<p>do I get penalized? Does anyone know?</p>
<p>Then you get put in the NHL penalty box for body checking for 4 minutes while Iceland destroys the Mighty Ducks</p>
<p>and you get body checked by me</p>
<p>If you're applying online, the Brown app checks the characters, and you can't exceed 3500 characters. Personally, my essay was way over 500 words, but it wasn't even close to 3500 characters. So I think you'll be fine. Unless you read the dictionary beforehand and used ridiculously big words.</p>
<p>LOL</p>
<p>A more serious answer depends on the situation. They say not more than 500 words. However, if it is essential to the essay that it be longer than I wouldn't stress it. Make sure that every word is worth reading though. If possible I'd try to keep it to 550.</p>
<p>Fwiw, My essay was well over 500 and I didn't suffer for it.</p>
<p>It is just a general guideline. No one counts the words if it's on paper. As long as you are reasonable (not 10 pages) and your first 500 words don't scream of you being a fool, then the reader will most likely take the time to finish. Mine was over 1000.</p>
<p>Mine was 550 or something and I got in.</p>
<p>My essay was like 680, got in. I think the ABSOLUTE LIMIT would be 1200, and only if it was good.</p>