<p>I wrote what I think is a fabulous and passionate essay, but it's longer than 500 words. I can't really find a way to cut anything out, because if I cut out several sentences, then parts of the essay lose their emotional flair. Is this length still acceptable?</p>
<p>I think the limit is 500. :/</p>
<p>I think it’s probably a bit too long. In general, people talk about getting away with 550ish words. However, anything beyond 50 is stretching. In your case, 130 words over will be pretty obvious. I’d certainly work on cutting it down. How long have you been working on your essay? Mine was around 670 to start and after a few weeks, I came back to edit and realized I hated a few things or didn’t like how I phrased something. I got it down to 595.</p>
<p>I’ve worked it down to about 598 words. I mean does it really matter if I only have an additional hundred words? I always thought 500 words was a recommended guideline as to roughly how long it should be. I mean I’d agree that a 1000 word essay is too long, but 100 words is only 5 sentences extra.</p>
<p>500 is a guideline.</p>
<p>If I were an admissions counselor (and I’m not!) and I was reading a compelling, interesting essay, it wouldn’t bother me if it was 598 words. However, if it was yet another run-of-the-mill essay just like the 150 I’d already read today, that would be another matter.</p>
<p>But no one ever thinks their own essay is anything other than compelling and interesting! </p>
<p>I’m sure the guideline is set at 500 words because they know that will get them many 600-word essays from people who can’t bear to edit their prose. If they said 600, they’d get 700 words, and if they set no guideline at all, they’d get tomes.</p>
<p>“If I were an admissions counselor (and I’m not!) and I was reading a compelling, interesting essay, it wouldn’t bother me if it was 598 words. However, if it was yet another run-of-the-mill essay just like the 150 I’d already read today, that would be another matter.” annasdad.</p>
<p>I 100% agree with annasdad on this. I am not sure if we can judge our own writing to determine if it is “compelling.” Let your English teacher read it or GC. I think the 250-500 is a guideline, but I am not an adm. officer either.</p>
<p>[Is</a> a 600-Word Common Application Essay Too Long? - Ask The Dean](<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/is-a-600-word-common-application-essay-too-long.htm]Is”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/is-a-600-word-common-application-essay-too-long.htm)</p>
<p>This might help.</p>
<p>Sometimes switching sentences around in an essay makes it easier to delete words without trying too hard. You might have redundant statements that duplicate another thought. </p>
<p>Watch the taboo words, too - better to have active tense verbs and avoid “I” statements. </p>
<p>As a admissions counselor recently said - “Spellcheck is not the same thing as proofread”. Have several folks proofread it.</p>
<p>I like printing out essays and reading them out loud, slowly. I find that I gloss over the mistakes if I just read it, but reading it out loud makes me notice flaws in the writing and glaring grammatical or punctuation errors. Try it.</p>
<p>cod4pro</p>
<p>How much time have you spent editing your essay? If you’re looking at a second or third draft that’s now 600 words, you can probably edit it down to 500, with effort. The great thing – if you can do so, you probably will wind up with a better essay. This is one of the secrets to writing (and differentiates good writers from great ones).</p>
<p>Succinct is usually better.</p>
<p>There were two speeches at Gettysberg the day Lincoln gave his somber and profound message. Guess which one we remember? The one that took two minutes.</p>
<p>The one that took two hours is a footnote to history and nobody remembers the man’s name, unless you google it! </p>
<p>Remember, your college admissions officer has a limited time to make an impression. It doesn’t and shouldn’t have to be too long. Even 100 extra words may be too many, and it usually is.</p>
<p>Everett Scott (Pre-google)</p>
<p>Nope – Edmond Everett – I was close.</p>
<p>It’s about quality, not quantity. If you can write an 800 word essay that is very good in quality, go for it.</p>
<p>@MommaJ, very true. I always think my work is good haha.</p>
<p>@stressedouttt, thank you for the link.</p>
<p>I still have quite a while before it needs to be sent in, so I’ll definitely be able to proof read, have others read it, and mull over what could be better.</p>
<p>If you are applying online, it might cut you off as the limit is 500…However, if you are sending your application in, it’s not like they will sit there and count the words. I’d say, see if you can keep it within 50 words over though…</p>
<p>Well I just uploaded it in order to view it. It isn’t cut off in a pdf format.</p>
<p>Just a quick question, should the essay be given a title?</p>
<p>I think yes…From everything I’ve heard when researching the best way to write a college essay (specifically common app), you should give your essay a short but interesting title.</p>
<p>“If you are applying online, it might cut you off as the limit is 500”</p>
<p>Common App rep on the CC common app forum has said this will not happen. There is a character (not word) limit - I don’t remember what it is, but it’s huge.</p>
<p>Oh, ok. My bad! Thanks annasdad. I was actually kind of worried about that when I write my own common app essay so I’m glad I don’t have to stress out about every little word…</p>