<p>is it acceptable for an essay which is to be 500-700 words long to come out at 761 or should i attempt to shorten it?</p>
<p>I would attempt to shorten it. It’s possible to have an excellent essay at that length, but odds are that it is a little too verbose. Play it safe- adcoms are busy and appreciate those who can communicate properly in the least amount of words.</p>
<p>how about an essay that is about like 480? too short? It is supposed to be 500-700 words long.</p>
<p>how about the short answers? Whats an appropriate lenghth?</p>
<p>480 is not too short, and 760 is not too long. Most words have to be there for a reason. Having said that, it is almost always possible to eliminate 60 words from a 760 word essay. Concise expression is one skill that most schools do a very poor job of teaching. In fact, my D’s lit classes emphasize a verbose flowery writing style.</p>
<p>First, eliminate most words ending in “ly” — I am not joking, teens tend to overuse things like “conversely”, “interestingly”, “sparingly”, etc. Next, take a hard look at all adjectives, most of them can be eliminated without much loss of form or function. Next, look for transition sentences that are intended to connect parts of your essay, these can often be shortened without diminishing the essay. Finally, read your essay out loud slowly, tape yourself, and then play it back. Do you at times wonder “why the heck did I say this”? Chop it off if you do. By the time you are done you should easily be down to 650 words or so.</p>
<p>thank you very much</p>
<p>Try not to go over or under. They put that word limit for a reason.</p>