When the college or university of your dream is finally chosen, it’s time to get seriously prepared to win your spot in the educational establishment.
Apart from taking tests, filling out the application forms, and presenting your performance, there is one more thing that is capable of boosting your admission chances or, on the contrary, killing them in the bud.
A college application essay, also referred to as a personal statement, is a short essay on a given or selected prompt that contains your personal ideas on this or that topic and shows an admission committee who you really are.
Why Is It so Important for a Student?
Just fancy it. An ordinary college receives thousands of submission applications every year. Most applicants have GPA, class ranks, courses, extracurricular activities, achievements, just like you. How do the college admission officers know what personality stands behind all those figures and regalia?
A college admission application is probably the best way to introduce yourself beyond cold hard facts like grades and extracurricular resumes. It’s your chance to make a statement and show what kind of a person stands behind figures and academic achievements.
Sometimes, a powerful college essay that reveals your true nature can make a huge difference and win a so-desired spot in the college. And knowing what format a college application essay should be in is a part of the game.
How to Format a College Application Essay
Usually, the personal statement is limited by the word count (between 250 to 600 words), and there are some recommendations on how to write a college essay format. Sticking to these rules would add extra points to your piece of writing.
Also, remember that there are only a few minutes to make an impression on the admission officer who will be reading your essay, so do your best to leave no doubts about your candidature because the first impression is always in the looks.
So, what are the general requirements for the format of this important piece of writing? There are two commonly accepted formatting styles:
- MLA (Modern Language Association);
- APA (American Psychological Association).
MLA is a common choice for formatting papers in humanities fields, while you should go with the APA formatting style when writing for social science and education fields.
However, most differences between these two styles lie in formatting citations and formatting lists, whereas both APA and MLA format for college application essays share the same requirements for file formatting.
How Do You Format a College Essay?
Of course, you worked hard and created a flawless personal statement you sure would impress the application officers. But brilliant ideas should look like a perfectly cut jewel on paper, so here are the recommendations for your essay formatting:
- Use standard fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, and others in a 12-point type and black color.
- Not all application forms accept italics and bold, so avoid using them in your writing.
- Do not use hashtags, emojis, or ALL CAPS in your essay.
- Select a 1” margin on all sides of the document (if you submit the essay in a document).
- Give preference to 1.5 or double line spacing, since the text would be easier on the eye.
- Use tabs to identify paragraphs.
- Justify text to make it look more appealing.
Also, mind that you can either paste your essay into the application box or attach a file. When pasting the text in the box, double-check if the formatting is preserved and your essay looks irresistible. After all, remember that the look is as important as the whole idea of your work.
If you have any doubts about the formatting style of your essay, check the requirements at the college’s website or ask the instructor if possible.
Have Troubles Writing or Formatting Your Personal Statement?
In case you don’t know how to format a college essay or need some extra help with your paper, we are here for you.
With a writing record spanning over 8 years, our writers crafted hundreds of winning college application essays that made the right impression on the admission officers. Whether you would like us to help you, come up with ideas on a specific prompt, write several scratches for you, or proofread your essay, be sure that we have the right person on board to assist you in any essay-writing matter, no matter if it is an application essay, infrormative or even autobiography essay.
Of course, it’s better to tackle the problem in advance and don’t wait till it’s too late. However, no matter how many weeks or days are left before the submission deadline, we’ll craft a powerful essay that will show your values, translate your experience, and prove that you are the right choice for their college.
Reach us today and learn how we can help you become the student of the college you have a longing for.
