<p>On the main common app page, it says the essay is minimum 250 words but has no limit. On the Princeton supplement, it says "In addition to the 500-word essay you have written for the Common Application." Where did they pull that number from, and what if my common app essay is 700 words?</p>
<p>I have the same question. Will they even look at it if it's significantly over the word count?</p>
<p>They'll look at it, but the stakes are higher -- if it's a great essay, the length won't matter. If it's poorly conceived, written, and edited, you'll annoy them by having wasted their time.</p>
<p>A quick caution: sometimes, the person writing the essay is not the best judge of whether or not it's well conceived, written, and edited. If your essay goes over the specified word count, it's extra important that you have a number of other people take a look at it before you send it in.</p>
<p>So you think if my essay is 700 words, I should shorten it down to make a 500 word "Princeton Version"? But even that way, how could I make it so that all other schools receive my longer version?</p>
<p>I think my essay is good, but if Princeton doesn't like it, that's what really matters. Do you think it would hurt my chances if I just go ahead and send my 700 word essay?</p>
<p>anybody else?</p>
<p>One of my essays last year didn't fit in Princeton's online essay text field (i.e. it was probably 700 - 800 words), so I emailed it to them separately, and they were completely fine with that. As long as the quality of your work is high, and the extra writing accomplishes something important, it's fine to exceed the suggested limit a bit.</p>
<p>I was informed that it was a guideline, but not a requirement. Bottom line is, if your essay is fantastic, as it probably should be if you are applying to Princeton, then that doesn't matter. Just don't push it more than 800....</p>