Smallest Margins Acceptable Forum

[PAR12]

I am currently writing my personal statement for UCLA and having trouble getting it to fit.

I know it must be double spaced and 12pt font but how small may I make the margins?

This question will also apply to the other schools that only allow two pages as well.

Thank you for your replys

[rayiner]

1" all around.

[JusticeHarlan]

1" all around.

It is, of course, the correct info.

[bk1]

Have someone competent edit it, you can always cut down your statement. Always.

[Eugenie Danglars]

Try to cut content instead of margins. It's always really obvious when my students hand in papers with altered spacing/font/margins, and it looks bad (although they're trying to fill more space not less, but still). I can't imagine that admissions officers will notice any less than I do.

[Destined]

Resssssssssurrrrecccctted. Got my UCLA to fit on 2 pages by cutting one line and making margin on top .99". When I put top margin at 1.0" it went three lines onto third page. Microsoft word is WEIRD

[Hattori Hanzo]

Last year I applied to UCLA with 11.5pt and they were apparently OK with it.

[im_blue]

Resssssssssurrrrecccctted. Got my UCLA to fit on 2 pages by cutting one line and making margin on top .99". When I put top margin at 1.0" it went three lines onto third page. Microsoft word is WEIRD

Word has widow/orphan control that puts at least 2 or 3 lines of a paragraph on the same page. So if you're one line over, that could result in 2-3 lines on the last page.

[fugitivejammer]

Last year I applied to UCLA with 11.5pt and they were apparently OK with it.

lol same

[nealric]

Protip: If you are struggling to fit your PS into the page limits it is too long. They probably aren't going to read most of it anyways.