<p>Hi everyone,
I am wondering whether the adcoms will check the word count strictly to see whether I exceed the word limit. For example, if I wrote the essay on commonapp for 550 words while it should be 250-500 words, is it necessary for me to cut my essay? It is still a two-page essay (double space) so I don't think the adcoms can tell that it exceeds 500 words if they don't use MS word to count.</p>
<p>Don’t fret over the word count, its just a guideline. They will read your essay till you finish it. It’s just that regardless of length, your writing needs to be amazing</p>
<p>What the University of Maryland Guy told us: They read essays for a living during that period of time. He said they can tell when your essay is 10 words above, and they won’t like it. You should always write more, then cut out the fluff.</p>