I just want to make sure I get it right so I don’t look careless.
If anyone has already submitted their essays, can you let me know what you did? Also, do colleges actually care about the formatting that much as long as it’s readable, or can small differences hurt your application? I just want to make sure I get it right so I don’t look careless.
4 months ago
•
22 views
Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
You’re definitely not alone in feeling confused about essay formatting—so many people hear different advice from teachers, counselors, and websites. The good news is, most colleges aren't too picky about minor formatting details as long as your essay is clear and easy to read.
If you’re using the Common App or Coalition App, you’ll usually paste your essay directly into a text box, which means all special formatting (indents, fonts, and spacing) often disappears. For these platforms, stick to block paragraphs (skip a line between paragraphs instead of indenting) for clarity. The website will automatically use a readable font, size, and margin, so you don’t have to stress about those.
If you’re uploading a document (some colleges or scholarship applications ask for this), then follow these basics:
- Use a standard, readable font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri, size 12.
- Set margins to 1 inch on all sides.
- Double spacing is usually safest, but single spacing with an extra space between paragraphs is also fine unless the instructions say otherwise. If directions exist, follow them exactly.
- Either indent your new paragraphs or leave an extra space between them. Both are accepted, but never mix the two styles in one essay.
Small differences, like single vs. double spacing, won’t hurt your application as long as you stay professional and readable. Avoid weird fonts, colored backgrounds, or anything that makes your essay look distracting.
When I submitted my essays, I pasted them directly into the application portals, checked the preview screens, and made sure everything looked organized and easy to read. I skipped indents and left a single blank line between paragraphs since the formatting was stripped anyway.
So, focus on clarity, readability, and following any specific instructions each college gives. If there are no directions, the safest bet is: readable font; 12pt size; 1-inch margins; double spacing or single with space between paragraphs; and either all indents or all block style. You’re good to go!
If you’re using the Common App or Coalition App, you’ll usually paste your essay directly into a text box, which means all special formatting (indents, fonts, and spacing) often disappears. For these platforms, stick to block paragraphs (skip a line between paragraphs instead of indenting) for clarity. The website will automatically use a readable font, size, and margin, so you don’t have to stress about those.
If you’re uploading a document (some colleges or scholarship applications ask for this), then follow these basics:
- Use a standard, readable font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri, size 12.
- Set margins to 1 inch on all sides.
- Double spacing is usually safest, but single spacing with an extra space between paragraphs is also fine unless the instructions say otherwise. If directions exist, follow them exactly.
- Either indent your new paragraphs or leave an extra space between them. Both are accepted, but never mix the two styles in one essay.
Small differences, like single vs. double spacing, won’t hurt your application as long as you stay professional and readable. Avoid weird fonts, colored backgrounds, or anything that makes your essay look distracting.
When I submitted my essays, I pasted them directly into the application portals, checked the preview screens, and made sure everything looked organized and easy to read. I skipped indents and left a single blank line between paragraphs since the formatting was stripped anyway.
So, focus on clarity, readability, and following any specific instructions each college gives. If there are no directions, the safest bet is: readable font; 12pt size; 1-inch margins; double spacing or single with space between paragraphs; and either all indents or all block style. You’re good to go!
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Camille Luong
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Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
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