<p>i did a word count and my essay was 800 words.... is that too long? also, i wrote about my aspirations but i wanted to tell them why my grade point average is low(family reason). but then i didnt want to write my personal statement simply about "REASONS WHY MY GPA IS LOW" you know? do you think i will have a chance to tell them my reasons?</p>
<p>Yes. </p>
<p>Regardless your actual GPA, don't just explain your reasons. Instead, write about how your overcame those challenges in a very positive tone. The best way to convince the adcom of your academic ability, given an uncompetitive GPA, is high ACT/SAT test scores.</p>
<p>thanks for the post. also, is 800 words too long for my personal statement?</p>
<p>Be succinct and straightforward. Use as many words as you need to tell your story. But do you seriously have a lot more important to say than President Lincoln in Gettysburg during the Civil War? Just consider that the Gettysburg Address is fewer than 300 words (272 to be exact).</p>