Writing my personal statement and not sure how much I need to write. What seems to be 'the norm' for the length of most college application essays? Are there guidelines on this or does it depend on the college?
As a general rule, the Common Application essay recommends a word count between 250 and 650 words. The online system won't let you submit anything under or over these limits. The prompt you choose to respond to will likely inform the length of your essay, since some questions might require a more thorough response than others.
It's important to note that there are other application platforms which may use different word limits. For example, the Coalition Application platform suggests an essay length of between 300 and 650 words.
In addition to the general personal statement, some colleges may also require supplemental essays. The length for these can widely vary from short answers of around 50-150 words, to longer responses around 250-500 words, depending on the prompt and the particular college.
The key is to make sure you're fully answering the prompt while keeping your writing concise and compelling. Avoid over-explaining or including unnecessary information. Ultimately, what matters most is not the exact word count, but the quality of your essay and the clarity with which you communicate your experiences and goals.
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