<p>They say the minimum length but we don't seem to be able to locate the maximum length.</p>
<p>Is one 500 words and the other 250? Maximum?</p>
<p>Please help clueless parent and child:).</p>
<p>I heard one page, single space. Try to be as close to 500 words as possible.</p>
<p>Keep it to no more than one page.</p>
<p>For the short answer:</p>
<p>In the space provided below, please elaborate on one of your activities (extracurricular, personal activities, or work experience)(150 words or fewer).</p>
<p>In this case your answer should not exceed 150 words, since they specifically state 150 or fewer...</p>
<p>For the personal statement:</p>
<p>Please write an essay (250 words minimum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below.</p>
<p>In this case there is no maximum, but realistically for most students 500 words is a good goal.</p>
<p>Phew. Thanks.</p>
<p>Nonsense! My personal statement was 2,700 words. Yes, SIX PAGES. </p>
<p>I was admitted ED to Rice U. They don't specify a maximum for a reason. There IS NONE.</p>
<p>If you can make the essay interesting, take all the space you need. I needed EVERY SINGLE PAGE to say all that I wanted to say on my essay, and obviously not everyone needs 6 pages. I did.</p>
<p>Definitely don't let yourself be constrained by an imaginary upper word limit, though. Just don't write a novel and you'll be fine.</p>
<p>Note: as part of this summer program at Rice last summer, I attended some college app essay workshops. They helped a lot, since former adcoms and english teachers taught it. If anyone wants some helpful tips on college app essay writing, feel free to PM me anytime.</p>
<p>
[quote]
In this case your answer should not exceed 150 words, since they specifically state 150 or fewer...
[/quote]
That's not really true either. There is a character limit, but it will easily allow 300 words or so, and there is no reason not to use it if you feel like you need to.</p>
<p>Although, for <em>most</em> applicants, finding out the maximum is not the real issue. Most often, essays are better in every way when they are looked at with a very sharp pencil and edited for length.</p>
<p>I realize there are exceptions and I bring this up not really for the OP but for others who might be reading this thread.</p>
<p>Beef's case is much more likely the exception that proves the rule, rather than a model for others to follow. Even in Beef's case, we don't know whether s/he was admitted <em>because of</em> the essay, with a boost from the essay or despite the essay.</p>
<p>And just because a character limit will allow you to exceed the stated word limit, there is a reason they ask you to limit it to 150 words. Part of that reason is the ability to follow directions, otherwise they would make the word limit closer to the character limit. Will it sink your application if you exceed the word limit, but stay within the character limit...of course not. However, being forced to look critically at your statements and to edit judiciously is a skill that will serve you well in college. You might as well start now. </p>
<p>As for the six page essay...Beef it clearly worked for you. I would also suspect that your essay is the exception; a well-written piece of work that is worth the extra time it took the adcom to read it. Given the number of applications each admissions officer is confronted with I would not advise my kids to take that risk. The college two of my kids were admitted to didn't have a word limit at all, and they are both terrific writers. Both felt that succinct essays that conveyed the essence of their personalities were better suited for this purpose than some of their more elaborate pieces. Just one family's experience....</p>