Undergraduate Admissions

Undergraduate Admissions Why is everything word count these days instead of page count? When I was in school when I was younger, all assignments were page count. These are just a few of many scholarship essay prompts that require you to look internally, to answer a question, solve a problem, or explain a scenario in your life. Finally, keep in mind that what you say and how you say it is far more important than whether you have 550 words or 650 words. I have a writing assignment in school, and it is always helpful to know how many pages I will need. I think that since teachers don’t give page assignments but only word count assignments, it’s difficult to imagine how many pages that will be. Instead, applicants will need to enter the essay into a text box that counts words and prevents entering anything beyond 650 words. It depends on how large or small your letters are. I average 240 handwritten words per college ruled sheet. This would depend heavily on how big/small you write. Can someone explain to me why so many people are obsessed with word count and page count? If you’re a writer, shouldn’t writing well be the most important thing? Make sure it highlights something you care about deeply, and be sure to provide a window into your interests or personality that isn't already obvious from the rest of your application. For years the Common Application had no length limit, and applicants and counselors frequently debated whether a tight 450-word essay was a wiser approach than a detailed 900-word piece. In 2011, that decision was taken away as the Common Application moved to a relatively short 500-word limit. With the August 2013 release of CA4 , the guidelines changed once again. CA4 set the limit at 650 words with a minimum of 250 words. And unlike earlier versions of the Common Application, the length limit is now enforced by the application form. No longer can applicants attach an essay that goes over the limit. Why do writers seem to obsess over word count and page count? There are instances when you’re given an assignment, not by word count, but assigned by the number of pages. For example, “Write a paper four pages long.” If you get an assignment to write four pages, one of the first questions that will likely come to mind is, “How many words are in four pages? ” If you need to figure out words per page, you can use a words per page calculator. (Don’t just take our word for it â€" check out our scholarship winners page full of students like you who were brave enough to share their stories with us). You might not be a big fan of bragging about yourself, or you might want to keep your personal stories to yourself. But by opening up and sharing your story, you can show scholarship providers, colleges and universities who you are, and why you’re deserving of their scholarship. it’s like different fonts take up different amount of space on a page, so does your specific handwriting. The best way to know your per page word count would be to look at past pages and count the number of words you write for each page. it’s time consuming, but any other estimate is bound not to be accurate since it’s so dependent on your handwriting. Be sure to attend to your essay's style, and in most cases you're going to want to avoid these ten bad essay topics. If you've said all you have to say in 500 words, don't try to pad your essay to make it longer. Regardless of length, and even if yours is a transfer essay, the best writing will tell a compelling story, provide insight to your character and interests, and are written with crisp and engaging prose. Again, use the essay to narrate an engaging story.