<p>What are everyones thoughts on the length of essays? My first essay, and my third essay (i wrote number 4) are both on the long side. The first one is about three quarters of a page, my third is two pages. Single spaced. In my opinion they are both really great essays, but will chicago look down on them because they're long? THey are pretty vague with their suggestions so i can't imagine they'd be too strict, but do you think the admissions peopel will just be too lazy to read a long one?</p>
<p>Try to shoot for around 500 words for the long one.</p>
<p>You can go over or under but they don't want a long piece of writing, just a brief glimpse.</p>
<p>I think an overly long essay would indicate laziness on your part, and not on the readers part.</p>
<p>My feeling is that your length is not excessive, but is on the longer side and therefore, should be that much better. I think my dd made the #1 and #2 essays too short and did not develop the wholistic idea she had in mind, esp with #2. She did what she wanted for #3 and it only ended up 800 words that seemed about right. </p>
<p>Just edit your essay carefully. There are always usually excessive words and sentences in these essays. Don't allow the format to let you get lazy with editing and conciseness. Consider your judgement to be on the line as well as your writing skills and your ideas.</p>
<p>500 for the long one?! ah man. my short ones are almost 500. i just cant cut words. ryan, i think your lengths are fine. it's not the length that matters so much as if it captures and holds attention. if its good and doesn't ramble about irrelevant stuff, its fine.</p>
<p>my admissions officer interviewer said 250-500 for the first 2 then 1000-1500 for the third.</p>
<p>Is 1200 too long for the last essay?</p>
<p>Thanks qwert, since they're vague it's nice that someone knows for sure.
I have about 1200 for the last one.</p>
<p>hmm, 1200 is too long IMO. do whatever you want, though. I haven't done my first 2 essays yet, but yea, I was planning about 300-400 words tops. My 3rd one, which is, you know, the longer of the 3, is 742 words.</p>
<p>Common app asks for 500 as do MANY other places.</p>
<p>It keeps it as a "glimpse" of your life rather than a bunch of details. If it is short and strong it will be remembered by the officers who read it. </p>
<p>I know its hard to keep such a tight focus. I really thought that if I didnt explain more and more that my point wouldn't come across and I wouldn't get in. I was pressured to keep it to a single but elaborated example and I guess it worked because they accepted me.</p>
<p>My 3rd essay had 672 words, which isn't that long. It's more of the content you put in, not the length; you should try to be concise. This is a glimpse, not a life story.</p>