How much “big” vocabulary should I have in my essay? If I put too much it might seem like I used a thesaurus but if I have too little I might look less literate than I really am. How much is enough? Do they even notice?
Start off with as much as you use in your normal “writer’s voice.” Any “big” vocab should stay in the realm of commonly used language (e.g. instead of “depressed,” “morose” or “melancholy,” but not “lugubrious” or “woebegone”).
It’s appropriate to use a bigger word if a regular word won’t do justice to what you’re trying to say (e.g. “When she heard the bad news, she cried.” vs. “When she heard the bad news, she let out an anguished wail.”). It’s also good to use such words as synonyms to words that you find yourself repeating many times in your essay.
Adcoms will notice if there’s too much high-level vocab. They’ll also notice if you’re only using basic vocabulary. But if you’re a high schooler, you should be naturally incorporating appropriately-advanced vocab into your writing.
Don’t sound like you swallowed a dictionary, but also don’t sound like you wrote it 5 minutes before it was due.
Balance it out, using appropriate words when necessary; you might find it funny that so many students try to impress the adcoms by using big words, only to misuse it in its entirety.
Also don’t forget that one’s 500 SAT reading/grammar may not go well with sesquipedalian verbiage.
I read so many utterly awkward and cringe-worthy essays by students who are trying to impress with big words that they misuse. If it doesn’t sound like you, don’t use it.
Not only will they notice if there’s “too much” high-level vocab, but they will also take note when a vocab word is awkwardly placed – either used incorrectly or causing a weird shift in tone.
Write what is best suited to the pace of your sentences.