What’s up with the word limits? I know a question like this was just asked, but I didn’t feel like it was answered properly. For example, the Why Yale essay says 100 words or less, but it really lets you enter 125 words. Does this mean that you’re allowed to actually have it be 125 words, and the 100 words is more of an approximately type thing? Would usually 100-125 words be risky? Thanks in advance to all answers! 
Are you sure that more than 100 words survives into the PDF? Try it.
Fwiw, if 125 words survive the saving/PDF creation, I personally would still limit myself to 100. I don’t expect that AOs will count words (although software might do that for them), but it does say something about your ability to edit, work within guidelines, your sense of entitlement, etc. to exceed the limit.
I’m old and a bit of a drip, but if they say 100 words or less, I would keep it there.
I’m younger, and I say the same thing.
The point of short essays - can you convey an effective message succinctly.
Stick with the number. Purposely going over says a lot about your personality - and will not go over well with AdComs. I belonged to an organization that had word limits for questions. Old school, when they exceeded the number, I redacted the rest of the sentence. So there was a hanging, incomprehensible sentence at the end, or no closing sentence. Not a good look. That’s why they put limits on - be succinct. When Yale asked the question about what she would do on a free Sunday afternoon (or something like that), my daughter wrote, “spend the afternoon perfecting my vegan bread recipe”. Those few words tell you a lot about her.
Not for Yale but if it says “about 100 words” (not “100 words or less”) is it ok to go over the limit and by how much?
@mozika If it says “about 100 words”,keep it to the number of words needed to finish the thought (105 - 110?) As already stated, the point is to convey an effective message succinctly.
Thanks everyone! I have edited both my essays and gotten my Why Yale essay to 100 words exactly (100 word limit) and my Why These Majors to 108 words (approximately 100 words)
@paveyourpath thanks!