Dumb personal statement question.

[hermia11]

I know personal statements have been discussed to death here, but a formatting question for you all.

Are you including a title or heading of some sort on your personal statement? (Mine's required to be sent as a hard copy to most of my schools.) I originally had "Personal Statement" at the top of the page, with a header (with my name, program, page numbers, etc.). But now it's 2-1/4 pages and can only be 2 pages. So - out goes the self-explanatory title. Is this bizarre? It'll be a sheet of text with a header, and that's all. I'm not concerned so much about it being pretty as I am about clarity and making sure it ends up with the right application materials.

(I realize this is incredibly petty and neurotic, but I think I'm among friends here when it comes to neurotic questions about apps. Right? Right...?)

[wassermelone]

Why not just add "Personal Statement" to the header? I did this on some of mine. Something like:

Name | Personal Statement | Program

Edited December 15, 2011 by wassermelone

[Grunty DaGnome]

I just freaked out, because I never considered any of this, then I realized all my programs asked me to submit this part on-line.

If you want to add a title without changing the length of your SOP, try using a "header" which reprints your name on every page in slightly fainter type within the margin.

[Timshel]

I just put my name in the header because I felt it was implied what it was. Cornell, though, tells you specifically what they want you to have. I think it's your full name and the program on every page. I can't remember, but it says it on the application.

For my writing sample, though, I do have a header and heading.

[lolopixie]

I put that info in my header as well.

[hermia11]

Thanks all! I do have the heading already with my name, program, etc., so adding "personal statement" in there somewhere seems the logical choice. Sometimes I just need someone to remind me what common sense looks like.