Biographical Sketch/Essay Word Count

[27BearDad]

My daughter is putting some finishing touches on her application essay and I have been proof reading. They make it very clear the minimum is 500 words, however, there's no mention of a maximum.

For those who have been through it, what are your opinions on an appropriate upper limit?

At this point she has addressed everything they ask for in the instructions, as well as all the points suggested to be included by her admissions officer and the coach. It flows nicely and there's really no unnecessary "filler". It's currently sitting at 817 words. Just a tick over a page and a half. Does that seem reasonable?

Thanks!

 

[Capt MJ]

Military saying when it comes to editing and proofreading: “At some point, stop polishing the cannonball and fire it.”

I recommend giving it “editorial rest” for 3-4 days, not touching it. Read it aloud. If it fully answers the prompt, comes across well, and is technically flawless, let it fly.

 

[27BearDad]

Military saying when it comes to editing and proofreading: “At some point, stop polishing the cannonball and fire it.”

I recommend giving it “editorial rest” for 3-4 days, not touching it. Read it aloud. If it fully answers the prompt, comes across well, and is technically flawless, let it fly.

Great advice! I'll pass it along!

 

[vortexkp99]

I don't know how I got in, but Dr. Eastwood in Samuel's Hall's didn't seem to care what I wrote in English class as long as each sentence individually was grammatically correct.

 

[cmakin]

I don't know how I got in, but Dr. Eastwood in Samuel's Hall's didn't seem to care what I wrote in English class as long as each sentence individually was grammatically correct.

The only thing I remember about Eastwood was a high level of napping during class.

 

[JohnPAKP65]

I don't know how I got in, but Dr. Eastwood in Samuel's Hall's didn't seem to care what I wrote in English class as long as each sentence individually was grammatically correct.

Well I guess you didn't pass because grammatically Samuel's and Hall's are both incorrect. It is Samuels as in Samuels Hall. It is named for Samuel Samuels (1823-1908) who is known as the greatest of American trans-Atlantic packet commanders. Samuels became an officer at the age of 17. His chief fame is being master of the packet Dreadnaught, which was known as the "wild boat of the Atlantic". In 1859, under Samuels, the Dreadnaught made the fastest trans-Atlantic sailing passage ever recorded, 13 days and 8 hours from New York to Liverpool.

KP 1965