900-word long UChicago Essay

College Essays
1

Hi all,

My UChicago essay is 900-word long while the suggested word count is 500 words.

I tried cutting down on the number of words but I can’t do so without diminishing the content… How strict is the ‘suggested word count’? Does an overly long essay automatically mean a poorly written one?

Also, I would be glad if someone could read my essay and maybe suggest where I could cut down on my words.

Thank you in advance!

2

Anecdotal evidence: my UChicago essay was way too long (we’re talking nearly 2000 words) and I got in last year. They aren’t going to stop reading if it’s too long. I wouldn’t worry about it too much.