<p>All right, so for my extended essay, I chose the mantis shrimp prompt. I wrote a short story for it... but it's around 750 words, 250 more than the 500 recommendation. On the one hand, I think it's an alright story. On the other hand, I'm biased, and the readers are busy people. Would it be all right to send the 750 words, or should I cut it more? I'm afraid that cutting will make the story less interesting, but also worried that that the readers will get ****ed off at a too-long essay.
Thanks for any advice!</p>
<p>Update: I cut it to 650 words with not too big of a quality drop. </p>
<p>Also, a part of my post was censored. “I’m afraid the readers will get annoyed at a too-long essay”. Didn’t know the phrase I used was considered inappropriate on CC. Sorry!</p>
<p>I don’t think the word count itself matters to admissions (750 versus 650), unless the stuff you cut was padding; I seem to remember a two page max rather than a word count, could be wrong.</p>
<p>Please make sure if the whole essay content is showed up when you review in common app process. (Commonapp creates a pdf file, as you know.)
If admission officers don’t loose their interests in your writing, I think it’s ok with 650 words. But my recomendation is to reduce the word counts as much as you can. Good essay less than500 words could indicate your capability of your skill and intelligence. It’s hard but worthwhile. However, such a last minute, you can submit it as-is if the coomon app allows.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses!
I submitted the 650 word version. I think that if I had cut anymore, it would’ve become either incoherent or uninteresting.
@Dad2013: Yes, everything fit! </p>
<p>Again, thanks!</p>
<p>I know you’ve already submitted (good luck, by the way!), but in case someone taking advantage of the extended deadline sees this:</p>
<p>I wrote on the mantis shrimp prompt and my extended essay was ~970 words long (it’s on the essay thread), and I was recently accepted EA - as was someone I know whose essay was only about 200 words long. As long as your content is non-extraneous throughout then you’re fine :D</p>