<p>…and you have 310 words, is it going to look like you couldn’t follow directions?</p>
<p>I hope this doesn’t sound ridiculous…but it is the first time I’ve seen a “no more than” instead of “approximately” on the application…</p>
<p>Yes, it is going to look like you can’t follow directions. They put the “no more than” on the application for a reason; they not only want you to follow directions, but they want to see if you can write concisely and clearly. It’s an excellent skill to develop. Cut those 10 words.</p>
<p>This is when having an editor comes in handy. If your S has tried and can’t find any more words to trim, he could pass the essay to you (or a friend) and ask if they can find words that are unnecessary, or have any suggestions to rephrase a sentence or two to save words. Then it’s up to him to accept or reject the changes (or they may inspire him to rephrase something himself). It’s still his essay and still his voice.</p>
<p>If you apply online, the software will usually cut you off at the word/character count.</p>
<p>^^^ that’s what we found, also.</p>
<p>10 words over isn’t going to kill your chances at admission. But I’ll bet you can cut out 10 or 12 (or even more) without destroying the flavor of the essay.</p>
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<p>I guarantee you can edit ten words out of your essay. That doesn’t mean just excising ten words and leaving the rest. It may require finding new and unusual ways of expressing the same thoughts in fewer, but more colorful, words. Your essay will be better for this little exercise.</p>
<p>One problem with precision in this context is that it may depend on your definition of “word.” (That whole Bill Clinton think is indelibly etched in my mind.)</p>
<p>For example, do you count “a” and “to” the same way you count “antidisestablishmentarianism?” I think so, but that doesn’t seem exactly right. </p>
<p>I always thought that an alternative would be to count characters and then divide by the average word length (if there is such a thing).</p>
<p>Mantori: I wish that book were used more often. It contains my favorite piece of writing advice: “Omit needless words.”</p>
<p>Some online essays give you a character count–for example, 500 character limit. A space between two words counts as one character. Those essays were particularly tough because sometimes the software would cut you off at 498!</p>
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<p>I think it’s something like 4.5 characters per word is the average. I think that’s the number used to calculate how many words per second you can type (divide characters by 4.5).</p>
<p>Also, you have to be careful about systems which count characters, since sometimes they’ll treat endlines as characters (endlines being from when you hit the return button).</p>
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<p>Words to live by. I once wrote a post eighty-six pages long. Then I edited down to thirty-five words that conveyed exactly the same meaning.</p>
<p>That post…is the one you are reading RIGHT NOW.</p>
<p>Unless there is software that is going to cut you off after word 300, no adcom will notice the difference between 300 and 310 words.</p>
<p>A cutoff point is there for more than one reason; one is to make it possible for the staff to read through everything and the other is to see if you can follow instructions! It’s not a case of, well, 10 more isn’t that bad, because then the next person adds another 7 or 9 and so it goes. I know that when I had a limit on my assignments I held to it- no, I wouldn’t fail someone for an extra word or two, but, one can tell when you’re getting much more than was asked for. Imagine the distress of friend of mine when he went hog-wild on his thesis for master’s degree number 2; the paper required the usual specs, double-spaced, margins so big, etc. Well, being the arrogant sort, he figured that what he had to say was very important, so he decided to single space his work, cut the margins to the minumum, etc. The paper was returned the day after he submitted it with a large, red -0- on it. He tried to fight it through the academic appeals commitee but was soundly, and rightly, defeated. That’s taking the OP’s question quite a bit farther then the question, but it shows what can happen down the road to someone who flouted the rules for years…</p>
<p>Since when is 310 “not more than 300”? If I were an admissions officer and received 310, I’d knock 200 points off your math SAT score, and your math grades down a full point. And maybe some off the critical reading, too.</p>
<p>For essays l0 sentences over requirements, read each sentence aloud, then ask, “So what?” </p>
<p>If it fails the “so what” test, out it goes. Later, return to heal the wound. Repair nearby sentences for flow. </p>
<p>If more is needed, repeat, analyzing phrase-by-phrase. </p>
<p>Your situation involves l0 words. The “so what” test is likely already passed. </p>
<p>Have the student read phrase-by-phrase, asking “Is there any other possible way to say that?”</p>
<p>It might compress or substitute words, peppered throughout the essay.</p>
<p>Other ways to find l0 words: look for an extraneous example, restated points, or two adjectives where one might suffice.</p>
<p>Nice job, mantori suzuki!</p>