People keep asking questions like this. Would you send a check for $40 if the admission fee is $50?
ok…?
I thought with the online apps it’s now impossible to submit an essay over the limit anyway? When I was applying to grad school (which was online) every question’s text box had a hard limit and I wouldn’t even be able to submit the application until everything was under the limits or it would notify me that it had cut off my essay at whatever the limit was.
When I applied to college 11 years ago online apps were in their infancy and so most people still snail mailed in apps. I recall being told that my GC that we could go up to 5% over (it might have been 10%). It’s not like they sit down and count the words. Sure, they have a decent sense as to what 500 words looks like, but they can’t discern 525 from 500. 650 vs. 500 though (30% over the limit) I imagine they could easily tell.
Read EB White’s “Elements of Style.” Then re-read your essay. You’ll probably eliminate 175 words.