What's the right way to label a college essay submission?
I'm working on my Common App essay and getting ready to submit, but I'm not sure if there is a specific format for labeling the document. Do colleges care whether you put your name, date, and the essay prompt at the top, or should you leave it blank?
Some websites say to put a header with your last name and application ID, but then I've seen others mention keeping it anonymous. I really don't want to mess this up or make a bad impression just because of something small like a label!
If anyone has already submitted or has advice from counselors or teachers, can you share what you did? I'm applying to a bunch of schools and want to make sure my essays look right for each one.
Some websites say to put a header with your last name and application ID, but then I've seen others mention keeping it anonymous. I really don't want to mess this up or make a bad impression just because of something small like a label!
If anyone has already submitted or has advice from counselors or teachers, can you share what you did? I'm applying to a bunch of schools and want to make sure my essays look right for each one.
3 months ago
•
29 views
Roger Lopez
• 3 months ago
Advisor
When you submit your Common App essay, you actually don’t need to label it with your name, date, or the essay prompt—Common App attaches your essay directly to your application profile, so admissions officers already know whose essay it is and which prompt you selected. In fact, most schools prefer the document be as clean as possible, without extra headers or identifying info, to keep things simple and standardized.
Here’s what you should do: When you copy and paste your essay into the Common App text box, just paste the body of your essay. Start your essay with the first line of your story or response, no extra spaces or titles needed. Don’t worry about putting your name, date, or prompt at the top—the system tracks your submission automatically. If you mention the prompt in your opening line, that's fine, but you don’t have to. For instance, if you chose Prompt #2, you don’t need to write out “Prompt 2: Learning from obstacles.” Just start your essay naturally.
If a school asks for a separate upload (this is rare for the personal statement, but more common for supplements if at all), follow any specific formatting instructions they provide. In those rare cases where a college requires a document upload rather than using the text box, safest practice is to include your last name and Common App ID (not your full name, which some recommend for privacy and identification reasons). But again, for the main Common App essay, this almost never matters, because you aren’t uploading a document—you’re pasting text.
Bottom line: For Common App essays and most school-specific supplements, just leave off extra labels unless the school specifically requires them. Double check individual school requirements for any rare exceptions, but you’re very safe without a header in almost every case.
Here’s what you should do: When you copy and paste your essay into the Common App text box, just paste the body of your essay. Start your essay with the first line of your story or response, no extra spaces or titles needed. Don’t worry about putting your name, date, or prompt at the top—the system tracks your submission automatically. If you mention the prompt in your opening line, that's fine, but you don’t have to. For instance, if you chose Prompt #2, you don’t need to write out “Prompt 2: Learning from obstacles.” Just start your essay naturally.
If a school asks for a separate upload (this is rare for the personal statement, but more common for supplements if at all), follow any specific formatting instructions they provide. In those rare cases where a college requires a document upload rather than using the text box, safest practice is to include your last name and Common App ID (not your full name, which some recommend for privacy and identification reasons). But again, for the main Common App essay, this almost never matters, because you aren’t uploading a document—you’re pasting text.
Bottom line: For Common App essays and most school-specific supplements, just leave off extra labels unless the school specifically requires them. Double check individual school requirements for any rare exceptions, but you’re very safe without a header in almost every case.
Roger Lopez
Chicago, Illinois
Yale University BA, Political Science | Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, MBA Candidate |
Experience
4 years