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How Long Should a College Essay Be? | Word Count Tips

Published on September 29, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on June 1, 2023.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit. If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

You should aim to stay under the specified limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, if you write too little, it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a thoughtful and developed essay.

Table of contents

Word count guidelines for different application types, how to shorten your essay, how to expand your essay, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Each university has a different suggested or required word count depending on which application portal it uses.

Some application portals will allow you to exceed the word count limit, but admissions officers have limited time and energy to read longer essays. Other application portals have a strict limit and will not allow you to exceed it.

For example, in the Common App , the portal will not allow you to submit more than 650 words. Some colleges using the Common App will allow you to submit less than 250 words, but this is too short for a well-developed essay.

For scholarship essays , diversity essays , and “Why this college?” essays , word count limits vary. Make sure to verify and respect each prompt’s limit.

Don’t worry too much about word count until the revision stage ; focusing on word count while writing may hinder your creativity. Once you have finished a draft, you can start shortening or expanding your essay if necessary.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

On some application portals, you can exceed the word limit, but there are good reasons to stay within it:

• To maintain the admissions officer’s attention
• To show you can follow directions
• To demonstrate you can write concisely

Here are some strategies for shortening your essay.

Stay on the main point

It’s good to use vivid imagery, but only include relevant details. Cut any sentences with tangents or unnecessary information.

My father taught me how to strategically hold the marshmallow pierced by a twig at a safe distance from the flames to make sure it didn’t get burned, ensuring a golden brown exterior.

Typically, my father is glued to his computer since he’s a software engineer at Microsoft. But that night, he was the marshmallow master. We waited together as the pillowy sugary goodness caramelized into gooey delight. Good example: Sticks to the point On our camping trip to Yosemite, my family spent time together, away from technology and routine responsibility.

My favorite part was roasting s’mores around the campfire. My father taught me how to hold the marshmallow at a safe distance from the flames, ensuring a golden brown exterior.

These college essay examples also demonstrate how you can cut your essay down to size.

Eliminate wordiness

Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay. If a word doesn’t add value, cut it.

Here are some common examples of wordiness and how to fix them.

Use a paraphrasing tool

If you want to save time, you can make use of a paraphrasing tool . Within the tool you can select the “short” mode to rewrite your essay in less words. Just copy your text in the tool and within 1 click you’ll have shortened your essay.

If you’re significantly under the word count, you’re wasting the opportunity to show depth and authenticity in your essay. Admissions officers may see your short essay as a sign that you’re unable to write a detailed, insightful narrative about yourself.

Here are some strategies for expanding your essay.

Show detailed examples, and don’t tell generic stories

You should include detailed examples that can’t be replicated by another student. Use vivid imagery, the five senses, and specific objects to transport the reader into your story.

Reveal your feelings and insight

If your essay lacks vulnerability or self-reflection, share your feelings and the lessons you’ve learned.

Be creative with how you express your feelings; rather than simply writing “I’m happy,” use memorable images to help the reader clearly visualize your happiness. Similarly, for insight, include the follow-up actions from your lessons learned; instead of claiming “I became a hard worker,” explain what difficult tasks you accomplished as a result of what you learned.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

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• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

If your college essay goes over the word count limit , cut any sentences with tangents or irrelevant details. Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay.

You can speed up this process by shortening and smoothing your writing with a paraphrasing tool . After that, you can use the summarizer to shorten it even more.

There is no set number of paragraphs in a college admissions essay . College admissions essays can diverge from the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in English class. Just make sure to stay under the specified word count .

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Courault, K. (2023, June 01). How Long Should a College Essay Be? | Word Count Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved March 20, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/college-essay/college-essay-length/

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is eop your guide to educational opportunity programs.

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Traditionally, low-income students have been excluded from higher education, or they have faced obstacles that make graduating from college extremely difficult. Programs like the Educational Opportunity Program are designed to provide the necessary support to disadvantaged students to enable their success in college and beyond.

In this article, I'll describe EOP, detail the advantages of participating in an Educational Opportunity Program, and let you know how to enroll .

What Is EOP?

The Educational Opportunity Program, or EOP, is a counseling and academic support program designed to help low-income and first generation college students succeed in college . (A student is first generation if neither parent went to college.) EOPs are state programs, and they're typically only for in-state residents of public colleges.

The purpose of these programs is to help students who face additional obstacles in higher education succeed academically and graduate. There are EOPs in a number of states, but it's not available in every state or at every college. Look at a school's website or contact its admissions office to see if it has an EOP.

Here's what we mean: in California, multiple universities have EOP programs. EOPs are available at California State University and University of California campuses. However, while each California State University campus has an EOP, the only University of California schools that have an EOP are UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. Luckily, there are comparable programs at the other UC schools.

The same is true at New York schools. There are EOPs at State University of New York ( SUNY ) schools and in New Jersey at schools like New Jersey Institute of Technology , Rider University , and Seton Hall University . There are similar programs at state colleges in New Jersey through the Educational Opportunity Fund ( EOF ).

I also found EOPs at Oregon State and University of Washington . This is all to say that if you're interested in taking advantage of an EOP, make sure you do your research before you start applying to schools.

Most campuses that offer EOP provide a summer program for EOP students to help them transition to college and prepare for college life . The students get to live on campus and strengthen their academic skills before college ever starts.

During the academic year, EOP offers counseling, mentorship, and academic advising for enrolled students to help them succeed academically . Furthermore, EOP offers students career advice and preparation for graduate studies. Also, some programs provide financial assistance, including offering grants and waiving or deferring certain fees.

Each EOP is a little bit different in terms of the services and opportunities it offers its students, but they all share the same goal: to help traditionally underserved students earn a college degree.

Steven Depolo /Flickr

How Is EOP Eligibility Determined?

Eligibility does vary by campus, but it's typically based on income requirements , meaning that your family's income must be below a certain amount for you to qualify for the program. Each state's income threshold is slightly different.

For example, at California State University schools, you must meet specific EOP income criteria to be eligible for EOP. If your family income exceeds the guidelines, you may still be considered for EOP if your demonstrated Expected Family Contribution is less than $1,500.

Generally, EOP eligibility guidelines are less strict at UC campuses. At UC Berkeley, any low-income, first generation, or historically underrepresented students (African-American, Chicano/Latino, and Native-American) are eligible for EOP . At UCSB , EOP services all students but focuses on low-income and first generation undergraduates.

The income criteria is a bit different for EOPs at SUNY schools. Check this page for the income requirements, which are broken down by family size. At SUNY schools, EOP is also designed for students who don't meet the normal admission requirements but show academic promise.

For most EOPs, only in-state residents and US citizens or permanent residents are eligible for EOP . In California, undocumented immigrants who qualify for in-state tuition through AB540 are also eligible for all California EOPs. You can find out more about how undocumented students can qualify for the EOP here .

Like we mentioned earlier, you'll need to check with your school's EOP office to see if you qualify.

Why Should You Join EOP?

If you apply to a school that has an EOP and you're eligible, I highly recommend trying to join the program. Not only can you receive financial benefits, but the transitional summer program and advising can help jumpstart your success in college...and beyond!

Many EOP students come from under-resourced schools and don't enter college as prepared as their more affluent peers. Furthermore, because these students may not have parents or family members who are knowledgeable about college, they're not able to get the same guidance as other students unless they participate in programs like EOP. EOPs give capable students who might not have the same resources or social privileges the support they need to be successful in college.

Also, low-income, first generation college students can feel isolated on college campuses and have a hard time relating to their fellow students who come from more privileged backgrounds. An EOP can help you find a community of students with backgrounds similar to yours, and you can receive counseling and mentorship to help you deal with the struggles that can come from being a low-income or first generation college student.

Ralph Daily /Flickr

How Do You Enroll in EOP?

Typically, there is an application process to become part of EOP . Your financial information may be verified from your/your parents' tax returns or the information you provide on your FAFSA . Check a school's website or contact the EOP office if you have any questions.

For CSU schools, if you are interested in enrolling in EOP, you must complete a supplemental application, which is more demanding than most schools'. In addition to providing basic information, you have to provide recommendations and answer short answer questions. Not only do you have to meet the basic requirements, but you have to demonstrate that you're a motivated student who would appear to benefit from EOP .

For UC schools, you just have to enter additional information on your UC application if you're interested in EOP. Also, you should indicate your interest in the EOP in your UC personal statement .

For SUNY schools, you'll submit the regular application and indicate your interest in EOP. You may be asked to fill out additional forms and provide documentation.

Remember: these are just a few schools that have EOP. Be sure to check with your individual institution to see how to apply to their EOP (if they have one).

What If a School Doesn't Have EOP or You're Not Eligible?

If you're interested in participating in EOP but the schools you want to apply to don't have an EOP or you're not eligible , you may still be able to take advantage of support services to help you succeed in college.

Many schools have offices dedicated to helping underserved students find success in college. Look on the school's website for support services. If you're a low-income or first generation student, you can contact the admissions office to ask about specific support programs for low-income or first generation students.

On Big Future , you can search for schools with support services for low-income or minority students . Additionally, on each school's profile, you can view the types of support services that are available. Knowing which of your schools offer support.

The big takeaway is this: just because your school doesn't have a formal EOP doesn't mean there won't be services and organizations there to help you succeed.

Paul Townsend /Flickr

What's Next?

If you're stressing the cost of college , read this article to learn how to get a full ride scholarship .

Maybe you're still wondering whether or not college is right for you. Make an informed decision and decide for yourself if you should go to college .

Finally, make sure you know how to research and choose a college. Picking a college that's a good fit for you is key to your future success!

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

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The Word Limit in Academic Writing (and How to Stick to It)

3-minute read

• 24th September 2016

Even the phrase “word limit” can cause panic among students . For some it’s the challenge of writing enough, while others find it hard to stick within the limit given. In either case, it can lead to spending more time worrying about the length of your paper than the content!

But why do college papers come with set word limits? And what should you do to ensure you don’t write too much or too little?

Why Have a Word Limit?

There are two main reasons that academic papers usually come with a word limit:

• Fairness It’s impossible to grade two papers of vastly different lengths (e.g., 20,000 compared to 2,000 words) on the same scale. The word limit makes sure that everyone taking the same class knows what is expected of them.
• Communication Skills As well as testing your knowledge, college papers are about communicating clearly and concisely. Setting a word limit forces you to consider what you’re saying more carefully, helping you to develop your writing skills.

Sticking to the word limit is, therefore, part of being a good academic, since being a long way over or under could suggest you’ve misjudged the scope of the essay topic or that you’re having trouble communicating your ideas.

How to Stick to the Word Limit

Although many colleges give you roughly 10% leeway on the word limit, you should aim for your finished paper to be as close to the suggested word count as possible. If you find yourself writing too much, you can reduce the word count by:

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• Editing out repetition, redundant words and padding phrases
• Cutting down long or unnecessary quotations
• Reducing the number of examples or case studies used (if you’ve included several)
• Using the active voice instead of the passive voice

More generally, you should re-read your work and eliminate anything that isn’t directly related to the question you’re answering. As well as helping you stick to the word limit, this will make your work more focused, which could boost your grades.

How to Increase Your Word Count

If you’re struggling to write enough, the temptation might be to add padding phrases like “in my opinion” or long block quotations until you hit the minimum word count. But this will simply detract from the clarity of your writing.

Instead, the answer is usually to go back over your work and look for things that could be improved with a little additional attention. This might involve:

• Addressing anything from your essay question that you’ve overlooked
• Adding illustrative examples to support a point
• Considering different sources and views on the same issue
• Using short quotations as evidence for your arguments

Moreover, whether you’ve written too much or too little, getting someone else to read your work and offer feedback is a fantastic idea (especially if you ask a professional for help). This will help you to identify areas that could be expanded or cut in the next draft, so eventually you should be able to get your essay to the required length.

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<p>Ok so im doing my college essays for the UCs, and i want to try and get into the EOP program. Do i write that in my open-ended esssay? or do i need to make an additional essay? And how much do I have to write about it???Or should i just mention it, and give reasons…and such And if my each of my essay is over 20 words of the word limit…so about 1060 total, are they going to disqualify me???</p>

<p>you’re supposed to talk about it in the open end. do you know what the requirements are for eop by any chance? i cant find that anywhere.</p>

<p>Hmm… When filling out the EOP section for the UC app, it asks you to give your parents earnings for this year and the previous year. What happens if you would have qualified the year before, but dont make the cut the second year? Also, do you guys know how they take this years earnings into account, seeing as the earning period ends on Jan 1, 2008 I think and the apps are completed by the 30th?</p>

<p>hey goldwater, wat is the income limit for a family of 4 people?</p>

<p>I believe around 39,500… but I think if your family contribution is less than 1,500 you are considered anyway. </p>

<p>Meh… the problem is I dont know if I will qualify. I mean, last year I made the cut by a bit… but this year Im quite a bit out. I don’t know if i should apply.</p>

<p>Also, that would probably involve me scrapping my 600 word UC essay and writing an EOP based essay for the personal statment. That would suck. Also, they want you to talk about how your disadvanatged background and/or low income prevented you from reaching your full potential. Well, what if we believe we reached it inspite of it. I mean, i certainly know being low-income, first generation immigrant/refugee, and from a single parent home did not produce barriers that I couldnt overcome if I worked hard enough.</p>

<p>Its just all so confusing. I have a really good shot of getting in to the only UC’s that matter to me (UCLA and Berkley) as it is, but EOP would certainly bump that chance up. However, im just not sure if it is worth writing new essays when I may not qualify in the first place…</p>

<p>yea…i wrote used one of my 200 open-ended for EOP. and everything i talked about was just above the surface…no actual details. Im second guessing myself now. Not really sure if I should even apply for it ><</p>

<p>Same here. Im giving them a call on Monday. As we speak I am writing my essays, and Im not sure whether I should bother with EOP. If so, I will use my 200 word Personal Statment to discuss it.</p>

<p>if your parent got a degree in a foreign country, does that still count for first gen or no?</p>

<p>First generation in US, but not first gen college student. Always a good hook. Then again, it has its downsides so I can wish I had that.</p>

<p>so does this mean i qualify for EOP? &for this year’s earnings, do we just put like an estimate?</p>

<p>Yeah… as far as I know. Im giving the UCLA EOP office a call on Monday to get some help. They list the numbers so it can’t hurt to call and get some info.</p>

<p>hey goldwater, can u post wat the UCLA EOP office tells u? i been wondering if i should do this or not. but my friends from UCLA told me that my EOp essay is good. but like…it kinda sounds like im whining…i dont think ppl would wanna hear that. despite the fact that i didnt go in details the problems with my family.</p>

<p>Heres what the UC EOP thing says…</p>

<p><a href=“ http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/educators/counselors/adminfo/programs/eop.html[/url] ”> http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/educators/counselors/adminfo/programs/eop.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt ;

<p>Also, it lists all the offices at each school… I would just call which ever one you are applying to. I may apply, but I don’t think I will gear an essay towards what they want. I mean, hell… I probably qualify financially, but I can’t say that its been a roadblock to my academic achievement. My record says otherwise as does everything else I have.</p>

<p>Also, from what they give you, and the rationale im looking at, it almost seems as though they want you to “whine” a bit. Thats unlike all other essays, where they want to hear how tyou overcame… but from what the EOP website is saying, it appears that they want to hear why you couldnt, or had trouble overcoming whatever your circumstance is. Im not sure… my college counselor told me the opposite of that, saying if I do choose to write about my circumstances then I should write the “I overcame…” essay, but she is not at all familiar with EOP.</p>

<p>If you want, I can look over you essay and make a judgement as to whether it whines to much, but I am not the EOP office so my opinion is just that, my opinion.</p>

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In addition to assisting students through to graduation, EOP helps prepare students for admission to graduate and professional schools. EOP serves students from all ethnic backgrounds, and is open only to California residents and to American Indians from any state.

To be considered for EOP, you should indicate your interest when you complete the online application . Be sure to fill out your parents’ level of education, family size and household income later in the application.

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The maximum number of words you can submit for your Common App essay is 650 . It must also be a minimum of 250 words .

If your essays do not adhere to these guidelines, you will not be able to submit your essay online using the Common Application system.

Remember that the Common App essay is designed to test your ability to write clearly and concisely, so it's in your best interest to work to these word limits. 

To try and hit this word limit, take a look at our sections on the Common App Format and Structure , which will help you organise the content of your essay coherently.

The information here will help you see what is missing/needs adding to, and which parts could be cut.

Our collection of Common App Essay Examples can also help you decide which information to include in your essay, and keep your word count down.

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For more tips and advice on putting together your common application for college, please see:

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Guest Essay

Words Over Deeds: Why Biden Isn’t Pressuring Israel

By Aaron David Miller

Mr. Miller, a former State Department Middle East analyst and negotiator, is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

One could be forgiven for thinking that President Biden’s tough words on the Israel-Hamas war in his State of the Union address and his MSNBC interview on Saturday was the beginning of a much more critical U.S. policy toward Israel. After all, the president called for at least a temporary cease-fire, laying out, in his most emotional terms to date, the losses and suffering of the people of Gaza and delivered an unmistakably sharp signal that Israel must make the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza a priority. Those calls came on the heels of Vice President Kamala Harris’s high-profile meeting with Benny Gantz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rival and likely successor — a snub to Mr. Netanyahu who has been denied a White House visit.

Nonetheless, far from presaging a major shift in policy, the president’s words and the vice president’s meeting were more likely part of the now familiar passive-aggressive approach the administration has deployed against the most extreme right-wing government in Israel’s history.

President Biden has sent a number of signals — chastising Israel for indiscriminate bombing, assisting with airdrops and creating a maritime corridor for humanitarian assistance — that he’s frustrated by some of Israel’s actions, especially its inattention and even opposition at times to facilitating assistance into Gaza. He is further angered by Israel’s unwillingness to restrain settler violence against West Bank Palestinians and its rejection of any role for the Palestinian Authority in governing Gaza. But he has consistently refused to impose any serious consequences on Israel.

Make no mistake. The “I’m unhappy with Israel but won’t do much about it” policy is Mr. Biden’s policy — driven by the president’s pro-Israel sensibilities, politics and the policy choices he faces in dealing with the current war. At the same time, Mr. Biden surely knows that there are costs both at home and abroad for allowing Mr. Netanyahu to run roughshod over U.S. interests and values. Therein lies his dilemma.

Understanding why President Biden hasn’t imposed costs on Israel during five months of its war against Hamas begins with his bond with the Jewish state.

Early in his career, it was easy for an impressionable young senator who made his first visit to Israel at age 30 to connect with the saga of Israel’s struggle for independence and its fight for survival in a hostile neighborhood. In the years since, Mr. Biden has repeatedly recalled his father’s references to the Holocaust and the dangers of silence in the face of evil. No other president describes himself repeatedly as a Zionist; no other occupant of the White House has asserted that if there were no Israel, “We’d have to invent one.”

In short, Mr. Biden sees his own political life as intertwined with Israel’s story. The extraordinary speech he gave three days after the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7, and his visit to Israel within the first 10 days of war, set the frame. Bonding with the loved ones of those who had been murdered, the president spoke from personal experience about “the black hole” of loss, connecting the tragedies in his personal life with those of the people of Israel.

Mr. Biden may love Israel, but those feelings don’t extend to the current prime minister of Israel. Even so, as Biden biographer Evan Osnos notes, the president’s default position over the years has been not to confront Mr. Netanyahu, but to work with him when possible. As vice president, Mr. Biden even served as something of a conduit to the White House for Israelis during tense periods between Mr. Obama and Mr. Netanyahu, and counseled caution lest the White House push Mr. Netanyahu too far and force a rupture.

Recently, Mr. Biden’s views have shifted as Palestinian deaths have mounted and the humanitarian situation in Gaza has turned catastrophic. The president has been reportedly privately disparaging of the prime minister. It may well be that Mr. Biden now understands that Mr. Netanyahu is desperate to cling to power and, if necessary, will do so at the expense of American interests, regardless of Mr. Biden’s extraordinary support and an ever climbing casualty count. Still, by many accounts, Mr. Biden is not yet ready to stop or condition military assistance to Israel or vote for a United Nations Security Council Resolution critical of Israel, let alone call for a permanent cease-fire unless it is linked to the return of the hostages.

If Mr. Biden’s personal history and his past helped shape his support for Israel, domestic politics has reinforced his pro-Israel convictions. For Mr. Biden — and so many American politicians — the line between what’s good for Israel and what’s good for America has long been blurred. Being pro-Israel wasn’t some craven genuflect for votes and money but a deeply held belief that good politics and good policy were one and the same, and supporting a fellow democracy fighting for survival in a dangerous neighborhood was exactly that. The president’s decades in the Senate, where support for Israel runs high, reinforced this conflation.

As Israel drifted rightward in recent years, particularly during Mr. Netanyahu’s 12-year-run as prime minister, all of that grew more complicated. Mr. Netanyahu’s policies toward West Bank settlement growth and, later, his anti-democratic efforts to undermine the Israeli judiciary began to erode the two main pillars of the U.S.-Israeli relationship: shared interests and values.

At the same time, Mr. Biden now finds himself in a serious political bind. The Republican Party has emerged as the Israel-can-do-no-wrong party. And Democrats are increasingly torn: a large majority still strongly supports Israel, but a growing number of progressives and mainstream Democrats are now calling for tougher action to restrain Mr. Netanyahu.

The results of the Michigan primary in February, with its significant number of uncommitted votes , reflect an inconvenient reality for Mr. Biden: In a close general election, his unwavering support for Israel could cost him the election.

It’s hard to see Mr. Biden undertaking some significant anti-Israel actions that move him from criticizing Mr. Netanyahu to renouncing him in the hope that those alienated by his pro-Israel policies would return to the fold. Should Mr. Biden’s support for Israel waver, Republicans would clearly be eager to paint the president as anti-Israel, especially in an election campaign where the presumptive Republican nominee styles himself the most pro-Israel American president — ever. Nor is it clear how a concerted pressure campaign against the Netanyahu government would lead to a more positive outcome in the Israel-Hamas war.

And that leads us to the final element constraining Mr. Biden’s policy choices, especially the use of serious leverage. The president may be increasingly uncomfortable with how Israel is waging this war and the appalling loss of life of innocent civilians, but he shares Israel’s war aims: to both eliminate Hamas’s capacity to pull off another Oct. 7 and end its sovereignty in Gaza.

Complicating matters further, this is not a conventional military conflict like the one in 1973 between Israel and Egypt, during which U.S. pressure and persuasion could work to produce agreements to end the conflict. It’s a war against Iran-backed Hamas — a terror organization that seeks to replace Israel with an Islamic state; that engaged in a rampage of indiscriminate, sadistic killing and raping; and that holds hostages, many of whom are most likely still being abused. Some have died in captivity.

And that war is occurring in a densely populated area roughly twice the size of Washington, D.C., where Hamas has embedded its military assets around and under civilian structures and population.

If the president had a compelling alternative to how Israel could wage a war in these circumstances without doing grievous harm to civilians, he might have more leverage. Moreover, a large majority of Israelis, including Mr. Gantz, the administration’s favorite candidate to succeed Mr. Netanyahu, support the war — all of which limits Mr. Biden’s options for censuring the current prime minister.

Perhaps most important, Mr. Biden needs Mr. Netanyahu to agree to a hostage deal and an extended cease-fire with Hamas. Without that agreement, Mr. Biden cannot hope to de-escalate the war, increase humanitarian aid in a meaningful way, put an end to the devastating images out of Gaza and have a chance to pursue a broader peace deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

As the war enters its sixth month, Mr. Biden finds himself in an investment trap that’s difficult to escape. He is increasingly frustrated and angry with Mr. Netanyahu. And yet he’s still in love with Israel. How to stand up to the first without damaging the second is proving to be an excruciatingly difficult challenge for a president whose regard for Israel runs deep in his emotional and political DNA and whose re-election campaign may depend upon which way he turns.

Aaron David Miller, a former State Department Middle East analyst and negotiator, is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the author of “The End of Greatness: Why America Can’t Have (and Doesn’t Want) Another Great President.”

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