<p>I know that MIT has a 100 and also 500 word limit to its writing part of the application. However, is it fine for my short answers to be 115 words long and my long essay to be 625? I do not want to be depicted as a kid that can't follow simple directions, but I feel every word is necessary.</p>
<p>Any suggestions or input?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>My guess is that 115 may be acceptable, but 625 (25% over) is way too long. Do you think a school will want to admit a kid that won't follow directions? Just keep editing and thinking of ways to say the same thing with fewer words.</p>
<p>If you feel every word is necessary, then submit 625 words. </p>
<p>"Do you think a school will want to admit a kid that won't follow directions?"</p>
<p>Yes they would. MIT kids do MIT things because they often diverge from the norm and DON'T follow directions. (But that doesn't mean you need to break every rule or something, only when it's necessary)</p>
<p>Yeah they would probably still admit you. I agree with 115 being perfectly fine. Having 625 words is slightly pushing it. Although MIT is slack with their word limit, you may want to cut it back 40-50ish words if possible. If not, well then just submit it and don't worry about it.</p>
<p>I had a similar problem with word limits. So, I gave my essay to a friend who tends to be more concise, and asked him to helped me cut down the words. It helped a lot, so you might want to consider doing that. If you try and the word count is still 20%+ over, I'd just submit it. No stress.</p>
<p>ur fine mate! my first essay was 130 words, and my 3 BIG essays were abt 560-580 each...</p>
<p>they really don't mind, as long as it doenst become repetitive.</p>
<p>would someone mind reading the 625 essay?</p>
<p>honestly, i don't think it'll matter. if you can cut it down, definitely do so but if you REALLY feel that every word is integral to your essay.. don't cut anything out. and PM me if you want me to read it.</p>
<p>i'll read it</p>
<p>My long essay was about that long (600-ish) words, and it would have lost a lot if I'd taken anything out. I was admitted EA. </p>
<p>Have your feel on the word count be guided by artistry, not pedantics. If the essay is interesting and fun to read all the way through, the admissions committee probably won't mind. (An extra 100 or so words amounts to a few long-ish sentences, after all.) If you need help, I find that good writing tends to rub off: I read a lot of New Yorker articles and Stephen Pinker before writing my essay, and it did help stylistically. </p>
<p>And finally, absolutely DO NOT write a cookie-cutter five paragraph essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. These types of essays were introduced into our public school system in much the same way cholera is introduced into a city water network. They are evil, and fry creative thinking and language art like SDI was supposed to fry commie missiles. If we band together, we can fight the cookie-cutter essay-- one at a time, defeating evil slowly but surely. </p>
<p>And since this is an internet forum, I feel I must:
kthxbyeroflolzttylgtg O.o :) :/ :( !!!!!!!!</p>
<p>i think my short essay was around 150 and long one was about 600, so dont take the word limits too literally.</p>