Formatting a Common Application Essay | 5 Great Tips

How to Format Your Common Application Essay

If there is a task that most students struggle with, it is writing a common admission essay.

However, you cannot avoid it as it is part and parcel of your academic journey. The tasks are used to assess your suitability for a given course. A stellar piece is a sign that you understand what you are doing.

Most students often have questions like, “How do I format common application essays to boost the chances of getting accepted?”

Since these essays are important in your academic journey, you should not take them lightly. It is vital to follow the right procedure for crafting an immaculate application essay.

You cannot obtain top grades if you do not understand how to format. Moreover, you have to follow specific guidelines that apply in application essays instead of the general essay writing tips.

Students struggle with formatting common admission essays because of their lack of writing experience. They need tips on what to do to obtain perfect results.

How do you ensure that your common application essay stands out?

Here are the tips you should follow:

Read All the Application Essay Formatting Instructions

All essays are not the same. The guidelines distinguish one type of essay from another. Therefore, you should not write a generic piece. You should go through the instructions before you begin formatting your common application essay.

There are different formatting guidelines that you can use in a common admission essay. For instance, you can be directed to use APA, MLA, and Harvard formatting styles, among others.

You should not confuse one style with another as that can prevent you from reaching your academic goals. Understand these styles before you begin formatting your piece.

Format According to the Recommended Spacing

A vital element regarding the common application essay format is spacing. Application essays are usually written in MS Word. A good thing with this is that the software has a default set-up when starting a document.

However, depending on the requirements indicated in the admission essay instructions, you are allowed to twist this to suit the college expectations.

Do they require you to write in single-spaced lines or double spaced lines?

What about alignment?

Do they want it to be aligned left, right, or justified?

To adjust to the required format, select a paragraph in your common essay and choose line spacing under the indents and spacing tab. Then select the required style.

Leave a Margin Around the Page

An important feature that helps your application essay look presentable is a margin around the page.

You should not worry about doing that. Programs like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or any other writing software usually have pre-formatted settings for each new document.

For instance, MS Word is set to 1-inch. However, you can select other formats or modify existing ones to suit the application instructions.

Take Care of All Formatting Requirements

Not any essay you submit is acceptable. You should present a perfect piece if you intend to achieve your goals.

What are the specific qualities a common admission essay should meet?

Here are a few:

• Relevant content
• Perfect structure
• Professional formatting
• Exquisite grammar

When it comes to formatting, do not take anything for granted. So, respect the word count specified to ensure your application is not rejected.

In most cases, Times New Romans of size 12 is preferred for common essays. However, it is important to check the institute’s guidelines to see what they prefer.

Edit and Proofread the Common Essay Before Submission

A simple mistake can lead to the rejection of your application essay. Do not waste your effort because of simple formatting errors. You should carefully assess your piece before you submit it. That helps you to rectify all the mistakes.

What are the aspects you should look at when editing?

Ensure you adhere to the specific formatting style from the professor. Read everything to ascertain that ideas flow logically.

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Are you struggling with formatting a common admission essay?

We have experts with adequate experience in this area who’ll help you prepare a top-notch paper. All the application instructions will be followed, and the paper will be delivered promptly.

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