Essay Word Counter
Count words for college essays, scholarship applications, and academic writing with precise accuracy
Quick Answer
Most college essays have 250-650 word limits. Common App: 650 words max. Stay 5-10 words under the limit to be safe.
Free Essay Word Counter
Paste your essay below to get an accurate word count. Real-time counting matches college application portals exactly.
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Common Essay Word Limits
📝 Common Application
Personal Statement: 650 words maximum. This is your main college essay used across all schools accepting the Common App. The minimum is technically 250 words, but competitive essays typically use 600-650 words to fully develop ideas and showcase your voice.
Tip: Draft in our word counter, then use Text Statistics to check readability before submission.
✍️ Supplemental Essays
Typical range: 150-400 words. "Why This College" essays average 250-300 words. Short answer questions often max out at 150-200 words. Activity descriptions on Common App are limited to 150 characters, not words—verify your application requirements carefully.
For character limits, use Character Counter instead.
🎓 Scholarship Essays
Highly variable: 250-1000 words. National Merit scholarships typically require 500-600 words. Local scholarships may accept 250-500 words. Private scholarships can request up to 1,000 words for personal statements. Always check the specific prompt requirements.
Organize multiple essay versions with Find & Replace for customization.
🏫 Coalition & UC Applications
Coalition App: 500-650 words. University of California Personal Insight Questions: exactly 350 words per question (you answer 4 out of 8). UC is strict—application portals cut off essays that exceed 350 words mid-sentence.
Set target word counts and track progress in real-time with our counter above.
Why Essay Word Count Matters
College admissions officers read thousands of essays each application cycle, spending an average of 3-5 minutes per essay. Word limits exist to ensure fairness—every applicant gets the same space to make their case. Exceeding word limits signals you can't follow directions, a serious red flag for admissions committees evaluating your readiness for college-level work where assignment requirements are non-negotiable.
Most college application portals (Common App, Coalition, UC Application) have built-in word counters that match our counting algorithm. However, drafting in our essay word counter lets you write without distraction, paste sections as needed, and ensure accurate counts before submission. The real-time counter updates instantly as you type, helping you stay within limits throughout the writing process rather than discovering you're 100 words over after finishing your draft.
Admissions experts recommend writing to within 5-10 words of the maximum limit for personal statements and major essays. This demonstrates you can make full use of the space provided while respecting boundaries. For shorter supplemental essays (150-250 words), hitting the exact limit or being 2-3 words under shows strong editing skills and attention to detail—qualities colleges value highly.
How to Write Within Word Limits
- 1.Draft without limits first - Write your complete thoughts without worrying about word count. Most students write 800-1000 words initially for a 650-word essay. This raw material gives you options for what to keep during editing.
- 2.Cut fluff and redundancy - Remove phrases like "I think," "I believe," and "in my opinion" (admissions officers know it's your opinion—it's your essay). Delete redundant examples that make the same point. Every sentence should add new information or insight.
- 3.Use active voice - "I led the fundraising campaign" (6 words) beats "The fundraising campaign was led by me" (7 words). Active voice saves words and creates stronger, more direct writing that engages admissions officers.
- 4.Check your count before submitting - Different word processors can count slightly differently. Copy your final essay into our counter to verify it matches what application portals will see. This prevents surprises when you paste into the submission form.
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