The word limit for undergraduate Bowdoin Prize essays has been cut in half and the submission date advanced to December 15 for the 1957-58 competition, according to John L. Sweeney, Chairman of the Committee on the Administration of Bowdoin Prizes.

The Committee hopes the reduction in size from 10,000 to 5000 words and the advancement of the deadline from April 1 to December will encourage students to submit genuine essays rather than theses or parts of theses for the competition.

First, second, and third place winners receive prizes of $500, $300, and $100.

The change does not effect the similar competition for graduate students.