What format should I use for my college essays?

When it comes to formatting your Common App essay, there aren't strict rules like with a typical school paper, but there are some widely accepted standards and tips that will help you present your work clearly and professionally.

Font and size: If you're typing in a Word or Google Doc first (which is a great idea to avoid losing your work), use a basic, readable font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri, and set it to 12-point size.

Spacing and indents: There's no need to double-space your essay. The Common App text box will automatically single-space your text. In fact, when you copy and paste into the application, it may automatically remove any paragraph indents and extra formatting. That's totally normal and not something to stress over. Instead of indenting, just use a single line break between paragraphs to separate them visually. For example:

I started my first science project in the garage.

But I quickly realized making a rocket wasn't going to be as easy as YouTube made it look.

If you notice the spacing or indents look strange after you paste, just go through and adjust them right in the Common App text box. It often helps to save your essay in a plain text format before pasting, or erase and re-add line breaks in the box itself. Always preview your application before submitting so you can confirm your essay appears as intended.

The main thing is to keep things simple and readable. Stick to standard fonts, use single spacing, and separate paragraphs with line breaks rather than indenting. Unless a specific college gives formatting instructions (which is rare), these tips will keep you on track.

The content of your essay is always the most important part, but clear, consistent formatting helps admissions readers focus on your story. As long as your essay is easy to read and free of odd formatting errors, you’ll be just fine!