Short Writing Samples?

[Philhopeful]

The very last school that I'm applying to requires a 2000 word writing sample and I'm really not sure what to do. Has anyone else applied to any schools with this length expectation? Assuming that they aren't expecting a research paper, would something like a short argument with a single counterargument, or something thats more expository, be okay? I don't think that I wrote any essays that length since sophomore year.

 

[philosophe]

The very last school that I'm applying to requires a 2000 word writing sample and I'm really not sure what to do. Has anyone else applied to any schools with this length expectation? Assuming that they aren't expecting a research paper, would something like a short argument with a single counterargument, or something thats more expository, be okay? I don't think that I wrote any essays that length since sophomore year.

 

I applied to St Andrews, which wanted 3,000 words... and I was going to apply to King's College, who wanted something around 2,000 as well. 

 

Honestly, I submitted something too long, but I'd rather it be too long than compromise the quality of my argument. Make it a pdf, and they'd have to use word count to figure it out anyway, which they're not going to do. Personally, it didn't seem worth trying to make another, shorter essay viable when I had been working on this one for a year. If the biggest thing they have against me is that my writing sample is a couple pages over, so be it.

[Philhopeful]

Thanks for replying. I did that with one of my applications which required about 750 words more than I could cut. I feel like it might be too conspicuous if what I submit is over twice the size of what they ask for though. I guess I'll see what my adviser thinks.