I heard from some seniors at my school that you can go over the Common App personal essay word limit and that it's not a hard cap. Is that actually true, or should I be strictly adhering to the limit? I tend to be a bit wordy and don't want to cut anything crucial. Does anyone know how strictly this is enforced?
The Common Application has a strict word limit of 650 words for the personal essay, and it's important to stick to it. The online platform actually prevents you from submitting an essay that exceeds the limit, so you'll be forced to edit down if you've written more.
Admissions officers have to read thousands of essays; they appreciate conciseness and the ability to communicate ideas efficiently. In fact, disregarding the word limit could be seen as not following directions, which certainly isn't a good impression to make.
You'll have to be selective about what to include in your essay and cut the fluff—stick to your most powerful points. If you find that essential elements are being left out as you trim your essay, you may need to refocus the scope of your writing. The best essays often zero in on a particular story or aspect of your personality and expand from there, rather than trying to cover too much ground.
A helpful strategy during editing is to look for sentences or details that may be interesting but don't directly contribute to the core message you're trying to convey. Also, check for redundancy, excessive adjectives, or any digressions, as these tend to add unnecessary word count. You can also utilize CollegeVine's Essay Review feature to hire an expert to help you cut your word count.
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