Is there a way to use italics in my Common App activities section or essay?

I'm working on my Common App, and I have some book titles in my essay. Should I italicize them, and if yes, how do I do that in the Common App text boxes?

Unfortunately, the Common Application's text boxes do not support text formatting such as italics, bold, or underlining. This is a deliberate design choice to standardize the look of applications across all applicants to ensure a level playing field. For your book titles, you'll need to use the standard convention of using quotation marks in lieu of italics. For example, if you're referencing To Kill a Mockingbird, you would write it as "To Kill a Mockingbird" in your essay or activities section. This way, readers will understand that it's a title. Additionally, ensure that the context around the title makes clear that it's a work of literature or another type of work. Keeping this limitation in mind, it might be helpful to look over your application to make sure that all formatting is consistent and all titles are clear so as not to confuse the admissions officers. Best of luck with your application!