<p>Hey guys, so I just finished my first draft for this essay...but one problem: its 837 words long! I know for a fact that I need to shorten it, but how should I know what to take out and what not to? How many words over 500 is acceptable? I think that 500 words is awfully hard to keep an essay down to! Any advice on your experience on shortening an essay or any other advice in general? - Thanks! </p>
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<p>Don’t be afraid to delete entire paragraphs. Delete whatever seems overly wordy, tangential (unless it’s truly humorous/poignant) or already stated. If you’re reading over a paragraph and your attention span starts to waver, remove that paragraph. You’re trying to pack a punch with 500 words not make the adcoms fall asleep with 800.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice…right now I only have 4 paragraphs should I shorten the paragraph’s and then delete? </p>
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<p>yup that could work :)</p>
<p>Ive heard of people submitting 700 word essays and were fine? So isnt the 500 word just a “guideline” and not a requirement?</p>
<p>This year it’s supposedly a requirement. Adcoms want to see how well you can do with the limited space you have.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses, yeah it makes sense to see if you can write with a specific cut to meet. </p>
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<p>I’ll try to cut it down a few hundred words haha</p>
<p>Sent from my PG86100 using CC</p>