SOP length...how approximate is "approximately"?

[lotf629]

So I realize that it's important to respect the length requests of the school and not write any epics. At the same time, I am confident that there's at least a little flex if the SOP is substantive and concise, right? If a school requests a "succinct statement of approximately 500 words" (Columbia) and my statement is a concise 650, am I okay? What about 700? Opinions, anyone?

[frankdux]

if its an electronic submission that does not automatically cut off after 500 words, then i'd interpret 'approximately 500' as not more than 510 words or so. 650 is noticeably too much.

[Minnesotan]

Is it worth taking the chance you might annoy someone?

[lotf629]

Mmm, well, there's a risk in either direction, I'd say.

Glad to know that you all think 650 is too long; I would've risked it. Maybe I'll asked the programs just to be sure.

[torakichi]

FWIW, all the faculty members I have talked to about word limits in the statements had no clear idea what the rules said for their own program. I have the feeling they go more by page count than by actual number of words. If they ask for 500 words, I'd say what you absolutely have to pay attention to is that, no matter what, the PDF the application website generates for you is not longer than 2 pages.

[ijann]

I've been wondering the same thing. I have one statement that's supposed to be "no more than 3 pages". I have 2.75 pages, but then I had a proofreader recommend I cut it down because a full 3 pages is only appropriate for someone who is 35+ with relevant work experience.

[planofstudy]

If they ask for 500 words, give them 500 words exactly. Just in case someone's counting, follow their instructions. What if there was 1 slot left to fill and they had to decide between you and one other person with similar qualifications? Who's to say that the number of words in your SOP won't be the deciding factor?

[slothy]

While I see where some of the posters are coming from here, I simply don't view Columbia's directions as reasonable here. I am probably going to be very ignorant of Columbia's 500 word limit guideline. I mean, seriously, most of my statements have been running around 1700 words (I have a lot of research experience that seems worth describing in some detail plus I have to explain why I'm changing disiciplines) and other than a few sentences in the conclusion I really can't identify anything in there that's not adding something to the application. And I just noticed this limit when I logged into their application a few days ago (for a 12/15 deadline); if they were truly serious about it, I would think there would be something on the departmental website - somehow I have a feeling this requirement came from the grad school and not the specific department I'm applying to. I might cut out some of the results of my research to get down to 1200-ish, but then I'd just be restating my CV, supposedly another SOP no-no... I'm sure people neglect to notice Columbia's limit or notice it so late that there's nothing they can co all the time, so I won't worry too much about it.

And I'll probably reduce my font size/line spacing/margins on Columbia to keep it under 2 pages... just to make it seem like less of an outlier.

[Minnesotan]

While I see where some of the posters are coming from here, I simply don't view Columbia's directions as reasonable here. I am probably going to be very ignorant of Columbia's 500 word limit guideline. I mean, seriously, most of my statements have been running around 1700 words (I have a lot of research experience that seems worth describing in some detail plus I have to explain why I'm changing disiciplines) and other than a few sentences in the conclusion I really can't identify anything in there that's not adding something to the application. And I just noticed this limit when I logged into their application a few days ago (for a 12/15 deadline); if they were truly serious about it, I would think there would be something on the departmental website - somehow I have a feeling this requirement came from the grad school and not the specific department I'm applying to. I might cut out some of the results of my research to get down to 1200-ish, but then I'd just be restating my CV, supposedly another SOP no-no... I'm sure people neglect to notice Columbia's limit or notice it so late that there's nothing they can co all the time, so I won't worry too much about it.

And I'll probably reduce my font size/line spacing/margins on Columbia to keep it under 2 pages... just to make it seem like less of an outlier.

Some people will happily chuck your application in the trash, if you turn a 500 word limit into 1700 words. I'm not kidding.

[rising_star]

While I see where some of the posters are coming from here, I simply don't view Columbia's directions as reasonable here. I am probably going to be very ignorant of Columbia's 500 word limit guideline. I mean, seriously, most of my statements have been running around 1700 words (I have a lot of research experience that seems worth describing in some detail plus I have to explain why I'm changing disiciplines) and other than a few sentences in the conclusion I really can't identify anything in there that's not adding something to the application. And I just noticed this limit when I logged into their application a few days ago (for a 12/15 deadline); if they were truly serious about it, I would think there would be something on the departmental website - somehow I have a feeling this requirement came from the grad school and not the specific department I'm applying to. I might cut out some of the results of my research to get down to 1200-ish, but then I'd just be restating my CV, supposedly another SOP no-no... I'm sure people neglect to notice Columbia's limit or notice it so late that there's nothing they can co all the time, so I won't worry too much about it.

And I'll probably reduce my font size/line spacing/margins on Columbia to keep it under 2 pages... just to make it seem like less of an outlier.

You know, I thought a 500 word statement was unreasonable until I actually did it. Ended up with 499 words and it basically says the same thing as all of my longer statements do it. Part of being an academic is being able to be concise. Submitting more than twice the limit shows: a) you can't follow directions, you're unable to be brief/concise, and c) you think guidelines don't apply to you. The question is whether it's worth conveying that to people who only know you based on a folder of paper. I always went with an adamant no.

[lotf629]

rising_star, on the one hand, I agree with you that SOP limits are worthy of some respect. On the other, I have to say that I've got two finished versions of my SOP, and the 500-word version of my statement is significantly more limited and less informative than the 1000-word version...and yes, I am a concise and efficient writer. I think that 500 words is likely to be adequate when your application is straightforward, but if you have been out of school for a while, or have more than one degree in related but separate disciplines, or have changed your methodology dramatically, or have any kind of blip to explain (a drop in grades, a low score on one section of the GRE), or any other kind of circumstance to address...at that point, 500 words can start to feel like a very tight constraint.

[slothy]

Yeah, I know I'm taking a risk by abusing the word limit, but with the deadline three days away and my mentors swamped with finals to grade, I really don't have a choice but to submit what I have at this point, and it's a risk balanced against not fully conveying what I need to... Anyway, I just won a fellowship in which I was way over the word limit, so long applications don't *always* get "chucked" and I thought that successful grad students were supposed to be nonconformists!

[Ferrero]

This was discussed awhile ago. slothy, I have a friend applying to Columbia poli sci who asked the same thing of Wawro. He said to keep it around the graduate school's limit. My sense is that 500 words is fine for someone in the natural sciences. Tougher for someone in humanities/social sciences. Cut down on adjectives I guess.

[Minnesotan]

I thought that successful grad students were supposed to be nonconformists!

The quicker you can rid yourself of that false notion, the better. Academics are as judgmental as everyone else, and the folks with the keys to the kingdom sold out long ago, whether they admit it or not.

Grad students are like academic children -- they should be seen but not heard.

[slothy]

Grad students are like academic children

The nonconformists comment was supposed to be tounge-in-cheek (I had just been reading a disucssion on a forum about how grad students with straight A's are viewed unfavorably by some as risk-averse). But I like this quote!

And, for what it's worth, my statement's now down to 1300...

[rising_star]

rising_star, on the one hand, I agree with you that SOP limits are worthy of some respect. On the other, I have to say that I've got two finished versions of my SOP, and the 500-word version of my statement is significantly more limited and less informative than the 1000-word version...and yes, I am a concise and efficient writer. I think that 500 words is likely to be adequate when your application is straightforward, but if you have been out of school for a while, or have more than one degree in related but separate disciplines, or have changed your methodology dramatically, or have any kind of blip to explain (a drop in grades, a low score on one section of the GRE), or any other kind of circumstance to address...at that point, 500 words can start to feel like a very tight constraint.

Perhaps the issue is that you think you need to do all of those things. I changed my methodology and area of focus dramatically from MA to PhD and applied to MA programs with a BA in a separate and totally unrelated discipline. Any kind of blip in your application (anything negative) shouldn't be in your SOP to begin with. And the rest is really about deciding exactly what you need to convey. They don't need your whole life story or even your academic history. Of course it will be "more limited and less informative", they already know that when they ask for 500 words instead of 1000. I don't understand why people fight so much against the idea that if a school asks for 500 words, they may not want something more than double that.

[jesiquita]

I know it's far too late, but I thought I'd add my two cents for future applicants:

It is a terrible idea to go against guidelines because you think you have a lot of important things to describe. There is always another applicant with more experience or research to discuss but manages to stay within the word limit. These admissions officers have been doing this work for years, and I'm sure that exceeding the guidelines by even one or two hundreds words appears only as hubris, not as some expression of avant garde character.

For my Columbia application, I was around 520, and as another post commented, the essay basically said the exact same thing my 1000 and 2000 word SOPs said. This, like every other part of this process, is an exercise in following directions, and it is a relatively easy one to pass.

[mraig]

My guess is that anyone who thinks it's no big deal to go drastically over the stated word limit has never had a giant stack of papers to grade.

The people evaluating these applications aren't sitting down to have a nice relaxing cup of tea with you over the course of an afternoon. Your SOP is one in a pile of hundreds that some anonymous stranger has to get through as quickly and efficiently as possible. If everyone makes their SOPs twice as long, that's twice as much work for the evaluators. And since they're in a position of extreme power over you, and you're a nobody that they've never met and might never meet again, you don't want your first impression to be pissing them off and making them read more because you think you're SO important and have SO much fascinating stuff to say about yourself that it's worth wasting their time and going over the preset limit.

Being able to cut down 1200 words to 500 words without losing much meaningful content is a skill that anyone with a college degree should have. Practice until you get good at it; it will make your writing much better in general.

[Ferrero]

The above posts are all conjecture. Where is the empirical proof that going over is correlated with rejection. Plenty of applicants get in that do -- hence the "compensating strengths in other parts of the application outweigh weaknesses in others" spiel (if you count a detailed research design as a "weakness"). They are paid -- sometimes princely sums -- to review your application. Get your money's worth. :idea:

[jesiquita]

The above posts are all conjecture.

With all due respect, this entire website is all conjecture. All I can say is, good luck to those who are so special the rules don't apply to them! I'm sure no one has thought of that before.

[dragynally]

I think it's your mission to avoid giving the adcomm ANY reason to take you outof the running. If you're not worried about having an essay twice the size of the requirements by all means turn it in. I'm sure the person who does get in will thank you.

[misterpat]

I think it's your mission to avoid giving the adcomm ANY reason to take you outof the running. If you're not worried about having an essay twice the size of the requirements by all means turn it in. I'm sure the person who does get in will thank you.

Dragynally spits mad truth.

[CAPoliSciPhD]

I posted this on another thread, but it seems like it could fit here....

My SOPs have required 500-1000. Some just say max 1000 - so I've had a statement around 600 - honestly, I don't think anyone is going to count word for word and realize I'm off. The THING is - I have an app left from a school that IS actually hard to get into (actually, aren't they all??? gr) Anyway, that school wants a 250 word SOP!!! wtf! I think that is totally ridiculous! I have no idea how to cut HALF of my SOP. Any ideas? I just don't get it! I know academics should be able to say a lot with only a few words, but 250 is, I think, asking too much of me!

What would you guys do? I'm kind of thinking of ignoring the 250 words, but I'm not sure if it's worth the app fee if they're too annoyed...then again, I didn't apply to another school bc it said they wanted a 50 page writing sample and then I saw someone got in with a 15-20 page sample....jebus...

[psychology]

It seems to me that if a school is requesting such a shockingly small SOP, they'll almost certainly notice those who exceed it by a lot. Whatever school is asking for 250 words KNOWS this is something that other schools aren't asking for, and may even use your failure to comply with instructions as an indication that you were simply mass producing your statement.

That said... how to chop? Now, I know next to nothing about Poli Sci, so I'm sure someone could give you better advice, but if I were you I'd cut my SOP down to include how one distinct element of the program fits you [50 words], your one best research accomplishment (and what it taught you) [100 words], and a mash-up of your favorite professors, future goals, and future research aspirations [75 words].

Not easy at all, but best of luck!

[Dreams]

That said... how to chop?

The key is not to chop, but to start from scratch. There is a difference between, for example changing a few words and eliminating a paragraph or so in a cover and, tailoring one from scratch to each job. A pretty noticeable difference. For a 250 word SOP just start over and get to the point. Explain what your interests/research ideas are Briefly, how the schools will help you move closer to those Very Briefly, faculty with whom you would like to work, and post grad goals.