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).
A graduate school personal statement should be concise. Whether your grad school essay is 500 words or three pages, effective graduate school personal statements are succinct. Everything should fit together and flow smoothly within the context of an overarching theme.