secondary essay length

[MacGFlow]

Hey everyone:

First, I'd just like to say that this site is awesome and everyone here rocks. Go you!

I have a quick question about secondary essays. I've been delaying the sending of my U Pitt secondary for about a month now because I'm lame and I've been very lax about answering their two secondary essays. My question is this: They clearly state a limit of 250 words per essay and I'm sorry to say that mine are both about 360 in length. Do you guys think this is a serious problem? I don't believe the essays will be cut if I send them as is...they seem to fit fine in the textbox. I just don't want them to think, "This guy can't even follow directions. Next!" Has anyone responded to essays in like manner and encountered difficulties or am I just stressing over nothing...like what Rush Limbaugh would have us believe about his little "tempest in a teapot."

Anyway, thanks so much.
Mac

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Md 2b In TN]

I ran into similar problems, not that they had a limit of word but the space provided on my SLU and USC supplementals was not large enough. I called each school and they said it was fine to type up an attachment (which is good because my penmanship is like greek) and send it with my sec. If yours are only 100 words over I don't think that is a big deal, I thnk what they are trying to avoid are people writing huge manuscripts on why they want to attend there.

 

[Sonya]

go to a writing center and have them help you cut it down.

But if you call them and they allow it longer, you can go on and submit it.

Sonya

 

[jlee9531]

yeah i wouldnt risk it...the last thing that you want to do is write more than what the adcoms are looking for since they have to read thousands of these....

im sure you can bite it down. thats the point of all those questions. to see if you can get a good answer in a limited amount of words.

 

[Paws]

I just finished my UPitt essays (whew !) and I was working really hard to polish them up so that they could fit into the 250 word space. I definitely think the schols are looking to see if we can follow directions, and basically jump thru hoops.

Still, after hours reworking these things, I feel pretty good about them and even proud of what I was able to say in the tiny space alotted.

So I recommend going back and just keep at it until you 1) say what you really want to say, and 2) can say it in the 250 words. Good words to cut are 'also, very,' and as many adjectives as you can. Ask yourself: can I say this in fewer words?

You can do it, but it's definitely some kind of test of our abilities ... (at least that's my feeling). I thought of mine like a mosaic, with only a certain amount of colors and spaces, somehow they gotta fit !

 

[UCIgrad2002]

Hey guys, gotta quick question. Did most of you fill out both reponses to the secondary essay questions for UPitt? I know the last one is "optional". I haven't formulated it yet because I was thinking about just sending a response to the first question, the required one. I think I should go ahead and answer the other optional question as well? Did you guys do the same? Thanks!

 

[docchick]

I'd try to cut the essay down to size. . .

I apologize for the length of this letter, but I didn't have time to make it shorter.
-- Mark Twain

Just my (and Mark Twian's) .02 cents

 

[AverageMan]

I wrote a response to the second "optional" question. As I recall, it was something I could re-hash from some other essay and wasn't so much of a bother. I got an interview too, but you can take from that what you will. As for the word count, I'd call them up to make sure how strict the word count it. Their application may automatically crop your essay down to 250 words, even though it won't say so outright. Maybe you could try organizing your essay so that if it gets cut at 250 words, it still forms a conherent and complete essay, and then have the extra 100 be icing.

 

[superk0725]

i just sent them my essya with about a 100 extra words. if they dont like that, too bad.