<p>On the online version of the common app, it cuts you off when you write more thaan 6000 letters. But 6000 letters are a lot more than 500 words. My essay now is almost 1000 words but only 5500 letters.
So does it really matter to have only 500 words?</p>
<p>Rofl, a thousand words? Good luck.</p>
<p>Yes, it matters. Cut your essay down. How many characters the Common App takes is irrelevant. What is relevant is how much time admissions reps have to read your essay. They know what 500 words looks like. They want to know (1) that you can be concise, which is much harder than being verbose, and (2) that you can follow directions, and that you value their time constraints.</p>