college essay limit word

In general, around 500 words is a pretty safe approximate word amount for a college essay—it's one of the most common word limits, after all! Here's guidance for special cases and hunting down word limits:

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay. You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely.

Are College Essay Word Limits Hard? For best results, keep your essays within the word range provided. While you don’t have to hit the count exactly, you should aim to stay within a 10% difference of the upper limit—without including fluff or filler.

Here’s a simple answer: most personal statements written for college admissions are somewhere between 450-650 words, with 650 being the maximum word count for the Common App, the most frequently used platform.

When a college provides you with a wide word count range, it’s best to take advantage of the upper word count limit. For example, if a college asks for an essay between 250-500 words, you should aim to craft a response that’s at least 400-450 words.

College applications require a short personal essay to express your interests and motivations. This generally has a strict word limit. The length and content of essay assignments in college varies depending on the institution, department, course level, and syllabus.

The 2019-20 version of the Common Application has an essay length limit of 650 words and a minimum length of 250 words. This limit has remained unchanged for the past several years. Learn how important this word limit is and how to make the most of your 650 words.

Undergraduate college essay length typically ranges from 400 to 650 words, although some institutions may specify shorter or longer limits. The essay aims to provide admissions officers with insight into the applicant's character, values, and potential contributions to the campus community.

Most colleges have a word limit for their required essays, like the Common Application essay, which has a limit of 650 words. Generally, it's a good idea to aim for around 500 to 650 words, as it provides enough space for you to share your thoughts and experiences in a meaningful way.

For the most part, colleges tell you exactly how long your college essays should be, but what happens when they don’t? In this article, we will go over the reason behind word limits and what to do if a college you’re applying to does not provide a word limit. Why is there a word limit?