<p>Many of you are struggling with word-limits as the deadlines approach, desperately trying to cut down superfluous things. This is, IMO, partly the fault of high school english classes which require 4 page essays on something that should be 1 page, giving us the habit of being verbose and abstract. College essays are a totally different thing, and there is only one way to make your point in only 500 words:</p>
<p>make EVERY SENTENCE COUNT. NEVER say the same thing, in different words, in two sentences. EACH SENTENCE should contribute and add something. We are accustomed to extending things, but we are not used to cutting them down and writing concisely. You probably wish you started writing in this style when you started, I know I did, but it's not too late you can still edit effectively.</p>
<p>if every sentence counts and nothing is out of focus, and youre still over 500, then its fine. many amazing applicants actually push 700+, but they still get admitted because they keep focus and stay concise in their statements.</p>