How long should a college personal statement or supplemental essay be?

Most colleges give a word count range, and yes, it actually matters. The Common App personal statement has a 650-word limit, and most supplemental essays range from 100 to 300 words. This isn’t the time for a novel or a tweet—think focused story, not rambling diary. The goal is to say something meaningful within the space they give you. Don’t treat the limit like a challenge to hit exactly 650 words either. If your story is strong and polished at 589 words, leave it there. Quality beats quantity every time. Admissions officers are reading hundreds of these, so say what you need to say—and say it well—without writing War and Peace.