Do I need a cover page for my college essay and how should I format it?

You do not need a cover page for your college essays, especially when submitting through the Common Application. In fact, adding a cover page, centering a title, or putting your name and high school at the top is not expected or recommended by most universities. College admissions offices read thousands of essays and want them submitted in a clean, straightforward manner. The submission portals automatically attach your personal information to your application materials, so including your name or ID within the essay is unnecessary.

For the Common App, you should simply paste your essay text into the provided text box. You don’t need to format your essay with special fonts, indentation, or decorative elements. A simple, readable font (which the portal will supply), single-spaced paragraphs, and a standard left-aligned format are perfect. If you want to include a title, you can, but it’s entirely optional. If you do add a title, put it at the top of the essay and then double-space before starting your first paragraph. Most students skip the title altogether and start directly with the opening sentence.

For schools with their own portals (such as MIT or UChicago), the same rule applies unless they give specific formatting instructions in their application guidance. Usually, it's just a plain text box, and you copy-paste your essay. If the school asks for your name or header, they will say so, but that's very rare.

Here’s a quick example: Most students’ essays look like this when pasted — no title, no name:

I grew up watching my grandmother make bread every Sunday…

This keeps the focus on your story and helps avoid any technical issues. Colleges are much more interested in the content of your essay than in formal formatting or extras like cover pages.

Take a deep breath—you’re already taking the right step by checking! Focus your energy on your story and creativity, and you'll be all set.