Hello all,
I apologize if this topic has been discussed in a previous thread.
I'm wondering how important it is to make the length requirements for the statements of purpose. I've heard from numerous professors and grad students that the writing sample lengths suggested on many programs' websites are arbitrary, and that it is acceptable to submit a writing sample that is a couple pages over the requested length. With that being said, does the same apply for statements of purpose? I am currently at approximately 1000 words; two pages if I use 11pt font and make the margins smaller. Some of the programs I'm applying to ask for a maximum of 500 words or one page only. I'm hoping that a longer statement of purpose won't hurt, but as applications begin to get closer, I begin to get more paranoid.