By how much can you exceed 300 words?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
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<p>Originally, I wrote a fresh essay on the third quote Princeton gives as a prompt. Then, I tweaked my extra essay for Harvard, and now I really, really like it, and want to use it for Princeton in some way. The essay I originally had as my Princeton Common App essay describes a defining experience I had, and I found the perfect quote to work into it so it fits what Princeton is looking for in the supplement and allows me to put my other essay as my common app essay. </p>

<p>Only issue is, this essay is 580-ish words long, and I don't know if I should try and trim it down, or rewrite it and tell the story in a new, shorter way. And, while I know I'm obviously going to have to do some trimming, how much, exactly, do I need to do? Is 400-450 too high for a 300 word essay? For those of you that were accepted early, how long were your supplemental essays?</p>

<p>I'm a bit wary about just giving out my essay, but if there's anyone here who was accepted early and/or thinks looking over the essay in question would help, I'd be happy to PM it. I could use some feedback on it anyways, and definitely need some suggestions as to how/where I can trim it.</p>

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<p>ill look at it</p>

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<p>i'll read it. A reasonable way to go is 80-120% of the recommended length (though you can still go over.</p>

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<p>plus they say u CAN make the second essay shorter, about 300 words, which means it can be as long as the first one</p>

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<p>Thanks you two--I'll PM it now.</p>

<p>And, on common app it says that it should be "around 300 words," but if it somewhere else says that it "can" be shorter, that'd be grand.</p>

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<p>My "300" word essay was 490 words. However, I did the Pton app, not CA + supplement, and this could make a difference. The app said something like the first essay should be around 500 and the other "may be" shorter (300), and the admissions office told someone on CC that that "may" could be interpreted as "or not" (so the second essay could be 500 words, too). I don't know if the supplement uses "may" in a similar way; if it does, then yours is probably on OK length, but if it doesn't I would say to get it to around 400 or below. </p>

<p>However, if you are sacrificing quality in trying to get your essay under 400 words, DON'T cut any more. Pton is not interested in counting words, but rather in hearing what you have to say. </p>

<p>FWIW, my "500" word essay was 690 words, and I got in ED.</p>

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<p>Bleh, no "may be shorter" on the common app supplement, unfortunately. And congrats on getting in, btlesgirl! I kinda wish I'd applied early to Princeton, but ED over EA made me wary, so I ended up going with Yale, which obviously didn't work out (deferred, but still hoping).</p>

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<p>just think this way:
they will have time to read your "what else shoud we know". Then they should have time to read your longer essay if you decide NOT to submit that "what else..."</p>