Conflicting length guidelines

[jujubea]

A school's website guidelines say the SOP should be between 3-5 pages.  The Grad Program head honcho for the same school said in person that the SOP should be no more than 2 pages... 

 

I'm inclined to go off what I learned from the head honcho... do you agree?  And why the discrepancy? 

[fuzzylogician]

The grad school (=as in, the office that is generally in charge of admissions at the school) has general sweeping guidelines for how applications should look. Each program can take that and customize it somewhat for their needs. If the program says no more than two pages, then don't write more than two pages. They are the ones who will be reading the applications, not the grad school, so go by what they say. 

[jujubea]

No it's the actual department's guidelines on the department web page!

 

It's probably a double-space versus not double-space issue....

 

Thanks for answering!

Edited November 12, 2014 by jujubea

[fuzzylogician]

I see. Well, then I'd ask someone. I suppose they probably put up these different requirements at different times, but honestly 3-5 pages sounds like way more than necessary. Unless you are particularly accomplished (and even then!), you should be able to tell them who you are and what you want to study in under two pages.