<p>I haven't been able to get a clear answer on how long it has to be. Mine is almost 2 pages. Is that too long?</p>
<p>yeah, im pretty sure that’s too long. mine was only 2 or 3 short paragraphs.</p>
<p>Seriously?? 
Can anyone else clarify? Because it doesn’t say a limit…and I’d have no clue how to shorten it to 2-3 paragraphs (of course I will if I have to, but I’d rather not :P). Maybe both are acceptable? Anyone know?</p>
<p>Doubt admission officers would want to read an essay that’s 1000 + words.</p>
<p>Okay, what do you think the right word limit is? I cut it down to 879…still too much?</p>
<p>800 words is thought to be the cut-off for the Common App essay. And this is “Why NU” so I would think considerably less than that even.</p>
<p>Okay. Thanks. :(</p>
<p>Well, I got it down to 786, but you said considerably less, so…what’s really the limit? 700? 500?</p>
<p>EDIT: Got it down to 690. Is that okay?</p>
<p>I am a transfer student, so your mileage may vary, but I was accepted with a 730-word Why NU and an 840-word common essay (the former prompt is probably the same as for freshmen, the common one is not). An English instructor once told me that he was sent back on one assignment to cut an essay down to two pages from five, then two paragraphs, then two sentences, then three words. The point: you should be concerned with getting your point across, then viciously eradicating all words and sentences that get in the way.</p>
<p>I’d be comfortable with 690. My NU essay is projected to be around 600-700.</p>
<p>Okay, thanks! :)</p>
<p>i got in and mine was around 900 words</p>
<p>Mine was 2 3/4 pages, and I got in. But none of it was filler or fluff.</p>
<p>lol give me some of yours. i can hardly have 3 full paragraphs…</p>