How strict are Brandeis supplemental essay word limits?

Treat Brandeis word limits as real limits, not suggestions. If the prompt gives a maximum, you should aim to be at or under it rather than assuming a small overage is fine.

Sometimes the application platform will physically stop you from submitting extra words, and sometimes it will allow a little spillover. Even if the system accepts it, going over can still read as not following directions, which is not a great tradeoff for a few extra details.

The safest move is to cut it down cleanly. Usually that does not mean weakening the essay. In most cases, trimming repeated ideas, extra setup, and overly polished transitions actually makes a supplemental stronger and more direct.

A good editing test is this: keep the core point, one or two vivid specifics, and the part that shows fit with Brandeis. Cut anything that explains too much, repeats your resume, or adds background the reader can infer.