<p>hello!
did everyone here adhere to the word/character limit of common app? will they penalise us if we send in a paper app with essays over the word limit? i'm thinking of sending a paper app as the online version does not allow me to exceed the character count. I like the way my essays are now; reducing the word count does not do justice to my essays i think. Thanks!</p>
<p>I stuck to the limit. They read so many apps, they can tell, to a pretty good degree of accuracy, the length of your essay just by reading it. If you are only a few words over the limit, and you really can't narrow it down without sacrificing content, then I would go for it. But just remember how many apps they have to read, and knowing an applicant willfully went over the limit can only annoy them.</p>
<p>I agree with saila, but I will tell you that I went over the word count (500) by 260 words, and got in. Also, if your essay is engaging and amazing, they cant help but read on, but it is a risk so use your judgement...</p>
<p>However you were also an ED candidate. There are much fewer apps to read. In RD, the adcom has to go through thousands, and read them for much longer stretches.</p>
<p>Is 635 too long? I mean they only require one essay, and then the short essay, so how can they really judge me? The essay is half a page on common app online. I'm going to have to trim my activity, though, since it is 280, but then they don't really learn anything big from it.</p>
<p>Is it ok if my essay is kind of short? It's only about 250 words.</p>
<p>id say it were too short..but who knows.</p>