<p>Does anyone know if the “optional” Duke supplemental essay about community has a strict 250 word limit? Is it alright if mine is 300?
Thanks!</p>
<p>You can probably test it by pasting the text into the field from a text editor like Notepad. You can delete or edit it if you need after you see if it will accept over 250 words.</p>
<p>No, as you suggested the “community” essay is constrained to 250 words: <a href=“Apply - Duke Undergraduate Admissions”>Apply - Duke Undergraduate Admissions. Specifically. the instructions indicate: “Duke University seeks a talented, engaged student body that embodies the wide range of human experience; we believe that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. If you’d like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you’ve had to help us understand you better—perhaps related to a community you belong to, your sexual orientation or gender identity, or your family or cultural background—we encourage you to do so. Real people are reading your application, and we want to do our best to understand and appreciate the real people applying to Duke. (250 words maximum)”</p>
<p>Obviously, 300 words would exceed the stated limitation and would likely be unacceptable to Duke, since it would provide an advantage to you that other applicants do not enjoy. </p>