i’m having this problem where i write an essay for a college but they’re just way longer. like my common app essay has a cap of 500 words but its around 650. and all my essays are about 50-100 words longer? is this excusable or shoudl i try to make the cut?
<p>haha. i laugh. but i was serious.</p>
<p>oh good god</p>
<p>Hrm, try sending it to me and letting me cut it down. I cut a short Stanford essay from 1700 characters to 1490ish. (That includes letters, spaces, and punctuation.)</p>
<p>is that even a question? make the cut, unless you want to be rejected without even being considered...</p>
<p>If your essays are good, it doesn't matter what length they are! Everyone on this board always tells people to strip their essays down to make the cut. Well, if it's bad enough that you have to cut it down, its not going to be a great essay even after you make it fit the 500 word limit.</p>
<p>Write a good essay, it doesn't matter how long (within reason--don't write a 2000 word essay for a 500 word essay limit (unless its super awesome, actually)). A 500-word stripped-down essay will not help you if it was not good to begin with. A 700 word essay will not help you if it is not good. A 500 word or a 700 word essay will help you if it is quite good. </p>
<p>Eh, I think I'm rambling now.</p>
<p>Anyways, I got into Yale and both of my essays were over the limit (~820 for one, ~600 for the other). </p>
<p>I say that if your essay is good, and the extra words are warranted, leave it be.</p>
<p>But then again, if you are applying online and they physically won't let you send it over the limit, ya you're screwed then. Cut it down :p.</p>
<p>oaky really? because i'm jsut worred that they'll automatically reject me with letters over 500 words on a basis of equality</p>
<p>They won't reject you outright. If those extra words really really help the essay, it will be a good thing. If the words are superfluous, they could potentially harm you (because you did not edit it well).</p>
<p>also where is a good place t]o post you essays for critiqueing?</p>
<p>It's generally not the best idea to post them online, but a lot of people do. If you want to do this, make a thread in one of the forums. You can always email it to people to critique privately too.</p>
<p>newt is right. he had an excellent essay too for yale. the length is not as important as the flow. if the flow is not there, a 400word essay will seem too long. make sure that every word serves a specific purpose and if it's still 600,700+, so be it.</p>
<p>That's a good way to put it justice... Flow. That truly is the key concept. A 2000 word essay can seem like a 400 word essay if it flows well. </p>
<p>Craft your sentences so they jump right into the next ones. Make sure you have flow!</p>
<p>alright i'm going to post my essays on these forums in the hopes that no one will take them and that I can get some good criticism as well.</p>
<p>Princeofnam, look at this thread before you do: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1466%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=1466</a></p>