<p>The common app website allows two options to enter the why northwestern essay:
1. fill in directly in the blank box
2. upload document</p>
<p>for option 1, the character limit is 1000, which is around only 150 words!</p>
<p>I'm going to upload my essay as a document. Does that mean this essay has to be around 150 words? Is that even an "essay"?</p>