Kellogg double spacing requirement

One thing about going double space from the start...trust me its easier to add details or a story or two. However, its MUCH harder to cut stuff...you tend to feel its all great and getting rid of stuff is very tough and often requires some outside advice on what doesnt add much. I can tell you that its pretty common to put stuff in an essay that you think is great but really adds nothing of value. I was guilty of this, and I am sure everyone on here was...thats why you need other people to read your essays. Its hard to be objective sometimes when you put soo much into the essays.

At the Kellogg Q&A session on Friday (7/25), I asked the adcom presenting about the requirement - she said she was "pretty sure" the requirement would be double-spacing and to call the office in a few weeks to double check. I will (as will many others on this forum, I'm sure) call in a few days/week but my guess is that it's going to be double spaced....

Wow, how do they STILL not know what the spacing requirement should be? They released questions in early June and now applicants are getting different information coming from different directions. This is a top 5 school, right? Truly frustrating...wow.

Soni -- I understand it is frustrating. But remember, schools are now releasing questions earlier than ever before so there are some hiccups in the process. I am sure this will get corrected in future years based on the amount of calls/emails AdCom is receiving on this issue.

But I think you shouldn't really fret. Most people here suggest you prepare as if the requirement was double spaced. Even if the requirement is not double spaced, I would stick to double spaced. There is value to conciseness. More words do not necessarily mean better quality essays. And 2 pages double spaced is PLENTY of room to get your ideas across.

I understand what you're saying and it's good advice. I just don't get why the guy at the front desk at the admissions office is telling people left and right that single spacing is OK, that it's "entirely up to the applicant" while adcoms are saying they're still deciding. After 12 years of double-spacing, and with the surge in apps, it would make sense to just leave it double spaced. Why even drop a hint of single-spacing or 1.5 spacing?

Ugh, anyways, onward...

ok just called their admissions office to ask once more - the guy at the desk said that the spacing requirement is double-spaced.

I imagine this might still be up in the air until the actual app is released but I'm going to write my essays with double-spacing....I can always add more text if I need to

cheers,
ac.

WOW...its frustrating to read you guys complain about these things considering you have two more months to work on them than we did.

Seriously, you have to realize 95% of the time when you call ANY school you are getting the secretary for the office and they often know very little in the way of specifics or requirements. Remember the application isnt out yet, just the essay questions...they are being very nice letting you guys have all this extra time.

Hahaha good point river! I think that's actually what it makes it more annoying - they've released the app questions so we can start thinking/planning but not enough of the details to feel that we're on track with things like lenght/essay flow/etc. It's like they're toying with us...

And of course we're getting the random secretaries at the desk But it's still good to hear what they say! Just have to remember that most often they don't make the decisions about app guidelines nor do they always know what the official school stance on anything will be....

cheers,
ac.

Oh great, no added confusion there I was planning on finishing Kellogg essays by next week and moving forward to Columbia.

I remember those secretaries. I always hated talking to the because as frustrated as you get they probably hate everytime an applicant calls and they have to put on that its nice to speak to you attitude. Just think of how many idiots call up asking when they are going to get their decision...or even worse how about the people who call about the status of the WL. I remember sitting in the adcom office at several different schools and watching the people answering the phones...sometimes I think the people on the other end are convinved they are talking to the Dean judging by what the expect the person to know.

Seriously though, I would work towards writing double spaced and see what they end up having for a limit. It seems like a safe bet that they are anticipating another bump in applications, so they aren't about to double the amount of reading they have to do. Just look at what they did to the #4 essay question limit...its now 2 paragraphs instead of 3.

I really would not go over 1200 words for the essays. As river said, the Kellogg word limit was perfect. I was able to discuss everything I wanted to talk about in those essays.

OK just got off the phone with admissions:

There was a communication issue on our end. All essays must be double-spaced.

what's the font size and margins? 2 pages double spaced for me is about 600 words in 12 point font, and 800 in 10 point.

I had about 900-950 words per essay with 1" margins all around. I know Kry messed with his formatting and fit closer to 1200 words.

yup, confirming roughly 1100 or so words for my 2 pages.