"5,000 characters"?

[Maya]

This is nothing close to an exciting question, but I hope someone on here will be able to answer it since its Sunday and I certainly won't be able to ask anyone at Northwestern today. Their statement of purpose requirement states "maximum 5,000" characters: for those of you who have submitted, does that include spaces, or no?

[Ziz]

I'm not applying there, but I'd say that if you are submitting an attachment, it wouldn't include spaces. If you have to fill a box that they provide that cuts off after the maximum allowed, I'd say spaces are included because the computer wouldn't be able to distinguish between a space and a letter.

[Maya]

Thanks Ziz, that's a good point. The website asks you to upload it, so maybe (hopefully) that means that spaces aren't included!

[Venetia]

Well, in the Word Count box in MS Word, it tells you the number of words and the number of characters. For instance, my SoP for Fordham has 526 words, but 3245 characters. So I suppose in that instance it does include spaces...

[Maya]

Well, in the Word Count box in MS Word, it tells you the number of words and the number of characters. For instance, my SoP for Fordham has 526 words, but 3245 characters. So I suppose in that instance it does include spaces...

Ya, but my word count box has "characters with spaces" and "characters without spaces" included. My SOP is under 5,000 only for the latter!

[a fragrant plant]

Yes, UC Davis has this strange 5000 characters thing. If you have to fill a box then it will be 5000 characters including spaces.

[alexis]

One of my apps said "less than 1,000 words and 5,000 characters." My total was 950 words or so, and it was under 5,000 characters without spaces, and over 5,000 characters with spaces...so I think they mean without spaces. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense to me how I could be under their word limit and over their character limit if they were supposed to be generally equivalent.

[UnlikelyGrad]

It may vary from school to school.

I'm pretty sure UC Davis was 5000 including spaces. The NDSEG fellowship is 3000 including spaces. So...I would assume that it includes spaces.

[Ziz]

InThatCaseMaybeYouShouldWriteYourSOPLikeThis. Lol.

[kk_139]

Yes, UC Davis has this strange 5000 characters thing. If you have to fill a box then it will be 5000 characters including spaces.

i tried to paste my sop just to chk if it accepts it or not (before finally submitting the application) and it does accepts it. Mine is 6300 characters.

[a fragrant plant]

i tried to paste my sop just to chk if it accepts it or not (before finally submitting the application) and it does accepts it. Mine is 6300 characters.

Good News, but are you sure that the extra words will be shown when they print out your statement of purpose?