Scholarship essay format????

Question

What should the essay look like when it's finished? Do I really need a title? Should I put my name on the paper? Should there be anything else before and after? Double-Space?

Answer 1

Every scholarship is offered by a different organization, so how can there be just one format that works for every possible essay?

If the application instructions do not specify a layout, you should submit an essay that conforms to professional letter writing form. Double spacing is a good idea - essays are almost always double spaced or one-and-a-half spaced. Double spacing promotes readability.

When you type an essay, it's good form to use an extra space between paragraphs.

It is hard to be certain whether you should include your name on the essay - so there's a way to cover all your bases. Make a title page, which shows your name and contact information, and make that "page one". If the scholarship judges don't want to see your name on the essay, they can simply put aside the title page.

Use a 12-point standard font - a formal essay is not the place for your favorite handwriting font or some other personal favorite. The standards are Times New Roman and Arial. Don't let your font detract from your writing - stick with a standard.

Use 1" margins on the top, bottom and sides, and left justify.

The absolute best advice I can give you is to focus on making sure that your paper follows traditional essay form. Start with an introductory paragraph that tells the reader what he/she is about to read. Add several "middle" paragraphs that each have their own topic sentence and serve to expand upon or explicate the essay's theme, and finish with a concluding paragraph that ties it all together.

Finally, be sure to ask several people to proof read the essay for you - watch for typos, grammar and punctuation  errors, and the all-too-common word substitutions (they're/their/there, it's/its, etc.). One thing that is absolutely certain to impress a jaded essay reader is the correct use of commas, so keep a special eye out for them.

Best of luck to you with your scholarship submission. I hope this helped, and I hope you get it!