Personal Statement word count using microsoft word or notepad?

[archonsbk]

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Hey,

I finished my personal statement and it is like 5500 characters according to microsoft word.
I believe that you have to use notepad or microsoft word for AADSAS application.
I downloaded the notepad from this website http://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/v6.5.3.html
Is this the right one? I have never used notepad and just want to make sure my personal statement is under 4500 characters...
Let me know!

 

[Glimmer1991]

You don't use either of these programs... You just copy and paste your statement into a text box.

The word count should be the same on either program. It has to be 4500 characters or less, including spaces.

 

[gnleff]

Two pages single spaced in Microsoft word is generally the way to go.

 

[ModifiedBass]

..The number of characters is going to be the same regardless of what software you use. You can just copy/paste your statement from wherever into the application and edit the spacing, etc. in the provided space.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Two pages single spaced in Microsoft word is generally the way to go.

Isn't that way too much? I found that 4500 characters was closer to 1.25 pages in Microsoft word, single spaced.

 

[gnleff]

Isn't that way too much? I found that 4500 characters was closer to 1.25 pages in Microsoft word, single spaced.

I always thought that was the absolute limit on how long it should be. It'll be a tad shorter depending on how many paragraphs you have too. 🙂

 

[free99]

I always thought that was the absolute limit on how long it should be. It'll be a tad shorter depending on how many paragraphs you have too. 🙂

Oddly enough, I don't think page breaks were counted as characters in AADSAS. I might be misremembering, though.

 

[ModifiedBass]

Yes 4500 is the absolute limit. Two pages single spaced is much more than 4500 characters I believe. And free99, I think you're correct in that "enters" were not counted as characters. So when you are done with a paragraph, just enter and if you really want, use two spaces as an indent, don't waste 5-10 if you're running out of characters.

 

[gnleff]

Darn sorry for misleading everyone.

 

[Glimmer1991]

I didn't indent at all--I just had spaces between my paragraphs. Like GJMeig said, don't waste characters for this! Every little space counts.

 

[ktran17]

I did not indent either. When I tried doing that, it did not look very aesthetic. I just separated each of my paragraphs with a space.

Man, I'm starting to forget what I did last cycle. 😛..

 

[archonsbk]

I started with 5500 characters and now I have 5244 characters with the space according to the microsoft word 🙁 gotta narrow down more ahhhh!!

 

[Slumber]

I started with 5500 characters and now I have 5244 characters with the space according to the microsoft word 🙁 gotta narrow down more ahhhh!!

CUT CUT CUT!

 

[doc toothache]

I started with 5500 characters and now I have 5244 characters with the space according to the microsoft word 🙁 gotta narrow down more ahhhh!!

If you cannot say what you need to say in 4500 characters, it is unlikely that the additional 744 to 1000 characters will make a difference between acceptance and rejection.

 

[NMC2010]

I started with 5500 characters and now I have 5244 characters with the space according to the microsoft word 🙁 gotta narrow down more ahhhh!!

You can definitely cut some stuff out. When I finished mine, I made the mistake of thinking it was 4500 word count instead of 4500 character count (yay for reading). Had about 7100 characters, and was thinking, "wow, I wonder if it's OK that I only have 1200 words?" Was pretty surprised when it was too big to paste into AADSAS haha. I cut a bunch out and ended up at about 4300... you just need to be concise.