Back to Articles

How Long Should a College Essay Be? [Guide for Students]

2 May 2023 0 comment
how long should be a college essay

One of the most challenging parts of the college application is to figure out how to craft an impressive college essay. This is your ticket to success and every student wants to write a persuasive document to outshine the competitors. Some students have doubts: how long should a college essay be? What will happen if I write too few or too many words? Let’s dive right in and talk about the word count in more detail.

How Long Should a College Application Essay Be?

Before you begin crafting your transfer college essay you need to know the basic requirements of how to conduct this task. Some institutions provide strict demands so that you have to stick to them if you want to get accepted. Other colleges just advise or offer certain recommendations. The paragraphs length can also be different when it comes to essay writing.

The one thing you need to take into account is that your personal essay length really counts. Admissions officers read through dozens and hundreds of papers each day so their eyes are trained to notice the difference in the word count. And they certainly don’t want to waste their time reading a lengthy novel instead of a well-structured submission essay to a honored college or a simple application essay. You will definitely find a word range or a word count limit among other requirements given by the majority of institutions.

How long should a college essay be for apply Texas and why does it matter? If you find certain limits in the demands you need to stick to them. Writing fewer words can mean you don’t know what to tell the readers and can’t distinguish the strong points that will help you win the place. Writing too many words can mean you are going all over the place without concentrating on the main point of your writing. Crafting a short essay college scholarships is okay while a long one will inevitably be cut off. Some admissions counselors may even stop reading after the word count limit.

length of essay

Can I Write More Words?

The main rule for every student is to follow the guidelines and demands given by the college or the professor. The ability to stick to the rules and to follow the requirements is essential when you craft an essay on COVID-19 or when you need to write a college essay be for class or a personal statement. This skill is essential to being successful later in college and university and obtaining the highest grades.

What can you do if you go over the limit? Sometimes you may feel the urgent need to add a few extra words to the text to make it sound better. If this means adding one or two additional words to the text it can be alright. But some colleges will check it through the transfer college app essay such as the Common App, the Coalition App, and the Universal App. They are the common portals for applications.

When a college essay says it should be a page and a half, how long should it be? Personal statements should be submitted here and the general word count is 650. If you try to write more it will just cut off your text. Reasons for sticking to the word count given in the requirements:

  • As we’ve mentioned above, if you need to submit the text in the text box of special apps, they won’t allow you to insert over 650 words. So, you should rather trim your essay prior to submitting and think of better ways to express yourself.
  • The admissions officer may notice that you’ve written too many words. If you need to craft an essay about climate change you can write more words. But when you submit a personal statement and it goes far over the word count limit, the officer may just stop reading it past that point, which is not a good sign for your application.
  • Learn how to follow the guidelines. It’s a useful skill and it will be helpful for every student during the studying process. If you always follow the instructions of the institution or your lecturers, you won’t have problems with the education process.
recommendation about length of essay

How Long Should Be a College Essay: Personal Statement and Supplemental Essays?

A personal statement is considered to be the first paper you need to submit while applying to college. The general rule is to write between 400 and 600 words here. But if you write an immigration essay and include your story, it can be a little bit longer. Some apps and platforms offer a range of up to 650 words. Other colleges don’t check this paper through the text app and have their own unique requirements so it’s always better to learn about the rules mentioned by a college you are willing to enter.

How long should a paragraph be in a college essay? Don’t be too concerned about the actual word count. While it is necessary to follow the guidelines, writing a few extra or fewer words won’t affect the result. There are hardly admissions officers who will actually sit and count the words in every essay they receive. Many colleges also require to submit supplemental essays together with the personal statement.

About how long should a college essay be depends on the institution you apply to. The word count for supplemental essays can range between 250 and 700 words though certain institutions have unique demands. For instance, Standford asks to submit between 10 and 250 words. Experts recommend students to avoid unnecessary stress and not to worry if they are under or over by 10-15%.

Overall, learn about the requirements of a college you are applying to. Try your best to stick to the word count or the word range given to you for some reason. If the requirements don’t mention the actual word count, it’s better to write about 400-600 words in your paper. This will help you express your thoughts well enough and showcase your major strengths.


Author

Anna Rogers

Anna Rogers produced content for multiply social media platforms, collaborated with various journalists and write original articles and blog posts.

Related


Leave a comment