According to DoMyEssay ( a service where you can send the request “write me an essay online“), a professional paper writing service, essays are the least favorite assignment among students. That sounds about right, considering that the task is tedious and requires thorough research and a lot of time to complete. However, a strong essay is what can make all the difference when you apply for college.
College essays, also known as personal statements, are an essential part of the application process. Your academic accomplishments can be conveyed through transcripts and SAT scores, but it doesn’t speak to your character as a person. This is why a well-written essay can play a tremendous role in the admissions process.
However, students often wonder how long their college essays should be. It is a pertinent concern because you don’t want to bore the admissions committee with long-winded essays. But, on the other hand, you don’t want your college essay to be so brief as to leave out important details.
Can a college essay be 700 words? Well, as is often the case, there are some important caveats to this question before it can be answered. Not every college will have the same word count requirements, neither would they all allow you to choose your own word count. Let’s explore some of the important points one should consider when deciding on the word count.
In this Article
Does the College Have a Specific Word Limit?
The first and foremost thing you should pay attention to is whether the college you are applying to has specified a word limit. It is not uncommon for colleges to provide a page limit for application essays. However, in most cases, they go by word count.
If you are unsure whether the college has such a requirement or not, it is always best to ask. Commonly, if such a stipulation exists, you will come across it when filling out the application.
Let’s assume the college has specified the essay’s word count to be 500 words, which is a common number. In such a case, you should never exceed the word limit and even try to stay below it by 20-30 words if you can. However, if you feel like you need the full 500 words to convey your message, there is no problem. Just make sure you make the words count and don’t add meaningless details and cliches.
Most colleges will provide all the relevant information regarding the essay on their website. For example, the University of Illinois has a whole page dedicated to their application essay.
Can You Exceed the Word Limit by a Couple of Words?
I don’t think there should be much of a problem if you exceed the word limit by a few words. Is it ideal? No. However, at the same time, it isn’t a serious crime either. The important thing is that you don’t ramble on for multiple sentences, as that wouldn’t bode well with whoever is reading the essay.
You have to understand that admissions committees receive thousands of applications each year. They wouldn’t exactly be too excited when everyone exceeds the word limit by 50, 100 or more words.
Why is it important not to exceed the word limit? Because college essays are more or less your first chance to make an impression. Doing so is hard enough in person, but when you are limited to writing, you cannot take chances and disobey the instructions. It wouldn’t reflect well on your character that you didn’t follow simple instructions.
Moreover, if you go over the word limit by a significant amount, the reader may simply stop reading, which isn’t good either.
Hence, it’s best not to exceed the prescribed word limit and if you have to, make sure it’s only a couple of words.
Can a College Essay be 700 Words?
Now that we have covered what to do when a word count is specified, we can look into this question. Firstly, many colleges don’t provide any specific instruction regarding the word count of your essay. Therefore, it may be stressful if you are applying to such a college since this leaves you with so many options.
Having said that, a good thumb of rule is to restrict your essay to a 500-700 word limit. In other words, yes, a college essay can be 700 words long only when a word count is not specified.
Moreover, in some instances, you would have to abide by a specific page limit. If this is the case, don’t worry about the word count and just write until you are done. If you exceed the page limit, reread the essay and make slight amendments until it fits.
What if There is a Paragraph limit with No Mention of a Word Count?
Again, different colleges have different requirements, and paragraph limits aren’t unheard of. However, the problem arises when there is no instruction on how long the paragraphs should be. For example, consider the following essay prompt from Wellesley College:
“When choosing a college community, you are choosing a place where you believe that you can live, learn, and flourish. Generations of inspiring women have thrived in the Wellesley community, and we want to know what aspects of this community inspire you to consider Wellesley. We know that there are more than 100 reasons to choose Wellesley, but the “Wellesley 100” is a good place to start. Visit The Wellesley 100 and let us know, in two well-developed paragraphs, which two items most attract, inspire, or energize you and why. (Not-so-secret tip: The “why” matters to us.)”
See how there is no mention of how long the paragraphs should be? “two well-developed paragraphs” doesn’t exactly give you much of an idea. It can mean anything. After all, it’s a subjective matter.
If you find yourself in this situation, the best thing to do is not exceed 200-250 words per paragraph. A total of 500 words is plenty for two paragraphs, but anything exceeding that, may appear needlessly lengthy.
What to do if You Can’t Find Any Guidelines?
If you have looked everywhere and cannot find any instructions regarding the word count, call the admissions office. While they may not give you an exact number, they might tell you how long their application essays generally are. However, If you still find no help, then simply stick to the 500-700 range.