Question about Essay Length/Formatting

[DPTdreamer]

The limit is 4500 characters including spaces, which is roughly a page with size 12 font and no paragraph spacing.

Here's my question then, do I space out and use paragraph spacing to make it more grammatically correct? Or should i just do one giant paragraph which gives me the ability to utilize all of my characters in the most efficient way possible?

Thank you!

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[AlexFLA]

I just indented the paragraphs. I took me 6 drafts that were read by multiple people to finally get the finished product. My essay was 4493 characters.

 

[DPTdreamer]

Thank you AlexFLA.

 

[IndianaDPT]

The essays appear in a web-based format and so the pagination/paragraph cuts aren't quite as important. It's a relatively long, thin window in which the essays appear in PTCAS.

So my suggestion is to focus on the content and not necessarily the technical details, though of course you'll want to use proper punctuation, grammar, etc.

Best,

Josh Morrison
Director, Student Enrollment Services
IU School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, IUPUI
www.shrs.iupui.edu
[email protected]

 

[DPTdreamer]

Thanks again Josh.

 

[schnell8]

I just indented the paragraphs. I took me 6 drafts that were read by multiple people to finally get the finished product. My essay was 4493 characters.

Yeah, I took my essays to the Writing Center at my university and scheduled a good hour long appointment each time. I'd have them mark it up, give advice, go home, fix as much as I could, schedule another appointment but with a different person, rinse and repeat. Unfortunately, I had about 12 of these essays to write since one university I applied to required 7 essays since they don't do interviews. Thankfully, this was one of the few universities that accepted me and is where I'll be attending next month. 🙂 But I digress...get them proofread by professionals in writing centers who specialize in personal statements or GRAD SCHOOL essays. You want these essays to be Grad School quality, not undergrad...there is a difference! Good luck!

 

[okramango]

I did include a space between paragraphs, but did not indent the first line of each paragraph. I think it's easier on the eyes and I wanted to make the essay as easy to read as possible for the admissions people. It's only one extra character to include a space, and in my opinion makes it look a lot nicer.