Well, most active and passive basses when you don't use EQ are very similar. After all, the front end of your head is basically an active preamp! An active bass merely moves part of that EQ circuit into the bass where it more convenient to adjust while you are playing.
In the Common Application, it says that the Personal Essay should be at least 250 words, and attached on a separate sheet (presumably, if you're submitting it online, you attach a one-page file).
You might for example see a scoring range from 225 to 250, which will be prcised once the essay has been corrected. Within two weeks the official final score will be mailed to you. Scores are valid for two years, and if you didn't get the score you were looking for you can take the test a month later.