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How Long Should a College Essay Be? 

College application essays typically fall within the range of 500 to 650 words. When writing, you should remember that a college essay should be as long as it needs to be. What do I mean by that? It means that you should consider what type of impression or message you want to deliver and write and revise your essay to make sure the intention is achieved. Sometimes, that may mean going over the word count a little. Other times, it may mean stopping even when there are still words to spare. 


Most college admission officers would not penalize for going slightly over the word count. However, you should definitely take into account prompt instructions and word count guidelines when writing a college essay. 


Female college student writing in a notebook.

How are you applying: Through a standardized portal or university application system?

Many factors influence what is required by the prompt or instructions of the essay, and this varies depending on the university to which you are applying. A student can choose either to apply through one of the standard application portals or directly through the individual university they are applying to. 


 In general, the most common word count for a college essay or personal statement is 500 words. There are three standardized application systems: the Common App, the Universal App, and the Coalition App. 


All three of them have a word count limit of 650 words for your personal statements. You need to take heed of such a limit because if you go beyond it, the system deletes or cuts off any extra writing. Individual universities are somewhat more flexible. They provide guidelines for the word limit, but are not as strict when enforcing it. So what does this mean for you? 

Get in touch for help in editing your college essay 

Focus on content quality for your college essay, not word count

The most important thing when writing a college essay or personal statement is quality, not word count. You should focus on ensuring that your personal statement demonstrates that you have the passion, dedication, and discipline that make you a fit for a position in your dream school. This means it may not hurt to go over your word count by a few words, as long as your essay makes an effective impression on college admission officers. 


Nevertheless, you should not take this idea too far. If the word count calls for 500 words, writing a 600-word essay may make you come across as someone who doesn’t follow instructions. Alternatively, don’t feel that you need to pad out your essay after writing a personal statement that already feels complete. 


There are instances where you feel your essay is as long as it needs to be, but it still goes over the word count. In this case, you should think of employing professional college application services or getting assistance or advice from your high school English teacher or other members of your community and social circle with experience in writing college application essays. 

Cite this EminentEdit article

Antoine, M. (2026, January 02). How Long Should a College Essay Be? EminentEdit. https://www.eminentediting.com/post/how-long-should-a-college-essay-be


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