<p><img src="https://www.scholarshipsinink.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-format-a-scholarship-essay-correctly.jpg" alt="Student formatting scholarship essay on her laptop" width="800" height="533" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-2311" /></p>
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<h2>Why you should format your scholarship essay?</h2>
<p><span class="dropcap">Y</span>our college essay is an essential part of your application. Not only does it showcase your skills as a writer, but it also allows scholarship committees to get to know you as both a student and a person. The content of your essay is undeniably important, as is ensuring that your essay is free of any grammatical errors. Another important factor to consider when writing your scholarship essay is formatting.</p>
<p>You want to lay out your essay in a way that is logical, easy to follow, and which makes the essay more readable over all. The end result should be an essay that is professional, and which lets the reader know you understand proper formatting guidelines.</p>
<h2>Spacing.</h2>
<p>A simple way to make sure your scholarship essay is correctly formatted to pay attention to spacing. Essays should almost always be double spaced. Regardless of the program you use to write your essay, it only takes a few clicks to make your scholarship essay spaced properly. Having a double-spaced essay makes it easier for the scholarship committee to read and take notes on your writing. You want your scholarship essay to be remembered for its content, not because the reader couldn’t take notes or make comments on your work.</p>
<h2>Font.</h2>
<p>Times New Roman is the go-to choice for most academic and professional writing, and your scholarship essay is no different. Times New Roman is a classic, easy to read font and most pieces of writing you submit should be written in this reliable standard. Though using other fonts might be fun or cool to look at, standing out for your choice of font is not a good way to make a good impression on scholarship committees.</p>
<h2>Font size.</h2>
<p>In most cases, you should format your scholarship essay using size 12 font. Once again, this is standard for most academic writing. If you use a font that is too big or too small, it can make your essay difficult and tedious to read. Readers don’t want to have to squint to read your essay, nor do they want to be distracted by big and bold letters.</p>
<h2>Margins.</h2>
<p>Your margins should be one inch from the top, bottom, and sides of the page. This is important because it leaves the appropriate amount of space around your writing for readers to take notes or make comments. If your margins are too small, readers not only won’t have room to write as they please, but you also risk having your work cut off if it’s being printed or if it’s opened using a different computer program.</p>
<h2>Essay length.</h2>
<p>Most scholarship applications will tell you how long they expect your essay to be. It is extremely important that you abide by each individual scholarship’s guidelines on length. Adhering to the length requirements shows that you pay attention to details and are able to easily follow instructions. Many scholarship essays will ask for two to three pages of writing, but this is a general rule, and in some cases, length requirements vary. If the scholarship you are applying for gives you a maximum length, you should try to utilize all of the space you have in order to write the most thorough and compelling essay. `</p>
<h2>Order.</h2>
<p>When writing your essay, your work should flow in a logical and appropriate manner. Just like with most pieces of writing, you need an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.</p>
<p>When writing your <a href="https://www.scholarshipsinink.com/scholarship-essays/scholarship-essay-tips/how-to-start-your-scholarship-essay/" data-lasso-id="241">introductory paragraph</a>, make sure you think about how you will grab the reader’s initial attention, and how you will make them want to keep reading your essay.</p>
<p>In the <a href="https://www.scholarshipsinink.com/scholarship-essays/scholarship-essay-tips/how-to-end-your-scholarship-essay/" data-lasso-id="242">essay’s conclusion</a>, it’s helpful to think about what you want the reader to really take away from your writing, and try to make that point clear. The conclusion is what the reader will walk away thinking about, so it’s very important to make sure it’s as strong and powerful as possible.</p>
<h2>Finalize your writing.</h2>
<p>Before you submit your essay, take some time to thoroughly <a href="https://www.scholarshipsinink.com/scholarship-essays/scholarship-essay-tips/how-to-proofread-a-scholarship-essay/" data-lasso-id="243">proofread your work</a>. Just because your computer has spellcheck, doesn’t mean there aren’t grammatical errors that could negatively impact your essay. Make sure to check for punctuation errors as well. Try reading your work out loud, or having someone else proofread your work. It can also be helpful to read the paragraphs you have written in a different order than you wrote them.</p>
<p>Finally, make sure you have read and followed all of the instructions that were provided in your scholarship application. No matter how great your writing is or how captivating the subject matter, scholarship committees will notice if you don’t follow instructions.</p>
<p>Not only should you pay attention to instructions on <a href="https://www.scholarshipsinink.com/tips-for-writing-succcessful-scholarship-essays/" data-lasso-id="244">how to write your essay</a>, but you should also pay attention to how you should submit the finalized version. After you’ve spent so much time working on an essay, you don’t want to risk submitting it incorrectly.</p>
<h2>Takeaway.</h2>
<p>Taking the time and energy to properly format your scholarship essay is a great way to set yourself up for success. Every detail matters, so double checking that you have followed formatting guidelines shows you have put time, energy and care into your essay. Scholarship committees will notice formatting errors, and in some cases, this can even be their<br />
first impression of you as a writer. Luckily, formatting your essay correctly is easy, and it’s also a reliable way to put your essay in the best possible standing.</p>
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