essay length

<p>ok i just sent my application, but now im kind of rethinking my essays b/c they are way too long. my first is just over 1,000 (two pages) and my other one is just over 700 (about 1.5 pages), plus i also sent in a 500 word optional essay (one page). do you think the adcom will be terribly ****ed at me b/c of my long essays, or, if they're well written and stuff (as i consider them to be), will they not really mind? please help, cuz im totally freaking out about this....</p>

<p>Hmmm...they ask for 500 and 300 words respectively. I think they are trying to see if you can convey a point in a clear and concise fashion. Dont freak out about it, because what's done is done.</p>

<p>I think you wrote too much, but I doubt it will make a big difference one way or the other.</p>

<p>what did you write about for the optional essay? I'm just curious. But if the essays are really good I doubt they will freak out.</p>

<p>My AP english teacher is fond of saying, "If you've written an essay of 1,000 words, you can tell the same story with only 500."</p>

<p>where does it give the option for an extra essay???</p>

<p>to say it honestly: your essays are way to long.
a friend of mine was accepted to yale, harvard, brown, columbia and 7 other high-ranking universities, but was rejected from two. one of them was princeton. he had outstanding abroad experience, national awards and ecs. everything was brilliant, including his essays, the only problem was that the supposed-to-be-500-words-long one was instead 967 words long (i have it here on my computer).
i can't help but consider this the flaw because of which he was rejected. the adcom might feel disrespected + realize that you can't express yourself within given limits + try to get an unfair advantage in comparison with most of the applicants who comply.
what about the third essay? i assume you wrote one more for the "what else" section... definitely not good... but what is done, is done, so you can't do anything but hope. good luck man.</p>

<p>where does it give the option for an extra essay?</p>

<p>if ur 1000 words are crap=====way too long..
if it is engaging and keeps the reader interested and it tells them a side of you that is NOT expressed elsewhere in the app======its ok.</p>

<p>fred,
the extra essay: "What else would you like us to know?"</p>

<p>It's not exactly an "essay." It's just there just in case you feel one of your activities or qualities don't fit well into the other parts of the application.
dont worry about it</p>

<p>Yeah -- my optional info form is more like a list with paragraphs scattered in between; definately not an essay.</p>