Common limits
| Where | Limit |
|---|---|
| X (Twitter) post | 280 characters |
| Google meta description | about 150–160 characters shown |
| SMS (GSM-7) | 160 characters per message |
| Common App personal essay | 650 words |
How words are counted
A word is any run of characters separated by spaces or line breaks, the same rule most word processors use. Hyphenated words like “well-known” count as one word.
Reading time
Reading time assumes about 238 words per minute, a commonly cited average for adults reading non-fiction silently.
