How long should my college essay be?
The good news is that colleges and the application systems they use will usually give you specific word count maximums. The most popular college application systems, like the Common Application and Coalition Application, will give you a maximum of 650 words for your main personal statement, and typically less than that for school-specific . Other systems will usually specify the maximum word count—the are 350 max, for example. If they don’t specify this clearly in the application systems or on their website (and be sure to do some research), you can email them to ask! They don’t bite.
Sometimes students pick the hardest challenge they’ve been through and try to make it sound worse than it actually was. Beware of pushing yourself to write about a challenge merely because you think these types of essays are inherently “better.” Focusing myopically on one experience can sideline other brilliant and beautiful elements of your character.
There are also some applications or supplementals with recommended word counts or lengths. For example, Georgetown says things like “approx. 1 page,” and UChicago doesn’t have a limit, but recommends aiming for 650ish for the extended essay, and 250-500 for the “Why us?”
How (and why) to outline your college essay to use a good structure
Although there are often no strict word limits for college essays, most essays are shorter rather than longer. Common App, which students can use to submit to multiple colleges, suggests that essays stay at about 650 words.
Personal statements are not English essays. They don’t need to be 5 paragraphs with a clear, argumentative thesis in the beginning and a conclusion that sums everything up. So feel free to break from that. How many paragraphs are appropriate for a college essay? Within reason, it’s up to you. We’ve seen that use 4 paragraphs, and some that use 8 or more (especially if you have dialogue—yes, dialogue is OK too!).
Well-known examples from movies include “training” montages, like those from Mulan, Rocky, or Footloose, or the “falling in love” montage from most romantic comedies. Or remember the opening to the Pixar movie Up? In just a few minutes, we learn the entire history of Carl and Ellie’s relationship. One purpose is to communicate a lot of information fast. Another is to allow you to share a lot of different kinds of information, as the example essay below shows.
Either. Just be consistent. The exception here is if you’re pasting into a box that screws up your formatting—for example, if, when you copy your essay into the box, your indentations are removed, go with paragraph breaks. (And when you get to college, be sure to check what style guide you should be following: Chicago, APA, MLA, etc., can all take different approaches to formatting, and different fields have different standards.)
Crafting an Unforgettable College Essay - The Princeton Review
The average length of a personal essay for college is 400─600 words. Always read the prompt. Follow the instructions provided in the application.
How to Write a Personal Statement for College: 6 Tips · 1
Your essay should tell college admissions officers something new. Whatever you write in your essay should be in philosophical alignment with the rest of your application.
Writing a strong college admissions essay (video) - Khan Academy
Read the prompt and essay instructions thoroughly to learn how to start off a college essay. Some colleges provide guidance about formatting. If not, the best course of action is to stick with a college standard like the MLA format.
How to write the best college application essay - Quora
Good topics when writing college essays include personal achievements, meaningful lessons, life-changing challenges, and situations that fostered personal growth. It's best to avoid anything too intimate or controversial. You want to open up, but it's not a good idea to go overboard or alienate members of the admissions panel.
How to Write the Best College Application Essay - BigFuture
I am going to be a junior this year and was wondering if anyone had any good advice on writing college essays. I have no idea where to start and was looking for some help or guidance. I am looking to maybe go into business I don't know if that makes any difference but I am also not so sure if that is what I want to do.
How to Write a Personal Essay for Your College Application
We’ve all heard about the dreaded “college essay,” the bane of every high school senior’s existence. This daunting element of the college application is something that can create angst for even the most accomplished students.
College Essay Tips + Writing your Best College Essay - YouTube
Hi sunnyfish001! I'm a senior in high school and in my English class, we are practicing writing our college essays. A few things that my teacher stressed is to be YOURSELF! Don't write what you think the admissions office would want to hear. Don't write about anything that is already on your transcripts or anything that they have may have already seen. With an approximate 650 word limit you won’t have space to reveal everything about yourself, but you will have an opportunity to highlight a slice of who you are. You want that slice to be interesting and engaging. College admission counselors want to know how well you write, but they also want to know about your thought process, values, preferences and style. What you write about is as important as how well you write it. It is the only opportunity you have to tell the application committee a little about yourself, your values, your enthusiasm, your creativity, and your writing ability. Assume that they have already looked at your grades, your recommendations, your resume, your application itself—they read the essay last. And finally, make sure to answer the essay question and not get off-topic. I don't know if it may be different in a business school college app, but that should apply for almost all essays. Hope this helps. Good luck!!