<p>Is there an ideal length for this essay, or a maximum length I should stick to? I don't want mine to be too long, but it's just over 1000 words. Should I cut it down?</p>
<p>Yeah, I was wondering this too.
Princeton says in their supplement, "In addition to the 500-word essay you have written for the Common Application..."
Does that mean colleges really only want 500 words?</p>
<p>mine was over 500 but I made sure that it wasnt over one page.</p>
<p>over 1000 words? That might be pushing it. I say 750 is a mid range with most people having between 500 and 800 with 400 and 9000 being extremes.</p>
<p>My common app essay is just over 2200 words (3 pages), and I had admissions officers from two schools take a look at it. Nothing was said about length, but then again I have a weird background to explain so maybe they just thought it was fine if there's a reason for it to be longer?</p>
<p>The Common App only says that it's a 250 word minimum, and I've never seen any school specifically say what the length should be (with the exception of that Princeton thing). While everything else seems to have guidelines I've never seen any for this.</p>
<p>Yea, mines about 850 words
I wasnt sure and i looked at the "100 sucessful college essays" and most of the essays were above 500 words.
Most of them were 700-800 i think.
The ones that had over 1000 words had comments such as "too long" and stuff liek that.
i think under 900 should be ok. No?</p>
<p>Wow wow wow. 1000 words? Isn't the rule of thumb 500 + 10% if necessary? Less is more. Really, try to cut down. I think 1 page single spaced is pretty good. If you must go over, the first page had better be extremely engaging and MAKE the adcom want to read more. </p>
<p>I cut mine from 800 to 600, and it is a LOT clearer, better. Still trying to trim a little more before sending it off in a couple of days.</p>
<p>I know that, after working on the essay for weeks, you're attached to every single word and think you need them all, but it's usually not true. Try to get someone else to read it; s/he will probably be able to point out what's relevant and what's not right away.</p>
<p>Take a look at this:</p>
<p>I agree with the 1-page single spaced rule. Think about it: these admissions officers are going to be reading 50+/day in order to get through all of them. Are they really going to make it past the first page of your 3-page essay?</p>
<p>@seclusion - There's nothing that says 500 words. That's on Princeton's supplement, I've never seen it anywhere else. I'm aware of the +/- 10% guideline, but I've never heard of guidelines for the size of the main common app essay.</p>
<p>WOW....i definitely think those essays are too long. Mine was 800 and everyone i know said i was pushing it.</p>
<p>tetrishead: just my opinion based on what I've heard. As bad1017 said, put yourself in the adcom's shoes: would you want to read 3 page essays for a student...times 20k? Seems like a good way to annoy the admissions officer...unless what you've written is a contender for Nobel. But it's just advice. Take it or leave it. <em>shrugs</em></p>
<p>My essay was ~750 words (1.5 pages with 1.5 line spacing) - thats not bad is it?</p>
<p>...I could have cut it down a bit without losing content, but the essay wouldn't have had the same effect</p>
<p>1000 words might be too much. Try to check for repetition and sentences, which are not needed. 750 words is the maximum for me.</p>
<p>my common app main essay is 1150 words, it is long and it is a lot, but i have gotten into all of my early action schools. so take what you want from that.</p>
<p>Mid-Tier Schools will not penalize you for a long essay but anything over 750 words is pushing the admission officer's nerves. Think about it, admission officers will typically spend about 2 minutes glancing over your essay. you don't really expect them to read a 2,000 word essay do you. regardless of how unique your background is, it can be cut to 750 words or less in a good essay. length above 750 is overabundance, frivolousness, and a burden to the admission officers. If you really have a lot to say, get an interview and tell them. an essay that will grab the admission officers attention should never be over 750 words. </p>
<p>good luck to everyone in their admission search</p>