<p>I was reading the prompt for the NMSF essay and noticed that the essay I had written for one of the universities I am applying to perfectly answers it. Does NMSC ever show this essay to colleges listed as a semifinalist's "first choice," thus revealing that I simply copied and pasted the same essay for both applications?</p>
<p>I don’t know if they can compare them - but that is exactly what my D did. Copied and pasted it in.</p>
<p>However - It did not all fit. We THOUGHT it fit. But when she went in a copied it back to put it back into a word processing program to make some changes and save - the LAST paragraph was missing.</p>
<p>We did a WORD COUNT and it seems that only 888 words made it. So i would make sure even though it looks like it fits - to test it this way. Just copy it back and see what shows on your blank document page.</p>
<p>CANCEL THAT - We just hit the PREVIEW button, and the bottom third of her Essay appeared in pink, and a message popped up that anything in pink won’t appear to them !!!</p>
<p>Yes - there IS a 500 word max !!!</p>
<p>There’s no word maximum – it simply needs to fit on the page. Use the preview button to check.</p>
<p>I do not think there is a problem with using an essay you have written. It is nice that you can now submit on-line. Just three years ago, DD had to literally paste it onto the application.</p>
<p>What do I do if, say, the preview thing is not working? I’ll try using a different internet browser…</p>
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<p>Uh…unless your daughter is a master writer, I’d hate to be an admissions officer who has to slog through 900 or so words of just one essay.</p>
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<p>There is indeed a 500 word max…on the Common App’s main essay, that is.</p>
<p>This thread is NM, not common app.</p>