From the course: College Prep: Writing a Strong Essay

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Adhering to word limits

Adhering to word limits

From the course: College Prep: Writing a Strong Essay

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Adhering to word limits

- One of the most challenging aspects of writing a college application essay is keeping within the required or suggested word limit. For the common application, the range is 250 to 650 words. The maximum used to be 500 words, but luckily, they raised the limit to 650 in 2013. Because the common app is submitted by an electronic form online, the website actually won't allow you to submit an essay if it's over 650 words or under 250. As the common app reminds you, 650 words is your limit, not your goal. This is their subtle way of telling you that sometimes shorter is better. Some common app schools require you to submit a writing supplement in addition to the main essay. That gives you a chance to tell the school a little more about who you are and why you're a good fit for them. These essays tend to have tight word limits too. Standford, for example, requires applicants to answer three separate essay topics. Each in 250 words or less. What a challenge. Some colleges or universities…

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