Common app essay length

College Essays
1

<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>Does the common app essay have to be under 500 words? There are so many people stating different things. Can anyone help me with this? Thank you.</p>

<p>TH</p>

2

<p>Yes must be. Exception: Do Following things.

  1. Contact admissions officiers and request them that you are completely unable to limit your essay length to five hundred words. Some may be lenient.
  2. If they agree, try to upload you essay and preview it in pdf. If your essay with more that 500 word is bothuploaded and not cut off in preview, send your application.
  3. To be sure that the CommonApp doesn’t cut off off limit essays, contact COMMON APPS HELP FORUM. through that very website using a ticket.
    BEST THING TO DO IS:
    IF your essay has 600-700 word, cut off and limit to 500 words. If there are some unnecessary theings you “need” to tell, think if it can be fit into additional information section. The best is always to limit word size. You dont want to bore your application readers with 7-8 hundred words or even longer essay. In fact shorter, sweeter, better. Usually 400-450 word essays are better. though some can reach up to 500.</p>

<p>Thats my opinion. I am high school senior and Fall 2012 applicant too.</p>

3

<p>No. The common app essay does not have to be under 500 words.</p>

4

<p>This year, for the first time, the formerly suggested length of 250-500 words has been turned into a maximum of 500 words, so this change may explain the different things you’ve been told. I’m not sure what the consequences might be if you’re over by only a few words (if it fits in your preview); I doubt anyone will notice an overage of a few words. OTOH, part of writing the essay is the challenge of succinctness, and I think it might look bad to be unable to pare down your essay to the allowed length. </p>

<p>One bit of advice, though: don’t start your essay by worrying about the length of it. Write until you’ve expressed what you think you want to say–it may take a while before your best thoughts come through. When you think you’ve gotten to that point, be ruthless in editing, and ask for help if you need to (most people will). But editing mentally before you’ve let yourself go will be very confining, and might keep you from finding that sweet spot that you can turn into your real essay.</p>

5

<p>500 words is not a firm limit. Your application will not automatically be viewed unfavorably if you are over 500 words.</p>

<p>However, you would be well advised to not be grossly over 500 words.</p>