Figuring out your college essay can be one of the most difficult parts of applying to college. Even once you've read the prompt and picked a topic, you might wonder: if you write too much or too little, will you blow your chance of admission? How long should a college essay be? Whether you're a terse writer or a loquacious one, we can advise you on college essay length. In this guide, we'll cover what the standard college essay length is, how much word limits matter, and what to do if you aren't sure how long a specific essay should be. You might be used to turning in your writing assignments on a page-limit basis (for example, a 10-page paper). While some colleges provide page limits for their college essays, most use a word limit instead. This makes sure there's a standard length for all the essays that a college receives, regardless of formatting or font. In the simplest terms, your college essay should be pretty close to, but not exceeding, the word limit in length. Think within 50 words as the lower bound, with the word limit as the upper bound. So for a 500-word limit essay, try to get somewhere between 450-500 words. If they give you a range, stay within that range. College essay prompts usually provide the word limit right in the prompt or in the instructions. For example, the University of Illinois says: "You'll answer two to three prompts as part of your application. The questions you'll answer will depend on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program, and if you've selected a second choice. Each response should be approximately 150 words." As exemplified by the University of Illinois, the shortest word limits for college essays are usually around 150 words (less than half a single-spaced page). Rarely will you see a word limit higher than around 650 words (over one single-spaced page). College essays are usually pretty short: between 150 and 650 words. Admissions officers have to read a lot of them, after all! Weigh your words carefully, because they are limited! But how flexible is the word limit? What if your poignant anecdote is just 10 words too long—or 100 too short? If you are attaching a document and you need one or two extra words, you can probably get away with exceeding the word limit by such a small amount. Some colleges will actually tell you that exceeding the word limit by 1-2 words is fine. However, I advise against exceeding the word limit unless it's explicitly allowed for a few reasons: First, you might not be able to. If you have to copy-paste it into a text box, your essay might get cut off and you'll have to trim down anyways. If you exceed the word limit in a noticeable way, the admissions counselor may just stop reading your essay past that point. This is not good for you.
How Long Is a College Essay? First, Check the Word Limit
How Flexible Is the Word Limit?
Can I Go Over the Word Limit?
Following directions is actually a very important part of the college application process. You need to follow directions to get your letters of recommendation, upload your essays, send supplemental materials, get your test scores sent, and so on and so forth. So it's just a good general rule to follow whatever instructions you've been given by the institution. Better safe than sorry!
Can I Go Under the Word Limit?
If you can truly get your point across well beneath the word limit, it's probably fine. Brevity is not necessarily a bad thing in writing just so long as you are clear, cogent, and communicate what you want to.
However, most college essays have pretty tight word limits anyways. So if you're writing 300 words for an essay with a 500-word limit, ask yourself: is there anything more you could say to elaborate on or support your points? Consult with a parent, friend, or teacher on where you could elaborate with more detail or expand your points.
Also, if the college gives you a word range, you absolutely need to at least hit the bottom end of the range. So if you get a range from the institution, like 400-500 words, you need to write at least 400 words. If you write less, it will come across like you have nothing to say, which is not an impression you want to give.
Don't let this sinister hand stop you from writing everything you have to say!
What If There Is No Word Limit?
Some colleges don't give you a word limit for one or more of your essay prompts. This can be a little stressful, but the prompts generally fall into a few categories:
Writing Sample
Some colleges don't provide a hard-and-fast word limit because they want a writing sample from one of your classes. In this case, a word limit would be very limiting to you in terms of which assignments you could select from.
For an example of this kind of prompt, check out essay Option B at Amherst:
"Submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay."
While there is usually no word limit per se, colleges sometimes provide a general page guideline for writing samples. In the FAQ for Option B, Amherst clarifies, "There is no hard-and-fast rule for official page limit. Typically, we anticipate a paper of 4-5 pages will provide adequate length to demonstrate your analytical abilities. Somewhat longer papers can also be submitted, but in most cases should not exceed 8-10 pages."
So even though there's no word limit, they'd like somewhere in the 4-10 pages range. High school students are not usually writing papers that are longer than 10 pages anyways, so that isn't very limiting.
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Implicit Length Guideline
Sometimes, while there's no word (or even page) limit, there's still an implicit length guideline. What do I mean by this?
See, for example, this Wellesley supplemental essay prompt:
"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.)"
There's no page or word limit here, but it does say to respond "in two well-developed paragraphs." This gives you an idea of what's reasonable. "Well-developed" certainly means the paragraphs can be long, but even two long paragraphs shouldn't exceed 500 words or so. That's what I mean by an "implicit" word limit—there is a reasonable length you could go to within the boundaries of the prompt.
But what's the proper coffee-to-paragraph ratio?
Treasure Hunt
There is also the classic "treasure hunt" prompt. No, it's not a prompt about a treasure hunt. It's a prompt where there are no length guidelines given, but if you hunt around on the rest of the website you can find length guidelines.
For example, the University of Chicago provides six "Extended Essay" prompts.You must write an essay in response to one prompt of your choosing, but nowhere on the page is there any guidance about word count or page limit.
However, many colleges provide additional details about their expectations for application materials, including essays, on FAQ pages, which is true of the University of Chicago. On the school’s admissions Frequently Asked Questions page, they provide the following length guidelines for the supplemental essays:
“We suggest that you note any word limits for Coalition or Common Application essays; however, there are no strict word limits on the UChicago Supplement essays. For the extended essay (where you choose one of several prompts), we suggest that you aim for around 650 words. While we won't, as a rule, stop reading after 650 words, we're only human and cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention indefinitely. For the “Why UChicago?” essay, we suggest about 250-500 words. The ideas in your writing matter more than the exact number of words you use!”
So there you go! You want to be (loosely) in the realm of 650 for the extended essay, and 250-500 words for the “Why UChicago?” essay.
Help! There Really Is No Guidance on Length
If you really can't find any length guidelines anywhere on the admissions website and you're at a loss, I advise calling the admissions office. They may not be able to give you an exact number (in fact, they probably won't), but they will probably at least be able to tell you how long most of the essays they see are. (And keep you from writing a panicked, 20-page dissertation about your relationship with your dog).
In general, 500 words or so is pretty safe for a college essay. It's a fairly standard word limit length, in fact. (And if you're wondering, that's about a page and a half double-spaced.) 500 words is long enough to develop a basic idea while still getting a point across quickly—important when admissions counselors have thousands of essays to read!
"See? It says 500 words right there in tiny font!"
The Final Word: How Long Should a College Essay Be?
The best college essay length is usually pretty straightforward: you want to be right under or at the provided word limit. If you go substantially past the word limit, you risk having your essay cut off by an online application form or having the admissions officer just not finish it. And if you're too far under the word limit, you may not be elaborating enough.
What if there is no word limit? Then how long should a college essay be? In general, around 500 words is a pretty safe approximate word amount for a college essay—it's one of the most common word limits, after all!
Here's guidance for special cases and hunting down word limits:
If it's a writing sample of your graded academic work, the length either doesn't matter or there should be some loose page guidelines.
There also may be implicit length guidelines. For example, if a prompt says to write three paragraphs, you'll know that writing six sentences is definitely too short, and two single-spaced pages is definitely too long.
You might not be able to find length guidelines in the prompt, but you could still hunt them up elsewhere on the website. Try checking FAQs or googling your chosen school name with "admissions essay word limit."
If there really is no word limit, you can call the school to try to get some guidance.
With this advice, you can be sure you've got the right college essay length on lockdown!
Hey, writing about yourself can even be fun!
What's Next?
Need to ask a teacher or friend for help with your essay? See our do's and dont's to getting college essay advice.
If you're lacking in essay inspiration, see our guide to brainstorming college essay ideas. And here's our guide to starting out your essay perfectly!
Looking for college essay examples? See 11 places to find college essay examples and 145 essay examples with analysis!
Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:
Ellen McCammon
About the Author
Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.
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FAQs
What is the ideal length for college essay? ›
The primary essay for your college application, often called a personal statement, is typically around 400-600 words. The Common App personal statement — which is used as the primary application essay by more than 800 colleges — must be 250-650 words.
Is 900 words too long for a college essay? ›Even if you aren't filling out the Common App, most college essays set word limits around 500-750 words. In the rare case there is no established word limit, most experts recommend not exceeding 900 words for a college essay.
Is 1000 words too long for a college essay? ›Is 1000 words too long for a college essay? Yes, we don't think that college students will ever need to write such long essays. The average college essay word count is 550-650 words, whereas minimun length is 150 words.
Is 300 words too short for a college essay? ›The Common App essay requires you write between 250 and 650 words. Hitting the maximum is great, but make sure not to settle at the minimum. For all college admission essays, it's best to come as close to the maximum as you can, as long as you're not filling space with meaningless sentences.
How long is a Harvard college essay? ›Conclusion: Writing the Harvard Supplemental Essays
You'll answer two required questions with a 150-word limit, as well as an optional essay. The optional essay has no limit, but it's best to write around 500-700 words. You're given nine topic options, one of which is “a topic of your choice.”
You don't need to hit the maximum length, but your essay should be well over half the word count. College essays or personal statements are an opportunity for a college admissions committee to hear directly from you. It's valuable space.
Do college essays need a title? ›You don't need a title for your college admissions essay, but you can include one if you think it adds something important.
Is 100 words too long for a college essay? ›Rarely will you see a word limit higher than around 650 words (over one single-spaced page). College essays are usually pretty short: between 150 and 650 words. Admissions officers have to read a lot of them, after all! Weigh your words carefully, because they are limited!
Can I write a 1500 word essay in 4 hours? ›Writing 1,500 words will take about 37.5 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 1.3 hours for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 5 hours.
How do I shorten my college essay? ›- Eliminate adverbs. ...
- Use adjectives sparingly. ...
- Omit unnecessary transition words. ...
- Replace helping (auxiliary) verbs and use a stronger verb.
- Turn some nouns into verbs.
- Turn a passive sentence into an active sentence.
- Use contractions.
- Eliminate most of your thats.
How long does it take to write a 2000 word college essay? ›
It takes about 6 hours and 40 minutes to write a 2,000 word essay. How long does it take to write a 2,500 word essay? It takes about 8 hours and 20 minutes to write a 2,500 word essay.
Do colleges look at word count? ›Revised on August 17, 2022. Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit. If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.
Is 500 words long enough for an essay? ›500 words is about 2.5-5 paragraphs for essays or 5-10 for easier reading (to allow skimming). A paragraph length typically has 100-200 words and 5-6 sentences.
Is 700 words too long for a college essay? ›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.
How long should an Ivy League essay be? ›In addition to the essay you have written for the Common Application, please write an essay of about 500 words (no more than 650 words and no fewer than 250 words).
How long are Stanford essays? ›There is a 100-word minimum and a 250-word maximum for each essay. The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning. Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus.
How long are Cornell essays? ›Instructions: All applicants are required to write two supplemental essays. Each has a limit of 250 words. Essay 1 is required of all applicants. For Essay 2, you must choose between Question A and Question B.
What not to do on a college essay? ›- Inappropriate Topics.
- A Rehash of Your Activities List and Transcripts.
- Relationships, Romance, and Breakups.
- Writing About Your Hero.
- The Sports Story.
- Tragedies.
- Highly Personal Topics.
- Controversial Topics: Politics, Religion, and More.
Controversial topics, such as current political hot buttons, should be avoided at all costs. These topics might provide you with a subject you feel strongly about, but your college essay isn't the time to focus on something that's highly sensitive or polarizing.
Can I say I in a college essay? ›Not only is it fine to make “I” statements in your application essays, but colleges expect your essays to sound like you, too! Always be yourself in your application, not the candidate you think admissions committees want to see.
What are 5 tips for writing a good college essay? ›
- Write about something that's important to you. ...
- Don't just recount—reflect! ...
- Being funny is tough. ...
- Start early and write several drafts. ...
- No repeats. ...
- Answer the question being asked. ...
- Have at least one other person edit your essay.
- You've written multiple drafts. Assessing the quality of your essay by the number of drafts you have written is a crude evaluation. ...
- Meaningful character growth. ...
- Tasty, descriptive language. ...
- Spotless grammar.
First, writing is inherently difficult. Even for the best writers, putting thoughts down on paper in a cogent, coherent way takes a lot of energy, patience and time. Second, as I mentioned earlier, the college essay requires a completely different sort of writing than most high school students are used to.
Can I swear in my college essay? ›Avoid swearing in a college essay, since admissions officers' opinions of profanity will vary. In some cases, it might be okay to use a vulgar word, such as in dialogue or quotes that make an important point in your essay. However, it's safest to try to make the same point without swearing.
Should college essay be double spaced? ›Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.
Do college essays really matter? ›Even if the rest of your profile makes you a top candidate for competitive colleges, your essay always matters. In fact, your essay could end up hurting an application for an otherwise strong candidate if it appears hastily written or not well thought-out.
How many paragraphs is a college essay? ›There is no set number of paragraphs in a college admissions essay. College admissions essays can diverge from the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in English class. Just make sure to stay under the specified word count.
How long does it take to write a 1200 word college essay? ›Writing 1,200 words will take about 30 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 1 hours for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 4 hours.
Do UC essays have to be 350 words? ›You will have 8 questions to choose from. You must respond to only 4 of the 8 questions. Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.
Can I write a 3000 word essay in a day? ›Writing 3,000 words can take anywhere between six and 24 hours depending on the topic. But, with our tips, you can easily get the essay done within a day. Get your head down and you could meet the deadline, and even produce an essay you're proud of.
Can you write a 2000 word essay in 1 hour? ›
With fast typing speeds, use of shortcuts and a comfortable keyboard, it is theoretically possible to write 2,000 words in under an hour. This is based on a typing speed of 50 words per minute and allowing for several pauses to think.
Can you write a 2000 word essay in an hour? ›Writing 2,000 words will take about 50 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 1.7 hours for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 6.7 hours.
What do you say at the end of a college essay? ›The end of your college essay should be strong, clear, and impactful. You can talk about your future goals, end in a moment of action, what you've learned, or go full circle. Whatever method you choose, make sure to avoid summarizing your essay.
How do you end a college essay gracefully? ›Ending on an action can be a strong way to wrap up your essay. That might mean including a literal action, dialogue, or continuation of the story. These endings leave the reader wanting more rather than wishing the essay had ended sooner. They're interesting and can help you avoid boring your reader.
What is considered a short essay in college? ›Short essays usually involve answering a question related to course content and could be anywhere from 200 words to 750 words long, depending on the professor's guidelines.
Can I write 2500 words in 3 days? ›That averages out to about five pages. How long it takes to write that much depends on your experience, but you should be able to write a 2,500 word essay in three days. I can whip up a five pages paper in a few hours if necessary. It won't be particularly good, but it would be adequate and get the job done.
Can you write an essay in a week? ›Good writing takes time, planning, deep thinking, and revision. While one week is enough time to write most high school and college essays, some advanced research papers require more time.
Can you write 1,000 words in an hour? ›In most cases, yes! The average writing speed by hand is around 20 words per minute. And the average for typing is usually double at 40 words per minute. Following this logic, it should take 25 minutes for the average person to type out 1000 words.
What happens if your college essay is over the word limit? ›Being over the word limit on your college essay is a great problem to have. All writing requires revision, and almost all revision entails condensing.
Do colleges care if you read? ›Colleges not only care that you read, they also care what you are reading as well as what you have learned from the experience. These concerns play out in many different ways in the admissions process, and the most successful applicants are often those who set aside time in their busy schedules to read.
How long is a college essay Common App? ›
The Common App essay word count range is 250-650 words. But just how long should your statement be? Admissions Blog advises aiming for around 500 words.
How long does a 750 word essay look like? ›A word count of 750 words will equal about 1.5 pages single spaced or 3 pages double spaced.
Is writing a 1000 word essay long? ›As a rule of thumb, 250 words could fill a standard, double-spaced page. A 1000-word long content or essay is generally not considered long. Writing a 1000-word piece may take you two hours to a couple of days to complete.
How long is the average college paper? ›| Type of essay | Average word count range |
|---|---|
| High school essay | 300–1000 words |
| College admission essay | 200–650 words |
| Undergraduate college essay | 1500–5000 words |
| Graduate school admission essay | 500–1000 words |
Overall, it's best to stay within the word count limit or range — it's provided for a reason! Writing too much will likely result in your essay being cut off, and writing too little may cause readers to think that you aren't truly interested in their school. If no range is given, remember to stick to 400-600 words.
Is 800 words too much for a college essay? ›Rarely will you see a word limit higher than around 650 words (over one single-spaced page). College essays are usually pretty short: between 150 and 650 words. Admissions officers have to read a lot of them, after all! Weigh your words carefully, because they are limited!
Can my college essay be longer than 650 words? ›The online application won't accept essays that are below 250 words or over 650 words. Your essay must stay within the word count limit. So what should you aim for? The ideal word count for your Common App essay is between 500 and 650 words.
Is a 4 paragraph essay acceptable in college? ›Mostly used in school institutions, the 4 paragraph essay has a proper format, which enables most writers to show their ideas appropriately. The four-paragraph essay is a format, which is accepted for the different types of essays, including the contrast essays, comparing essays, and effect and cause essays.
Is 1000 word essay a lot? ›1,000 words is actually a relatively short piece. A dissertation would usually be in the region of 12,000 words, and university assignments can stretch to essays of 5,000 words.
Can I write a 700 word essay in an hour? ›Writing 700 words will take about 17.5 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 35 minutes for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 2.3 hours.
What do colleges look for in Common App essay? ›
Colleges look for three things in your admission essay: a unique perspective, strong writing, and an authentic voice. People in admissions often say that a great essay is one where it feels like the student is right there in the room, talking authentically to the admissions committee!
What is the shortest a college essay can be? ›The shortest word limits for college essays are generally around 200 words, less than half a single-spaced page. Seldom will you see a word limit higher than about 600 words which are over one single-spaced page. College essays, most of the time, are always short: between 200 and 650 words.
What should you not do in a college essay? ›- Never rehash your academic and extracurricular accomplishments.
- Never write about a "topic"
- Never start with a preamble.
- Never end with a “happily ever after” conclusion.
- Never pontificate.
- Never retreat into your thoughts.
- Never hold back.
- Inappropriate Topics.
- A Rehash of Your Activities List and Transcripts.
- Relationships, Romance, and Breakups.
- Writing About Your Hero.
- The Sports Story.
- Tragedies.
- Highly Personal Topics.
- Controversial Topics: Politics, Religion, and More.
It is better to not use “you” in formal writing or speaking. In academic or college writing, most formal essays and research reports use third person pronouns and do not use “I” or “you.”