Writing College Application Essays: 5 More Ways to Handle the 500 Word Limit

It’s been quite an essay-writing season. The 2011 Common Application capped its personal essay at 500 words, and more than a few of my students struggled with that length. After all, how do you say everything you want to say in only 500 words?  That’s a fair question.

Don’t be discouraged. It can be done.

1. Don’t Choose a Topic that’s Too Big

This is perhaps the most important thing to remember. If you write about your entire summer vacation, or an idea or event that’s going to take 3 paragraphs just to explain, you’re in trouble before you begin.

2. Write About a Moment

If you can find a moment — something that happened in a brief period – you can be well on your way to tackling the 500 word limit.

For example, I had a student tell me about playing catch with his brother. He started out helping him improve his baseball skills, but then he found it drew them together as brothers. He used that game of catch — that moment in time — to write about their friendship.

I also had a student who babysat for children who wanted to play video games instead of using their imaginations. Using her imagination was very important to her, so she used that night of babysitting as her jumping off point to write her Common Application essay. It was her moment in time.

Moments can be easily related in 500 words.

If you want more examples,  I’ve written more about moments in an earlier blogpost.

3. Write about an Idea

What do you love? What is it about you that makes you different, interesting, or unique?

Let’s say you love music. Why? What does it do for you? How does it shape who you are or how you see yourself in the world?  Use the IDEA to craft an essay.

Connecticut College has a great page called “Essays that Worked.”  On it are different Common App essays from admitted students, including a couple of examples of how students write about an “idea.” One student writes about why she doesn’t watch television, another writes about why she’s so comfortable when she’s curled up. While these essays are over 500 words (they were submitted before the new limit), an idea can definitely be tackled in 500 words or less.

4. Leave time to Edit!

I can’t stress this enough — leave enough time to edit your work. If you’re long and you don’t know what to do, ask an adult who has good writing skills to help you. But you can’t finish at 11 pm before your deadline and expect to edit your essay.

• Well-edited essays are stronger, clearer, and easier to read.
• Editing shows you took the time to review and polish your work.
• Impress your college reader. Edit.
  

5. Does the Common Application Essay Need to be 500 Words???

This is a great question, and one that’s being answered in different ways. The Common Application says they expect students to adhere to the limit. I’ve talked to admissions counselors who say that going over a little isn’t going to hurt anyone. Others say that if you’re over it doesn’t say good things about you being able to follow directions.

Here’s what I have to say:

1. If you want your Common Application essay to be more than a few words over the limit, contact the admissions counselors at the schools you’re applying to. They’re the only ones who can give you a definite answer.

2. Boring is boring, no matter how long or short it is. So be interesting, be yourself, and write a wonderful, 500 word essay.