Essay Portion

I know purdue accepts the commonapp and requires 2 short essays. Im doing EA and am extremely short on time. Will i have chance? I mean, do they consider my essay to be very important?
also, what are the differences in my chances of doing EA and RD? I imagine EA is more, but then again, the website says roughly 60%.

The main thing to keep in mind is that you must apply (i.e., have a completed application submitted) by November 1 to be eligible for the merit scholarships.