<p>Does anyone know what the word limit is for the optional essay in the supplement? Thanks.</p>
<p>Harvard did not specify on the app, but the space provided on the online form at commonapp.org can fit about 1000 words But even the main essay on common app limit the essay to 500 words. So I am really confused and uncertain what length of essay they want. Anyone?</p>
<p>There is no stated limit. Just use common sense. Admissions officers don't have a lot of time, so they're not going to slog through something that's 3,000 words. Just make sure your essay doesn't drag, and you'll be fine.</p>
<p>Is it really necessary to write the supplemental essay? Will it hurt me if I don't?</p>
<p>it probably will, rj. just because everyone else will be writing one.</p>
<p>luckily, my harvard supplement essay and my columbia essay can be the same one. just saved myself two more weeks worth of work.</p>
<p>I disagree, babybird.</p>
<p>I'm doing EA, and I've only written one essay. I was going to do two until I realized that nothing I could write could come close to matching the quality of my first essay, so any other essays would only detract from the impression of my first essay. I didn't want some adcom thinking, "wow, that first essay was great, but that second essay was lacking."</p>
<p>What I did was write one five-hundred word essay that I could truly say I think is great. I'd much rather have one good essay than two mediocre ones. </p>
<p>Just write one essay where you can honestly say to yourself that it is the best thing you've ever written. If you can't honestly say out loud, "I love my essay," just keep going at it. It'll be worth it.</p>
<p>ubercollegeman, you have just convinced me not to write a second essay. :-)</p>
<p>both of mine, not to sound inflated, are very good. plus what I communicated in my first (about music and what it means to me) is very different but equally as important as the second (about how I've traveled all my life). both are topics the adcoms should know about me, but not ones that would come out on an application.</p>
<p>i'm afraid my math is going to work very very hard against me. whereas I'm a great English student, I'm in stupid math--it's not even honors--and it's not my fault, it's my school's, but I'm thinking it doesn't look good.</p>
<p>I guess it comes down to whether or not there really are two things the adcom must know about you. I felt the adcom really only needed to know one thing :).</p>
<p>..and whether or not you have time for another essay. i dont. xD</p>