so i just finished my esssay and im finally happy with it, but i check the word count and its 800 words eek, 300 over the limit…if its good does it matter?
should i try really hard to condense and cut stuff out? It fits in the page preview…is that all that counts?
if anyone can help me wiht this let me know, thanks
<p>yes- 300 words is excessive... 100 or 150 is maximum for overboard.</p>
<p>adcoms know when they are reading an essay that has gone overboard and exploded the meaning of "substance over editing"</p>
<p>do not go over 500 words. i repeat, do not go over 500 words. i made mine 450 just to be safe</p>
<p>450 is bad. Better to be higher than lower. I'd say 800 is fine IF it is interesting to read and your not wasting space. The adcoms probably will start reading, if it sucks, they'll quit afte r500 words, if its really great and you need the 800, keep it. I'd ask some people here if it is that good though.</p>
<p>Going over 500 isn't bad, but, as Seven Nights said, 100-150 over should probably be the limit. Mine was something like 626.</p>
<p>Compress it, make it tighter. Eassay would look better.</p>
<p>make it about one page typed. (actually, a litter shorter)</p>
<p>450 isnt that bad, but that was a typo. mine was 480, which to me is perfect. you're supposed to treat your application like the admissions staff is reviewing it at 1 in the morning</p>
<p>well every english teacher/forensics moderator ive given it to says they love it and admissions people wont mind its length, i guess im biased but i do think its an interesting read, anyone hear wanna communicate over e-mail about the actual essay?</p>
<p>Please read the IF/Then thread on the parents forum</p>
<p>If it fits on one page then I don't think it will be a problem. Make sure you aren't rambling though.</p>
<p>hey speed...i can read your essay if you want...when i wrote my common app one, it was originally around 1000 words, and i thought it was really good too...but in the end...i managed to cut it down to around 650 words (im proud of myself). So yeh, i can take a look at it if you want...</p>
<p><a href="mailto:twodollabeer@yahoo.com">twodollabeer@yahoo.com</a></p>
<p>yo bigjake share some hints man. I have a 1000 word essay and I don't want to touch it.</p>
<p>doesn't the common app online truncate it?</p>
<p>they threaten..but dont</p>
<p>sent along, bigjake</p>
<p>wait, they don't actually truncate it?</p>
<p>"Personal Statement (essay) field displays a maximum of approximately 1800 characters."</p>
<p>mines more than this and still shows up, dunno</p>
<p>No, its not too long. However, those extra words have to be good. I know from experience--my common app essay was 830 words and I just got accepted to Yale.</p>
<p>i see, well so can anyone else help me out and make sure my extra words are good?</p>