<p>I find myself in what could be either a small predicament or a huge catastrophe. I absolutely cannot edit my essay down to under 500 words. I’m at about 700…and if I cut anything more out, it will be the content. If I perhaps rearranged my wording, my style would lose its flair.</p>
<p>Any advice? I’m paralyzed, unable to send my app in because of this.</p>
<p>Oh man.
I feel for you.
But I don’t really know what to tell you… Sticking to the word limit is important, but if cutting down means cutting down on content/flair… I’m not sure :S.
If you can’t cut down on words, try to visually reduce the length of your essay.
Wow I’m not helpful lol.</p>
<p>I know! I’m caught between Scylla and Charybdis ;_;</p>
<p>I managed to get it down to 640, and hopefully I can end up at around 600. It’s like a knife to the chest everytime I touch that backspace button XD Oh well, something I just have to get over and do I suppose.</p>
<p>And no, it’s fine, thank you for trying and so quickly :D</p>
<p>Well they do say that like 10% over is excusable… so if you got it down to 600, it would only be a 50-word problem, which isn’t thaat bad; maybe they won’t notice?
Good luck 
Nice myth reference lol.</p>
<p>I think 600 is overkill. 550, perhaps?</p>
<p>which essay is this? If its the common app essay there is no word limit just keep it reasonable so I would say below 700 is fine. If it is the supplement it says they prefer you limit it to 500 so I would say 550 max.</p>
<p>I think that will be fine, 500 to 700 is not too much, i think…</p>
<p>I think it’s more about how long the essay FEELS than about the actual word count. Like, if it is 700 words long, but is really interesting and reads quickly, it think you are fine. But if it is 700 words and drags out forever…then the admissions committee will get ****ed. Either way, I doubt they are actually busting out a word counter on you…</p>
<p>This is kind of an extreme example, but my common app essay is 1000 words. Literally everyone who read it loved it, and told me it read really quickly. So it used it. I know it’s kind of risky but honestly, I would rather submit an essay that is interesting/dynamic and a bit too long than an essay that conforms to the word limit but reads dull.</p>
<p>Just my 2 cents.</p>
<p>Well that is what I was wondering, are they really going to sit there and count the number of words in my essay? My guess is no, and the essay is a very quick read. I think if I try to edit it down any more, the flow will be effed up :/</p>
<p>And haha thank you 
I would like to sound all superdy dooper smart and say it’s because I read the Odyssey, but that reference came from “Wrapped around your finger” by Sting and the Police XD</p>
<p>I have a lot on my plate already, and this isn’t meant to sound like I’m blowing off Brown’s app, but I think it’ll be for the best if I send it in how it was meant to be. </p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions, though! 
</p>
<p>G’luck to ya all =]</p>
<p>Ha, mine was like 700 something. I think if it flows well, and there are no dead places, you’ll be fine. The adcom wants to know about tyou. They won’t mind a few extra hundred words if you make sure that every last word has meaning. Succint and short aren’t the same thing.</p>
<p>Succinct, hahahaha. Sorry for the random outburst of laughter, I was just watching a Seinfeld episode all about this girl being too succinct :x all she says when telling a story is “Well I was down at the grocery store and yatta yatta yatta…” Hahaha XD</p>
<p>It’s funnier if you see the episode >.>;</p>