Can My Common App Essay Be More Than 650 Words?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

Can my common app essay be more than ?

There are no strict word limits

. We suggest that for the first essay (where you choose one of the seven prompts), the extended essay stay around 650 words. While we won't as a rule stop reading after 650 words, we cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention for as long as you'd hoped it would.

Contents hide

Can you have more than 650 words in Common App essay?

Navigating the Word Count

The Common App will specify the word limit for writing your essay. This has changed over the years. The current word count is between 250 and 650 words.

The online application won't accept essays that are below 250 words or over 650 words

.

Can college essays go over 650 words?

The shortest word limits for are usually around 150 words (less than half a single-spaced page).

Rarely will you see a word limit higher than around 650 words

(over one single-spaced page). College essays are usually pretty short: between 150 and 650 words.

Can I go over the word limit on college essays?

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 a 650 word essay a lot?

650 words is

1.3 pages single-spaced or 2.6 pages double-spaced

. Documents that typically contain 650 words are high school and college essays, short blog posts, and news articles. It will take approximately 2 minutes to read 650 words.

What happens if you go over 650 words on Common App?

The Common Application will even

prompt its applicants if they exceed the word count to prevent them from going over

. Most admissions officers have stated that, while they will read all essays in their entirety, they are less inclined to feel that essays over 650 accomplish what they set out to do.

What happens if your Common App essay is over 650 words?

There are no strict word limits. We suggest that for the first essay (where you choose one of the seven prompts), the extended essay stay around 650 words. While we won't as a rule stop reading after 650 words,

we cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention for as long as you'd hoped it would

.

Can you go over the word limit on Common App?

Though the Common Application instructs students not to submit essays that are longer than 500 words,

the online tool does not limit them from doing so

. “If a student uploaded a 500,000-word essay, there's nothing we could do,” Rob Killion, executive director of Common Application told the New York Times.

What happens if an essay is over the word count?

The falsification of a word count may result in the failure of the paper. There is no penalization for essays which exceed the word limit by up to 5% of the imposed limit. However, if you exceed the word limit by any more than 5%,

a fixed penalty of five marks will be deducted from your assessment grade

.

How long is the Common App essay 2021?

The 2021-2022 Common Application essay prompts are as follows: Choose the option below that best helps you write an essay of

no more than 650 words

. 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.

How far over a word count is acceptable?

Assignment length requirements are usually given in terms of numbers of words. Unless the lecturer tells you that these limits are strict, it is normally acceptable to be

10% above or below this word limit

(so, for example, a 2000 word assignment should be between 1800 and 2200 words).

Does a 500 word essay have to be exactly 500 words?

500-word essays

do not have to be exactly 500 words

, but they should be as close as possible. The essay prompt may say “in under 500 words” or “in at least 500 words,” which would state whether 500 is the minimum or maximum word count.

Is it bad to have a long Common App essay?

The Common App essay word count range is 250-650 words. But just how long should your statement be?

Admissions Blog advises aiming for around 500 words

.

How long can the Common App essay be?

Applicants have a maximum of

650 words

for essays. The topics vary. A few require students to reflect on their experiences and share examples of learning or personal growth. Students also have the option to share an essay on any topic of their choice or simply describe a topic that captivates them.

How long does it take to write 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.

How long is the Common App essay 2022?

Strategy for Writing the 2022-2023 Common App Essays. Because the Common App essay is

650 words

long and has few formal directions, organizing a response might seem daunting.

How long should a college essay be 2021?

The primary essay for your college application, often called a personal statement, is typically around

400-600 words

. The Common App personal statement — which is used as the primary application essay by more than 800 colleges — must be 250-650 words.

How much does the Common App essay 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.

Do universities actually check the word count?


Yes, typically, professors do check word count

. This could be via a program with a word count feature such as Microsoft Word or Turnitin, or based on an estimate of about how long a document of the required word count should be.

How do I reduce my word count?

  1. Look for redundancies. …
  2. Delete the v word. …
  3. Delete other words that aren't pulling their weight. …
  4. Look for the prepositions. …
  5. Keep an eye out for multi-word phrases. …
  6. Watch out for the use of what and there as subjects.

Does the essay title count in word count?

Generally speaking, the word count will include the following: All titles or headings that form part of the actual text.

All words that form the essay

(the main body of text). All words forming the titles for figures, tables and boxes, are included but this does not include boxes or tables or figures themselves.

How do you write a 650 word essay?

Should I title my Common App essay?

Do I need a title for the Common App essay?

A title is not required for the Common App essay

, but you are, of course, more than welcome to include one if you'd like.

How long should a college level essay be?

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.

Does introduction count in word count?

Views:58115 Answer

The introduction and conclusion should both be

approximately 10% of the overall essay word count

. For example, if you write a 1500 word essay, your introduction and conclusion will be around 150 words each.

How many words under Can an essay be?

Type of essay Average word count range
High school essay


300–1000 words
College admission essay 200–650 words Undergraduate college essay 1500–5000 words Graduate school admission essay 500–1000 words

Is it possible to write 500 words in an hour?

Writing 500 words will take about 12.5 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 25 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 1.7 hours

.

What does (~ 500 words mean?

Answer: 500 words is

1 page single spaced or 2 pages double spaced

.

How do you write a 1000 word essay in 2 hours?

Is a 2000 word essay long?

2,000 words is

4 pages single spaced, 8 pages double spaced

. 2,500 words is 5 pages single spaced, 10 pages double spaced.

Does Harvard use Common App?


You are welcome to apply to Harvard using the Common Application or the Coalition Application

. The Common Application will open on August 1 for applicants to start completing their application. The Coalition Application is being developed in partnership with Scoir/Technolutions for the 2022-23 application cycle.

What happens if I go over the word limit?

What happens if you go over the word count at university?

Overlong essays will be penalised according to the following rule:

1% of the maximum obtainable mark will be deducted for every 100 words, or part thereof, over the word limit

. So, exceeding the word limit by 1-100 words incurs a deduction of 1%; exceeding by 101- 200 words incurs a deduction of 2%; and so on.

Can you go over 500 words in a personal statement?

Normally, the length of a personal statement will be dictated by the application—

500 words or 800 words are typical limits

, as are one-page or two-page limits.

Does word count matter for college essays?

Overall,

it's best to stay within the word count limit or range

— it's provided for a reason! Writing too much will likely result in your essay being cut off, and writing too little may cause readers to think that you aren't truly interested in their school. If no range is given, remember to stick to 400-600 words.

Sophia Kim
Author
Sophia Kim
Sophia Kim is a food writer with a passion for cooking and entertaining. She has worked in various restaurants and catering companies, and has written for several food publications. Sophia's expertise in cooking and entertaining will help you create memorable meals and events.