<p>If that is the minimum should I keep it around that number or is going over okay?</p>
<p>If its a 500 word minimum going over is actually advised</p>
<p>If it’s A MINIMUM, I’m sure you can go over. But college admissions essays and the common app essays say a MAXIMUM of 500 words. The reason they set a maximum is to avoid verbose and dull essays. So just watch out for that. Let someone read it and ask if it’s too long and more importantly if they felt like it was too long as they read. Some essays can be long but still be a quick read based on content.</p>