<p>I just noticed the Common App's personal essay range is 250-500... Is that new this year? I'm pretty sure I saw some essay examples on JHU's website that were 700+. My first draft was 743.</p>
<p>Also, how long should the extracurricular essay be?</p>
<p>The 500-word cap on the personal essay is new. Last year, the common app specified a 250-word minimum but no maximum. This year, though the common app website only mentions the 250-word minimum when you log in, the common app itself requests an essay of 250-500 words. 500 words end up being roughly one single-spaced page. Though I think you can say all you need to say in 500 words, the 500-word limit is not a “hard cap” because you can upload a longer essay to the common app website. Still, I would suggest getting as close to the 500-word limit as you can. If you want me to take a look at your essay, feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>The extracurricular essay should be no more than 1,000 characters. That is a “hard cap” because additional characters will get cut off, at least according to the warning on the common app website.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>JP</p>
<p>Oh okay thanks!</p>
<p>does the 1000 character limit for the EC essay include spaces?</p>
<p>@Zamar, sorry if this is kind of late… but yes it does. I found out when I tried to squish my essay into the textbox.</p>