<p>I absolutely despise this word count. This is the 6th essay I have written for the main essay on the common app because I kept having to start over because they were all too long and there was no feasible way of shortening them. </p>
<p>I gave it to me English teacher, who taught us to cut words, and loves telling us to get rid of things. He wanted me to ADD information rather than take it away, and when I asked if there was something to cut, he told me it was either start over on another essay or leave it. </p>
<p>I wrote my own prompt at the top so the actual essay is 717 words. I'm really upset that if I had just applied to colleges two years ago I wouldn't have this problem and my anxiety levels are through the roof. </p>
<p>I know if I submit it all of the essay will be submitted so I don't need someone telling me to cut it or they'll stop reading after a certain point. They won't. I can also make it fit on one page. </p>
<p>Should I start over on ANOTHER essay topic even if I think this one is a winner? Should I just submit it? Or....?</p>
<p>It's about how I felt disconnected from a group while we were starting a non-profit only to overcome my pettiness to want to work together but then getting our funding pulled and being given the option to either join the group they consolidated our fund behind or not.</p>
<p>You can tell the same story in less words… Be less detailed and cut out parts if you have to. It sounds like you’re unwilling to edit your work, just pick one of your essays and cut it down. Learning to be concise is a valuable skill.</p>
<p>If you feel like it is really good, send it. College Admissions officers nearly always read the whole essay, they don’t stop at 500. 700ish won’t be a problem at all.</p>
<p>I am having the same problem right now. I am writing my supplement essay for NYU and my word count right now is 623 words. I don’t know how to cut it down any more and keep its quality, but I am afraid that they will cut it off, or be annoyed that my essay is 123 words too long.</p>
<p>I repeat, ALL college admissions officer will read any essay, all of it, within a reasonable length (<1000 words), this was told to me by a panel of college admissions officers.</p>
<p>The 500-word “limit” is just a guideline; app readers aren’t going to count every word, and then stop when they reach 500. Both of my common app essays last year were over 500 words, no problem. However, try to cut it down to below 700 if you can.</p>
<ul>
<li>No and no again. There is zero guarantee any adcom or reader will read what goes so far over the limit. Period. You get 12-15-20 minutes for each review of your app-- really want them to get mired in this long essay?</li>
</ul>
<p>-In the past, there have been essays cut off on the CA (or when/if a college autodownloads into their own systems.) Don’t risk that.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Adcoms are not just looking for some nice complete tale, as a short story publisher might. Adcoms don’t NEED each and every single word and phrase that you feel fully fleshes things out. They look to see what sort of judgment, perspective and self-editing skills you have. What does it say that you submit almost half again over the requested limit? That you can’t let go of it, summarize, reduce and be concise. If you think about it, it’s a bit self-indulgent to insist it can’t be shortened. Even the best pro’s meet limits, when needed.</p></li>
<li><p>the advice I give in this siutation is always: CUT. Be brutal. Let it go. Make sure your point is clear. Only then, go back and see what you could add back in, that enhances your position. And, “don’t test the adcoms.”</p></li>
</ul>
<p>@lookingforward, thanks but it wasn’t some tale. I got it down to 620 words, but there was no cutting it down past that. I sent it to 3 of my old English teachers and they saw no feasible way of cutting it down or a better expression of who I’ve become that would’ve made a better piece to write on. They even thought there were some gaps I should’ve written more on. </p>
<p>It’s still one page. 1.5 spacing. I want them to spend their time on that essay. It was something deeply meaningful to me. They should read it.</p>
<p>You can still cut it. Think about it: if needed, you could write the proverbial 25 word summary of the essay. You just don’t need each and every supporting line. You need to be effective, have a beginning, middle and end- not the full-on “here’s exactly the full explanation.” </p>
<p>I don’t know why your teachers couldn’t suggest cuts. Perhaps they are thinking of a hs assignment, as oppposed to a college app personal statement-? Even if what you have right now is a good sequencing, you could probably cut whole thoughts out and still make your point, using only the very most effective lines. (An important college skill they look for.) Of course, I don’t know what colleges this is for. But, I do read apps for a competitive. It’s a mercilessly fast process. You make impressions with every answer, every choice of how to answer. Make yourself look smart and able.</p>
<p>That’s my point though. It’s not a “here’s exactly what happened” type of thing. If I take out one line there are subsequent lines that won’t make sense. It’s like playing a game of Jenga. And I’m not sure which will make me look more able: an essay that is well thought out and moves smoothly from point to point or one that’s short and says I didn’t take the time to thoroughly think out my position. </p>
<p>Don’t listen to looking forward. EVERY college admissions officer will read an entire essay that is less than 750 words, without a doubt in my mind. If you are at 620 you should have no worries whatsoever.</p>
<p>That is not at all true Flytta. You are hurting yourself, possibly irreparably, with any essay over 550 words. Cut it. Take out ideas, it sounds like your story is too long and detailed to fit in 500 words. You are seriously destroying your chances by doing this to yourself; lookingforward is an app reader at an ivy (if I remember correctly) and he DEFINITELY knows what he’s talking about.</p>