Essay format question

Launched April 26, 2006
This topic has expert replies
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:59 am
GMAT Score:710

Essay format question

by mbaapp » Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:59 am
I had a question about the format of the essays that we write. Should it be single-spaced or double-spaced? Any other formatting suggestions? Thanks.
Source: — Ask Stacy Blackman |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
MBA Admissions Consultant
Posts: 3845
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pm
Location: Houston, TX
Thanked: 442 times
Followed by:148 members

by Lisa Anderson » Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:07 pm
Dear mbaapp,

Some schools will give specific instructions on essay format (i.e., spacing, margins, font size, etc.) and some do not give any format instructions. I think anything smaller than 11 point is too small and prefer a serif font like Times New Roman as it is easier to read. I also think 1.5 or double-spacing is best for the sake of the readers. Margins should never be less than half an inch, but no more than 1 inch. If your schools do not specify any of these things, then hopefully this will give you some parameters to follow. As someone who spent many years reading thousands of essays each admissions cycle, being nice to the readers with good spacing, a serif font, and the font size at 11 or 12 point is definitely appreciated.

Good luck,
Lisa
Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

Learn more about me