<p>The free response essay says it should be one page, or apprx. 500 words. </p>
<p>I don't want to write something specifically for this question. My common app essay is really good, and it's one page and three lines...but 750 words. Too much? </p>
<p>I've seen teachers about cutting it down, but they tell me it's good enough that its length doesn't matter.</p>
<p>Should I just choose one of my less exciting essays from one of my other schools and stick that in instead?</p>
<p>I strongly doubt that the admissions officer will sit there and count the words that are in your essay. As long as you don't go ridiculously over their limit (and 750 isn't that bad), they probably won't care. I also read some writing tips from UVa that say you should just write what you need to without too much worry about the limit (again, within reason though). I think you'll be fine. ^_^</p>
<p>This happened to me! My 250 word essay is 400 word.... they dont mind too much right?</p>
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<li>or - 15-20% is the general rule.</li>
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<p>unless your essay is the best thing ever... remember these people have to read 9,000+ applications. if everyone goes over by that much... i mean, be courteous to them. you're capable of writing a great 500 word essay, do that instead of posting to this board.</p>
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i mean, be courteous to them.
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you're capable of writing a great 500 word essay, do that instead of posting to this board.
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<p>Only Hazel could feel justified in directing others to be courteous, while telling them (in a discourteous way) to not post to this board.</p>
<p>Amazing eh?</p>
<p>yup (10chrs)</p>
<p>I have ~200 word essays for the 250 word ones, and an essay around ~700 words (my Chicago essay, as I loved that one) for the free response.</p>
<p>if for the 500 word one mine is 550-600, is that OK?</p>
<p>IMHO, the quality and "personality" of your essay is much more important than the quantity. If you write an interesting and "informative" essay that gives the Admissions Counselors a better sense of who you are, I don't think there would be any problem with the length you described. I would much prefer to see a well written, slightly longer essay of about 750 words that has been critiqued (and approved as it were by your teachers) for content and clarity as you mentioned, over a shorter "500 word" essay that is less compelling to read. Remember the essays give "voice" to your application; let the Admissions folks "hear" what you really want them to know about you. If you can write an essay that stops them dead in their process(ing), and has the Counselor running out of his/her office laughing and/or crying, clutching your essay in their hand while excitedly exclaiming "Listen to this!", you've done your job and enhanced your application prospects. In my son's case last year, he originally submitted a shorter, "safer" version of his big essay to stick closer to the prescribed length. After applying Early Decision and being deferred, he resubmitted the longer, more telling iteration of the story prior to having his application reconsidered and approved during the Regular Decision process. My advice to anyone with a dilemma such as yours is this: give them your best effort when you apply; don't hold back anything positive that would help the Admissions Officers get to know you better and appreciate more fully what you can bring to the University community and why you should be offered admission to UVa. Hope this information helps. Good luck.</p>