<p>Um... my supplement is almost 900 words o__O
Is that... bad? (I didn't see any limit but... I know 500 is generally what they're looking for)</p>
<p>Yes, that's pretty long and I would venture to guess it's too long. While I realize that we all become attached to our words, might i suggest you do a quick summary through word and see if a) it still holds your central points and b) what you'd be taking out. My guess is you might need to do this a couple of times but the closer you get to 600-700 words, the more likely it will be read through completion.</p>
<p>PS.. if you used word, go to tools and click on autosummary to do what I suggested above.</p>
<p>Just a note--my Common App. essay was around 1400-1500 words, but I was still accepted. I just made sure to edit out whatever seemed repetitive/unnecessary and had other people read it to make sure that I wasn't being longwinded. So, if you can pull off the 900 words and believe in the use of every single one of them, don't water it down by shortening it.</p>
<p>I submitted mine.. its a little over 600</p>
<p>Yeah, mine's a page long--650 words or so. But, since Middlebury didn't give a limit, I'm sure the essay could be longer, provided that every word counts towards the whole (as tan2007 said).</p>
<p>My sons was close to 625 and it didn't read long when he was done with it. However I absolutely agree that if it works, it works. Son's school was not pushing for students to stick to the word count, but "strongly advised" that the upper limit not exceed about 750.</p>
<p>I was accepted ED1- my CommonApp essay was 1300-1400 words. My supplement was about 900. My advice to anyone who is worried about length is, don't be worried about something as raw as number count, just make sure your words are honest. If you keep your voice, make sure to avoid repetition, and say something insightful about yourself you'll get recognition for your essay. Personally, I've assumed that my essays were two of the main reasons that I got in.</p>
<p>Exactly how I feel, movadominute.</p>
<p>my common app essay was about 750 and my supp essay was 300...it sounds soo short but i think it's perfect and shouldn't be any longer. =) What did you guys write about? and which topic did you pick?</p>
<p>I know my son had a really hard time with the character limit on the short answer on the common application. It was more annoying than anything. Son picked community for the supplement. There were a lot of ways he could have approached it and it wasn't as deep perhaps as it could have been, but I liked it in the end, and thought the conclusion was done really well. But we'll see in like 3 months now, won't we?</p>
<p>My common app essay was about 720 words, my supp was about 400. I think they were both good lengths :) I picked the community one, talking about how my town/high school is very closed-minded and conformist, and how I want to get away from that in college, etc. It was pretty good, I'm happy with it. Not sure if it's enough to get me in, though. Only one person from my school has ever gotten into Midd. Add the disliking our school to my not-straight-As, and I'm not sure I'll be seeing any of you at Midd in the fall ;) Oh well. It's okay.</p>