Question: Do I need to put title for SOP?

Hi, guys, I'm applying for a graduate school next year.
It' my first time to write an essay and I'm having hard time.. -_-;;
I've seen my SOPs here have a title. Is it neccessary to put a title?

Thanks.

As far as i know it is not mandatory. But preferably, you should give all your essays a title. That's what i did :)

Thank you. I put a title and just submited my SOP. :)

The foundation did not say anything of how to format this essay (except for 12 font, 1 in margin, 2 pages max, and not to say my name) so here are some of my questions:

1. Do I need a title? Is it necessary?
2. Do I start it off with "Dear sir/madam," followed by the 1st paragraph?
3. Do I put the page number on the header?

Lastly, by putting my essay on this site, how do I know that they won't say it is plagiarism?

Scholarship letters usually don't require to be titled. If it was not mentioned, I think you don't have to title it


You can start with "Dear Selection Committee", or "Dear Scholarship Committee" or simply "To Whom it May Concern". But if you know exactly the name of a person responsible for it, you can start with "Dear Mr. Brown"


There are only 2 pages, I don't think you should put numbers on it.


You can provide your profile information of course, but I don't really think the selection committee will post messages here :)

Thank you for your helpful response. Here is my essay so someone can review it.

Here, at Someplace Community College, I am a full-time sophomore student who is majoring in petroleum engineering. I am applying for a scholarship because it would ensure sufficient funds needed to make me the first person in my family to obtain a college degree.

I realized that engineering was the career for me when I was in the Engineering Academy that my high school accepted me out of a limited amount of students. Having motivating math and chemistry teachers during the 11th grade helped me to grow an interest in math, physics, chemistry, and the sciences in general. Before graduating from high school, at the age of 17, I signed up to join the U.S. Army. In my 4 ˝ years of service, I got the chance to travel around the world and learn about several cultures while serving in Iraq and South Korea. I left the Army to pursue a career that I am passionate about; engineering. As the oldest child, it has been difficult to find someone within my family to guide me through the maze of academia. What I have learned is that to become successful, you have to learn from your mistakes and be prepared for obstacles. Leaving home at the age of 18, I gained real life leadership responsibilities in the army, and developed into a man of maturity and responsibility.

Right now, education is my number one priority and I am excited about the near future when I will earn a petroleum engineering degree and start my career within the oil and gas industry. This goal is not easy, so I have set measurable goals such as studying for a certain number of hours for each class, and staying aware of current events within the oil and gas industry to know what to expect.

With my degree in Petroleum Engineering my career goal is to become a drilling engineer. I am currently working for a private company who is contracted with major oil companies. This opportunity allows me to solicit conversations with petroleum engineers who have both the experience and knowledge of the industry. I need to make myself competitive in the market. It is from their sharing that I know what to study in college and what jobs are available. Receiving a scholarship will help me to focus more on my studies rather than being distracted by financial need. This will also help me by creating a snowball effect to win other scholarships to add to my resume once it is reviewed by others. All of this will help me to achieve both my educational and career goals.

What helps me work harder in college is not only self-motivation but also motivation from others scholarship awards will definitely motivate me to continue pursuing my goals. I believe that I deserve a scholarship because I have already proven that I have a hard work ethic and that. I am very dedicated to achieving my goals. Thank you for considering me for this opportunity, and I am looking forward to hearing on your decision soon.

Simply: I am a second-year student at a Someplace Community College with a major in petroleum engineering


where my high school accepted (if I understood it right)


With the help of my Math and Chemistry teachers during the 11th grade I have found a motivation to study math, physics and chemistry.

Good luck with getting a scholarship! :)

UVA Essay - Is a Title for the prompt necessary?

Is title necessary for the prompt ? Any information appreciated

No. You do not need to include a title in your essay. Most people do not due to word constraints.