About this limit
The Common App personal essay must be between 250 and 650 words. The application form will not accept an essay outside that range, so it is worth checking before you paste it in.
Most strong essays land between 550 and 650 words: long enough to tell a real story, short enough to stay focused.
Official source: Common App essay prompts
This limit has not yet been checked against the official source. Confirm it before you submit.
How limitpad counts
limitpad counts words separated by spaces, so contractions like “don’t” are one word and hyphenated words like “well-known” are one word. The Common App form counts in a similar way, but always check the count shown on the form itself before submitting.
Tips
- Write freely first, then use the highlighted overflow to see exactly what to cut.
- Cut repeated ideas before cutting details. Specific details are what make an essay memorable.
- Paste plain text into the application. Formatting like bold and italics may not carry over.
Frequently asked questions
- Can my Common App essay be under 250 words?
- No. The form requires at least 250 words. limitpad shows how many more you need.
- Does the title count toward the 650 words?
- If you include a title in the essay box, it is counted. Many applicants skip a title for that reason.