<p>I know it's over the limit of 500 words and I applying to schools like Stanford and Yale. Is it really going to affect me? My counselor said don't worry about it...</p>
<p>That’s too far over the limit, edit.</p>
<p>Don’t take a chance they won’t read it all or that all won’t come through. Remember, “show, not tell” and that it is meant to show your personal strengths that adcoms want. That includes the ability to edit.</p>
<p>Even when my common app essay was like 550 words, my counselor told me to shorten it.</p>
<p>Cut it down. Plus about 20-30 words is okay, but definitely not 200. Yale even has a section on their website where they say something to the effect of “you will not have done yourself a favor by ignoring our request.” The request is, in this case, that your essay does not exceed 500 words by too much.</p>