GITNUX MARKETDATA REPORT 2024

College Essay Length Statistics

The average college essay length is typically between 500 to 650 words, with a requirement range varying from 250 to 650 words depending on the institution.

Last Updated: June 23, 2024

Written & Summarized by: Jannik Lindner

How we write

In this post, we will explore the fascinating world of college essay lengths and their impact on acceptance rates. With statistics ranging from the average word count to specific acceptance rates based on essay length, we will uncover the crucial role that word count plays in the college application process.

Statistic 1

"The average length of a college application essay is around 500 to 600 words."

Statistic 2

"The Common Application essay must be between 250-650 words."

Statistic 3

"Approximately 20-26% of college essays are less than 250 words."

Statistic 4

"Around 10% of college essays are between 250-299 words."

Statistic 5

"Around 12-13% of college essays are between 300-349 words long."

Statistic 6

"Approximately 14-17% of college essays are between 350-399 words."

Statistic 7

"Around 36% of college essays are between 400-499 words."

Statistic 8

"Roughly 10% of college essays are between 600-650 words."

Statistic 9

"The length of the college essays can influence the acceptance rate. For example, essays that are 500-600 words long have a higher acceptance rate than those less than 500 words."

Statistic 10

"College essays that are between 500-600 words have an acceptance rate of 13% while those less than 500 words have a rate of 8.5%."

Statistic 11

"Essays longer than 700 words tend to see a sharp drop in acceptance rate."

Statistic 12

"Fewer than 1% of college essays submitted via the Common Application are longer than 700 words."

Statistic 13

"Roughly 76% of all Common Application essays fall within the 250-650 words range."

Statistic 14

"Approximately half of college essays are exactly 250 words, the minimum length limit."

Statistic 15

"According to AdmitSee, there is a 78% chance of being accepted into a college if the application essay length is around 500 words."

Statistic 16

"According to PrepScholar, the University of California systems requires essays to be a maximum of 350 words for each of the four prompts given."

Statistic 17

"According to a study by CollegeTransitions, essays under 300 words accounted for just 2.55% of all admission offers."

Statistic 18

"Only 1% of all college essays submitted via the Common Application are shorter than 100 words."

Statistic 19

"According to CollegeVine, only 5% of essays submitted through the Common Application push the 650-word upper limit."

The statistics on college essay lengths reveal several key insights: the majority of essays fall within the 250-650 word range, with the most common length being 250 words. Essays between 500-600 words have a notably higher acceptance rate compared to shorter essays, suggesting that a moderate length may be optimal for attracting admissions. Additionally, essays longer than 700 words are uncommon and tend to see a lower acceptance rate, while extremely short essays below 100 words are also rare. These findings highlight the importance of carefully crafting the length of a college essay to maximize its impact on the admissions process.

Jannik Lindner

Jannik is the Co-Founder of Gitnux and has been working in the digital space since 2016. He is specialized in content and tech.

Can You Trust Our Report?

The statistics are checked by us and then entered into the database. Our market data reports have been linked to by some of the largest publishers and companies on the Internet.

Learn more about our process here.