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I hate the line-space thing. I'm more of a traditional insert a tab/space on the next line person and I think it is the professional way to do it.
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Original post by Grad201X
So I've tried looking for an answer and some say you do need it whilst others say you don't. Does anyone have a more definitive answer as if it's not necessary it would greatly help me as I have a lot to include. I'm applying to medicine if that makes any difference.
Pretty sure it's personal preference. If you've got the lines and characters to spare, go for it.
If not, just indent it slightly with a couple of spacebar strokes
Original post by Grad201X
So I've tried looking for an answer and some say you do need it whilst others say you don't. Does anyone have a more definitive answer as if it's not necessary it would greatly help me as I have a lot to include. I'm applying to medicine if that makes any difference.
Necessary no.
Advisable yes.
With the deadline looming I'd recommend not submitting a PS with a rushed edit job to bring in blank line spacing.
Original post by eternaforest
I hate the line-space thing. I'm more of a traditional insert a tab/space on the next line person and I think it is the professional way to do it.
Posted from TSR Mobile
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Original post by Alexion
Pretty sure it's personal preference. If you've got the lines and characters to spare, go for it.
If not, just indent it slightly with a couple of spacebar strokes
If not, just indent it slightly with a couple of spacebar strokes
Tabs and double spaces are removed from a PS by UCAS.
The only way to make paragraphs clearly defined is to leave blank lines.
At my school we are told to remove the lines between paragraphs. I don't think universities mind particularly, I submitted mine a few days ago and have started to get offers so I assume they didn't mind! It probably looks neater with spaces but I just had too much to cram in, so better to leave things in and to sound a better applicant than have a neater PS if it comes down to it I'd say 
NO.
By the time UCAS has processed your PS and sent it on to the Unis, its looks like one solid block of text. So you really should not worry about paragraphs.
I work in Admissions. Unis know the word limit is horrible and we know that paragraphs disappear from 'your' writing. We do not mark applicants down for this, promise. Your PS still needs to flow and the sections 'link', and you do need to be careful about spelling and grammar, but you do not need to worry about paragraphs.
By the time UCAS has processed your PS and sent it on to the Unis, its looks like one solid block of text. So you really should not worry about paragraphs.
I work in Admissions. Unis know the word limit is horrible and we know that paragraphs disappear from 'your' writing. We do not mark applicants down for this, promise. Your PS still needs to flow and the sections 'link', and you do need to be careful about spelling and grammar, but you do not need to worry about paragraphs.
Original post by PQ
Tabs and double spaces are removed from a PS by UCAS.
The only way to make paragraphs clearly defined is to leave blank lines.
The only way to make paragraphs clearly defined is to leave blank lines.
As I've just discovered :/
I don't have the line count to spare, so does it matter if it isn't clearly defined as such?
At my school we got told that it's not necessary but universities prefer it as it simply looks more clear.
Original post by Fleming1928
At my school we got told that it's not necessary but universities prefer it as it simply looks more clear.
We don't see any paragraph spacing - see my answer above.
Original post by Alexion
As I've just discovered :/
I don't have the line count to spare, so does it matter if it isn't clearly defined as such?
I don't have the line count to spare, so does it matter if it isn't clearly defined as such?
See my answer above. It doesn't matter.
Original post by Grad201X
So I've tried looking for an answer and some say you do need it whilst others say you don't. Does anyone have a more definitive answer as if it's not necessary it would greatly help me as I have a lot to include. I'm applying to medicine if that makes any difference.
If you have lines left then go for it - it might help make it look a bit more professional. Saying this, my PS didn't have spare lines between the paragraphs and I already have two offers (Warwick and York) so it can't be that important.
Original post by returnmigrant
We don't see any paragraph spacing - see my answer above.
So I kind of wasted my word limit, I had to shorten it by 600+ characters anyway
Original post by ThatPerson2
If you have lines left then go for it - it might help make it look a bit more professional. Saying this, my PS didn't have spare lines between the paragraphs and I already have two offers (Warwick and York) so it can't be that important.
How long did you have to wait for the offers?
Original post by Fleming1928
How long did you have to wait for the offers?
Warwick took about 4 hours, York was a day later (they invited me to interview and guaranteed an offer).
Original post by ThatPerson2
Warwick took about 4 hours, York was a day later (they invited me to interview and guaranteed an offer).
Wow that is very fast! I thought it took about 4 weeks, but I'm guessing that's when it's closer to the deadline and everyone is sending their applications all at once. I'll be sending mine this/next week hopefully
Original post by returnmigrant
We don't see any paragraph spacing - see my answer above.
You don't see any line breaks at all? My understanding is some (most?) uni's systems do preserve line breaks, but strip extra spaces.
So do you see:
1) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
2) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
3) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
1=single line break
2=double line break
3=no line break
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Grad201X
So I've tried looking for an answer and some say you do need it whilst others say you don't. Does anyone have a more definitive answer as if it's not necessary it would greatly help me as I have a lot to include. I'm applying to medicine if that makes any difference.
I don't think it matters but I put spaces between my paragraphs and no indentations when typing. I was taught by my English teacher to always do this when word processing, and simply indent when handwriting.
Original post by PQ
The only way to make paragraphs clearly defined is to leave blank lines.
Original post by returnmigrant
By the time UCAS has processed your PS and sent it on to the Unis, its looks like one solid block of text.
...? Well which one is it? Are blank lines removed or not?
Original post by StrangeBanana
...? Well which one is it? Are blank lines removed or not?
They are removed.
In both the PS and the academic reference.
Original post by returnmigrant
They are removed.
In both the PS and the academic reference.
In both the PS and the academic reference.
Can you confirm which outcome you see in my post above - thanks!
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3651705&p=59919207#post59919207
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