<p>So I'm above the suggested 500 word limit. However, if I make change the font from 12 to 11, while the word count stays the same, the essay fits onto one page (which is what they suggest on the website). Should I do this?</p>
<p>I think they would notice. Try to shorten your essay, if all else fails, go with the eleven font. Though, imo, I doubt a little over a page would make much of a difference</p>
<p>what do you guys think is TOO much. I have a 615 word supplement, but shrunk the margins just enough to fit it on one page.</p>
<p>Mine was 560 and I sent it a few days ago. If you think yours NEEDS to be 615…i dont think thats too much. if parts can be eliminated…eliminate them. 615-620 is about as high as i would risk going though.</p>
<p>guys it would be ill advised to go over even 550. when a school says around 500 words, 600 words is not following that. around 50 give or take is what is much more safe</p>
<p>not to a snob or anything, but your guess of 50 words over the maximum is as good as the 100 words guess as a maximum, unless you have actually spoken to an adcom, I don’t think you can make such a claim, I am willing to bet that not many people can effectively tell the difference between a 500 and 600 word essay. Is ti 100 words extra yes, but I feel like that just blends in and goes unnoticed. </p>
<p>Maybe I am saying that because mine was around 576 words.</p>
<p>okay good point. im just saying from my perspective around 500 words is around 500 words. if you go over 100 words, thats 20% of the original 500 word limit added. thats kind of a lot</p>
<p>Don’t **** of the adcoms more than you have to. I don’t think they want to read that much. (23% more) Unless of course, the writing is really good and dense.</p>
<p>Mind you the original word-limit was 250 words for a while.</p>
<p>agreed ^^^^^^</p>
<p>Uh oh… my common app is 700 and so is my supplement :(</p>
<p>As long as it’s within one page, it’s fine.</p>
<p>And if the word count is around the 500 area.</p>
<p>my word count was around 450 but i had to change the margins to .5 all around and lower the font to 11.5 to fit it on one page…so weird</p>
<p>should this be single spaced or double spaced?</p>
<p>@TheWikiMan - I’m actually inclined to agree with rahuja. Although I’ve not heard +/- 50 words directly from a Penn adcom, I do know that in the world of commercial writing, +/- 10% of the word count–thus in this case, 50 words–is the typical “wiggle room”.</p>