What if my college essay is over 650 words?

It's not okay to exceed the 650 word limit on the common application essay, but your essay can be less than 650 words. Of course, you still need to make sure you've written a complete essay that tells the admissions committee something important about yourself- something not previously mentioned in your application.

Can my college essay be more than 650 words?

If your institution doesn't provide a specific word count, it's best to keep your essay between the length established by the longer college admissions essay format: 250 to 650 words. Word count is just one factor to consider as you craft your college admissions essay.

What happens if your college essay goes over the word limit?

Here's our quick guide to how much you'll likely need to cut based on how far you are over the word count: 200+ Words over: Long paragraphs, consider reformatting the essay entirely. 100+ Words over: Paragraphs, possibly sections of longer paragraphs. 50+ Words over: Several sentences, sections of paragraphs.

Can my college essay be 700 words?

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit. If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words. You should aim to stay under the specified limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely.

Is 600 words okay for college essay?

In those cases, you'll probably want to be pretty close to word count limit, without going over (as a general guideline, the lower the word count, the more likely you'll have to max it out). If a school doesn't give you a limit, I'd generally aim for somewhere in the 400-600 range.

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Can my college essay be 750 words?

Even if you aren't filling out the Common App, most college essays set word limits around 500-750 words. In the rare case there is no established word limit, most experts recommend not exceeding 900 words for a college essay.

Is 750 words too long for a college essay?

If you don't write the Common App essay, or if you write additional essays, note that most college essays set word limits around 500-750 words. In the rare case that no word limit is specified, most experts recommend staying under 800 words.

Is it bad if my Common App essay is 650 words?

For the Common App, try to stay within 550-650 words, even though the given range is 250-650.

Can you go over 650 words on Common App?

It's not okay to exceed the 650 word limit on the common application essay, but your essay can be less than 650 words.

What does a 650 word essay look like?

A 650-word essay is approximately a page and a half to two pages long when using a standard 12-point font and standard spacing between lines. To visualize what 650 words look like, think about a typical two-page, double-spaced essay with an introduction, three main body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

How many paragraphs is 650 words?

How Many Paragraphs Is 650 Words? 650 words is about 3.25-6.5 paragraphs for essays or 6-13 for easier reading (to allow skimming). A paragraph length typically has 100-200 words and 5-6 sentences.

What to do if your essay is too long for college?

How long does it take to write a 650 word essay?

Writing 650 words will take about 16.3 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 32.5 minutes for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 2.2 hours.

Can my college essay be 800 words?

The ideal length for a college essay can vary depending on the specific requirements set by the college or university. However, a common guideline is to aim for 500-650 words, although some institutions may allow for essays up to 1000 words.

How do you reduce word count in college essay?

How do I reduce the word count in my personal statement?

How long is the college essay 2023?

The Common App essay word limit remains at 650 words. There is also a minimum floor of 250 words.

Can you go over word count in college?

No more than 10% above the required word count is acceptable. For example, an essay which should be 2,000 words long can come in at 2,200 words without affecting a student's grade. Students must fill in the boxes for required word count and actual word count on the relevant assessment cover sheet.

How much do college essays matter?

At the top 250 schools, your essays generally account for 25% of your overall application. This is only slightly behind the 30% for extracurriculars. Essays are actually ahead of the 20% for grades and coursework, 15% for test scores, and 10% for recommendations and interviews.

What shouldn't you write about in a college essay?

While drug addiction, alcohol use, arrests, jail stints, and similar activities may seem intriguing, they are usually college essay topics to avoid. There is a chance the admissions committee won't view those actions favorably, regardless of the lessons they learned along the way.

Do colleges read your Common App essay?

Yes, admissions officers do actually read essays, but they might have already screened candidates first in a preliminary round. Every admissions office has a different process and it's impossible to sum up the exact step-by-step process for each admission office in one blog post.

Why are college essays so short?

Since colleges want to streamline the application process, application essays usually have a recommended word count. If the recommended size is 200 words, 210 might be OK, but 300 definitely not. Some essays have a strict limit that won't allow you to enter anything over this limit.

What happens if your essay is too long?

If you exceed the word limit in a noticeable way, the admissions counselor may just stop reading your essay past that point. This is not good for you. Following directions is actually a very important part of the college application process.

How much over word count is acceptable?

No more than 5% above or below the word limit is acceptable for written assignments (e.g. an essay of 3000 words must be no less than 2850 and no more than 3150).

Is 900 words too long for a college essay?

If you are not given a limit for your college essay, then 900 words is not technically too long. However, it will depend upon the essay prompt that you are given. Not all essay prompts will require long answers. If 900 words is necessary, then that is okay.