<p>My daughter has cut a personal essay down to 265 words, but the stated limit is 250 words. The Common App does not accept essays that exceed the word limit, but the Va Tech application does not seem to have a built-in limit. Can she exceed the limit by this small amount? The cuts are getting traumatic, and my suggestions are not helping...</p>
<p>I’m not an admissions expert by any means, but I would not ignore a word limit. Admissions is evaluating your daughter’s ability to write clearly, concisely, and follow instructions. Put the essay down for a day or two and then look at it with fresh eyes. In my experience, there is always a way to say it differently and more economically. If you submit it over the limit, just because the online form allows it, and she is deferred or rejected then she’ll always wonder if ignoring the instructions cost her.</p>
<p>Thanks. She had a teacher look over her essay, and she was willing to cut some of the same phrases I had suggested. Advice from parents is not easy to accept!</p>
<p>My son liked virginia tech and was admitted but decided to attend the University of Virginia school of engineering in August. Good luck to your daughter where ever she decides to go.</p>
<p>I think that amount is negligible BUT if she is not saying anything interesting it might make them question her judgement, if such a slight overage is noted at all.</p>