500-word SOP v. 1,000-word SOP

[uchenyy]

I'm currently working on my political science PhD applications, and I have a question regarding the SOP. A couple of programs (e.g., UNC-Chapel Hill) require applicants to submit a 500-word SOP. Others (e.g.,) specify that applicants should not a statement longer than 1,000 words. For the latter programs, would it be best to just submit the 500-word SOP?

[slouching]

You have the extra space, why not use it? I'm in a different field, but experienced the same thing when I was applying, with lengths for the SOP varying by program. This prompted me to create a couple different templates for the SOP: what I considered the 'full' version, for programs that allowed for slightly longer documents, and a shortened version for those requesting something maybe half the length of the original. I found this to be a helpful exercise, actually, in revising my SOP,  as it really forced me to look at it over and over again in search of things I could cut, or ways to rephrase things to make the writing more concise. Of course, even after all those revisions, I found that when I was allowed the extra space, there were still things I really wanted to add because I felt they made the document stronger, but I felt fine about doing so because I knew I'd given a lot of thought as to whether or not those additions were really necessary.

[Dwar]

I agree with the previous poster, if they offer you the extra space you should use it. But I also will expand on that, if they offer you that space it means they want you to use the full 1000 words. It means that they expect an essay around 1000 words and don't think you can accurately express what you want to say in less than that. I would follow the advice above and create two versions, one shorter and one longer, for the two different lengths. 

Thats what I've done for writing them. My longer one just has more stuff from me and about myself, while the shorter one just has the highlights or the most important stuff. 

[uchenyy]

Thanks for the responses. I have read that concision is always better, and that what can be said in 1,000 words can also be said in 500 words. My thought is that I could expand on some of the content in my 500-word SOP (for example, the discussion of my thesis research) or add a more elaborate introduction. Thoughts?

Edited September 8, 2019 by uchenyy