College Admission Essays: Dealing with Paper Forms

On separate sheets of paper

Bowing to the reality of a computerized world, a lot of colleges simply ask that you enclose the essay, on separate sheets of paper, with the rest of the application. Smile gratefully at those colleges because they’ve just made your life a lot easier. If the essay is separate from the application blank, you can do it over and over again (either by hand or by machine) until you’ve got it right. You don’t have to worry about messing up their form.

By far the easiest way to create a great-looking, polished-to-perfection essay is with a computer word-processing program. If you don’t have a computer, check your local library or school’s computer department. Also, many photocopy shops rent computer time.

Some guidelines for separate-sheet submissions:

• If you’ve composed the essay on a computer, simply print it out.
• If the essay is typed, be sure that the ink is dark enough to be read easily. (Replace worn out typewriter ribbons before you start. Black ink only.)
• If the essay is handwritten, be extremely careful to write legibly. (Don’t forget, your reader has ploughed through a huge pile of essays and will not enjoy that special extra hour spent deciphering your handwriting.) Blue or black ink only. Also, ballpoint is better than marker or fountain pen ink. If the admissions counselor spills coffee on the essay, ballpoint ink is less likely to run.
• Some applications specify double or single spacing. If nothing is specified, single space is fine for typewritten work. For handwritten essays, skip lines between each line of text. That format is much easier to read!
• Include your full name and social security number at the top of every page of the essay. Don’t create any other sort of heading. In general, you don’t need a title for your college essay, though you may label it “Personal Statement” if you wish.
•                                 If you’re like most people, your name has several variations — with or without middle name or initial, with or without add-ons such as “Jr.” or “Esq.” When you’re applying to college, pick one format and stick with it throughout. You don’t want the college to place your magnum opus in someone else’s file by mistake. The social security number helps, but human nature draws us to names rather than to numbers. Don’t take a chance that the admissions committee will realize that James Fuddled is the same person as James M. Fuddled, Jr.
• If you were given a choice between several questions, indicate the number and letter (if applicable) of the choice you’re responding to. If you like, at the top of the page retype the question in boldface or italics.
• The paper should be normal 8 1/2-x-11-inch letter size, white in color and of normal weight. Don’t use erasable bond. Yes, you can erase more easily, but the ink smudges with the slightest touch of a finger.
• Don’t enclose the essay in a folder, binder, or plastic cover.
• Place the essay in the application envelope they’ve given you.
• If the college hasn’t supplied an envelope, a 9-x-12-inch envelope is a good choice because you won’t have to fold the application or the essay.

On their form

Universities that require you to answer directly on the form are a real pain. I often wonder what they hope to accomplish. True, they’ll see your handwriting or typing, not your word-processing, but what’s the point? If they think such a requirement weeds out the cheats who contract out for essay writing, they’re wrong. Anyone willing to take a dishonest shortcut is not likely to be deterred by the need to recopy someone else’s work. Or perhaps they employ a handwriting analyst? It’s a mystery to me. Plus, this requirement sometimes makes great students decide that applying to such a school is more trouble than it’s worth. Surely the college doesn’t want to discourage applicants.

Anyway, if you’re stuck with a form, these tips will help.

Typing

First, find a typewriter. If this book goes into extra editions — I should be so lucky — and the colleges are still requiring typed-on-the-form essays, I’ll probably be able to suggest that you check your local museum for a working machine. Typewriters appear to be endangered species! After you’ve located a machine, follow these guidelines:

• On a separate sheet of paper, take the typewriter out for a test run. Check the darkness of the print, and if it’s light, change the ribbon. If the keys need cleaning, get out the brush and the cleaning fluid. (A straight pin or a sewing needle will help you clean out the “e” and “o” keys.)
• Type very slowly to decrease the number of mistakes.
• When you do hit the wrong key, backspace and hit it again with correction tape. Erasing with a rubber typewriter eraser makes a mess — smudges, even paper tears — and those little bottles of white fluid can cake and smear. Correction tape covers the offending letter neatly and effectively.
• You don’t need a title for the essay, but if you’ve been given a selection of topics, indicate the number and letter (if applicable) of your choice. Don’t waste space rewriting the question.
• Set side margins of 1/2 to 1 inch. Feel free to fill the entire space, top to bottom, as long as you don’t impinge on the question lines above and below the essay slot.
• Opinion is divided on the issue of glued-on essays. Some people believe that it is perfectly fine to print out the essay on a computer and then paste or tape it onto the form. (If you do reach for the glue bottle or tape dispenser, print in normal font and follow the margin guidelines in the preceding paragraph.) Others think that an attached essay looks as lumpy as wallpaper in a damp climate. My advice? Ask your college counselor about the preferences of a particular college, or call the admissions office and chat with a friendly secretary. (They’re all friendly in the admissions office because their job is to attract applicants to the college. Nasty staffers end up in the bursar’s office, where they inquire icily why your tuition check is late.)
• Unless otherwise directed, single-space your essay.

Handwriting

Oh dear! You’ve got to write it by hand? Are you sure you want to attend the Institute of Tortured Penmanship? You do? Yes, some schools (including some medical schools) require you to ink in your essay. If you’re stuck with this situation, these tips may help:

• Practice on scrap paper first until your best, most legible penmanship surfaces. Don’t write in extremely tiny or overly large script.
• Blue or black ink only. Ballpoint is best because it doesn’t smudge or run, even when doused by coffee spills.
• The key is readability. Remember that you’re writing for a tired reader. If your script is messy, consider printing.
• If the form has lines, use them. If not, place a ruler or a piece of scrap paper on the form and use it to keep your lines horizontal. You don’t want lines that resemble a graph of the stock market’s recent performance.
• Ask for an extra copy of the application (or photocopy it before you start, if the college allows a photocopied submission). Then if you make a mistake, you’ve got another shot.
• Correction fluid doesn’t really hide your errors, but it does show that you care enough to try. Rather than leave crossed-out words or eraser stains, paint over the error — neatly — and write in the correct version. Don’t overdo the correction fluid. Lay down a thin layer, let it dry, and repeat only as much as necessary to hide the erroneous letters. Large lumps of white gunk are very unattractive!